Formula 3 at Hungaroring: The leaders crashed out, Barnicoat takes the honours

  • Ber Barnicoat, HitechGP, Formula 3 European Championship

Formula 3 rookie Ben Barnicoat (HitechGP) takes his maiden F3 European Championship victory in the third race of the second round at Hungaroring. He triumphed in an exciting wet race just after two leading drivers, Maximilian Günther and George Russell crashed out on Lap 7, causing the Safety Car intervention. After the restart, Barnicoat took the lead and remained in front until the end, winning ahead of another rookie Joel Eriksson (Motopark) by 4.998 seconds.

Canadian Lance Stroll (Prema Powerteam) overtook Guan Yu Zhou (Motopark) for the third place, preventing all-rookie podium, as it was in the first Saturday’s race at Hungaroring. Although Günther didn’t finish the race, he remained in the championship lead. He collected 70 points in six races, four more than Stroll. Joel Eriksson is third with 58 points.

Ben Barnicoat, Formula 3, Hungaroring

Barnicoat is fifth winner in six races in 2016 season

Because of rainy conditions the races started behind the Safety Car, with Günther as a poleman for the third time this weekend. He stayed in front when the green light was on. George Russell had a good start and followed the leader, while Sergio Sette Camara (Motopark), who started from second place, went wide in one corner and felt to seventh. Ben Barnicoat progressed from sixth to third in the opening lap.

After four laps of racing, Russell attacked Günther on Lap 7 and passed by him, but they collided and both had to retire. The German hit the barrier while Russell limped to the pits. The misfortune of two leaders promoted Barnicot to the top and he took the present.

There were lots of position changes in the field, with few spins and slides. At the end, Sergio Sette Camara finished fifth, ahead of two Van Amersfoort Racing drivers Callum Ilott and Pedro Piquet. Finnish rookie Niko Kari (Motopark), who finished on podium in the first race on Saturday, finished eighth in Sunday’s race. Nick Cassidy (Prema Powerteam) and Harrison Newey (Van Amersfoort Racing) completed the top 10. Ralf Aron, the winner of the first race, crashed during warming up lap before Race 3.


Check the results of Formula 3 races at Hungaroring


Photos: fiaf3europe.com,

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