Lance Stroll extended his FIA European Formula 3 Championship lead in style by leading from the first corner until the chequered flag to win the second race of the Red Bull Ring weekend by almost ten seconds.
The Prema Powerteam driver made the most of the pole position he earned during qualifying on Friday to hold the lead ahead of fellow front row starter George Russell, and then pulled away from the pack to win by 9.909s.
Russell lost out to Van Amersfoort Racing’s Callum Ilott at turn two on the opening lap, with the race one victor holding off the challenge of his fellow Briton, with Russell making one genuine move at turn one but running off track to allow Ilott back through again at the start of lap twelve.
Russell ultimately was forced to settle for third, with the Hitech GP driver almost having to fend off the challenge of Red Bull-backed Niko Kari over the closing laps, with the Motopark driver just falling 0.467s short of the podium.
David Beckmann was fifth for Mücke Motorsport, securing points for a second time this weekend, ahead of his more experienced team-mate Mikkel Jensen, who was sixth this time around.
Maximilian Günther was seventh for Prema Powerteam ahead of Sergio Sette Câmara of Motopark, while Alessio Lorandi of Carlin and Joel Eriksson of Motopark completed the points scorers in ninth and tenth respectively.
Britons Ben Barnicoat and Harrison Newey were fighting for top ten finishes before both were handed drive-through penalties for different offences. Hitech GP’s Barnicoat was adjudged to have jumped the start, while Van Amersfoort Racing’s Newey was penalised for forcing Jensen towards the grass as the two battled on track.
But no one could touch Stroll, and the Williams Formula 1 development driver now sits twenty-five points clear of Ilott in the standings.
Red Bull Ring Race 2 Result
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