Leclerc leads home PREMA 1-2 for first F3 win

Arthur Leclerc had a sublime Saturday after going from last to 12th in race one, he converted reverse grid pole into race victory by leading every lap of the second FIA Formula 3 race of the weekend.

The Monegasque driver broke the DRS of his fellow PREMA teammates Dennis Hauger and Olli Caldwell early on and he gradually built his lead to an unassailable one by the end of the 20 laps.

It was a much needed win for the Ferrari academy driver having not scored in the first four races of the season.

Hauger extended his championship lead with second place as he pulled off a brave overtake on Caldwell who was on course to take the points lead had he held on to second himself.

But the Brit couldn’t hold on to his tyres and he was caught and passed by the brilliant Victor Martins who claimed a second podium of the weekend for MP Motorsport. Caldwell came home fourth to consolidate a super race for the PREMA team.

Martins, at his home Grand Prix, started back down in 11th after his second place finish in race one but he carved his way through the pack in the opening exchanges as he did in the previous race to pick up more valuable championship points. He will have a really good chance of victory in tomorrow’s final race of the weekend starting third.

Jack Doohan tried to hold on to the imperious PREMA trio but he fell back eventually and despite challenging Caldwell towards the end of the race, he was unable to make a move stick and had to settle for fifth.

Clément Novalak couldn’t keep up with his Australian teammate but he did break away from the battle pack behind him to finish sixth and pick up yet more points for his championship as he quietly goes about his business.

Race one winner Aleksandr Smolyar was a lonely seventh after he dispatched of Ayumu Iwasa but he won’t be too disheartened given his victory earlier today.

Calan Williams claimed eighth place ahead of Iwasa thanks to a late race overtake while tomorrow’s pole sitter Frederik Vesti holding off David Schumacher for the final point.

It will be a case of what if for Jak Crawford after the American stalled on the grid from his front row start. Caio Collet also stalled but he retired from the race while Crawford battled back to 14th.