Smolyar wins Formula 3 classic at Paul Ricard

One of the best FIA Formula 3 race of all time provided race long excitement and five different race leaders as Aleksandr Smolyar made a last lap move for his second victory of the season at Paul Ricard.

The battle for the win was eight cars thick as the slipstream and DRS kept fans on the edge of their seat for all 20 laps but it was Smolyar who utilised those elements to pass Victor Martins on the final tour to win.

Martins himself had a brilliant race coming from tenth on the grid to lead until the last lap but he will be very happy with a podium at his home race, especially after the overtaking masterclass the Frenchman produced.

Ayumu Iwasa was another of those race leaders and crossed the line third but a five second penalty for overtaking off track saw him drop to eighth, meaning pole sitter Calan Williams claimed the final spot on the podium having led the early exchanges.

Logan Sargeant was the first to make a move for the lead but the American was shuffled back to fourth in the end ahead of Clément Novalak who took home more solid points for his championship.

Juan Manuel Correa was much improved from Barcelona and sixth was his just rewards as he held off Jack Doohan as the Australian claimed seventh for Trident from Iwasa.

Championship leader Dennis Hauger finished ninth after a race long battle with tomorrow’s pole sitter Frederik Vesti but the latter was shuffled back late on and didn’t score points in 15th.

Olli Caldwell claimed the final point while the third PREMA of Arthur Leclerc will start this afternoon’s second race from pole having battled from last to 12th in a superb drive. Jak Crawford will join Leclerc on the front row having finished 11th while Caio Collet will be disappointed to only finish 13th.

With two races still to come this weekend, there is just four points separating the top 5 in the standings with Hauger and Martins level at the top on 36 points.