It would be a Danish driver Nicolai Kjaergaard who led from start to finish in the opening BRDC British F3 Championship race at Snetterton picking up his second win of the season.
The Carlin driver had come under pressure in the early laps, but a late mistake from championship rival Linus Lundqvist ensured that he would cruise home pulling equal with the Swede in the championship. Lundqvist though picked up the fastest lap, setting him up for race three.
Meanwhile, all of Sasakorn Chaimongkol‘s work in qualifying was undone as he almost stalled off the line, dropping ten places back down to fourteenth. This benefitted a number of drivers in the midfield with the top three breaking away from the pack.
Jordan Cane had been the biggest beneficiary, running fourth at the end of the opening lap, while further back Josuf Owega had his own off-track excursion, dropping them down the order.
Up front, Kjaergaard pulled away in the opening laps, but against the run of events, Lundqvist pulled away from the chasing Kush Maini, swapping fastest laps with the Dane. The Double R Racing driver would get the gap down to just under a second, until the final lap when a mistake from the Swede saw him run wide, behind Maini.
This left Kjaergaard free to take an easy win, almost five seconds ahead of Maini and Lundqvist who completed the podium.
Cane meanwhile would secure fourth, chased all the way home by F3 rookie Harry Webb after an impressive debut race. The highest placed Fortec Motorsport driver would be Tristan Charpentier in sixth who held up Billy Monger and Tom Gamble all the way to the flag.
At the back, Manuel Maldonado‘s mistake on the final lap saw him break his front wing, though continued to the line ensuring he’ll start on pole for tomorrows race two.