Victory for Théo Pourchaire, podium for Zane Maloney who started from the back of the grid
A good start, a frantic pace, a perfect race, no one was able to worry Théo Pourchaire, who takes the lead in the championship. Ralph Boschung confirms his good form by finishing second ahead of the Barbadian Zane Maloney, who started 18th. Victor Martins retires on the first lap.
The qualifications hinted at the best for the two French drivers of the ART team by securing the front row for the main race. Théo Pourchaire, in pole position, was eager to fulfill his role as the favorite for this season in front of Victor Martins, who had secured a podium in his debut in the Sprint race the day before.
A departure and several unemployed pilots.
The lights go out and the poleman manages to make a perfect start to confidently tackle the first turn.
On the other hand, nothing goes as planned for Martins, who struggles on second gear and finds himself in fourth place at the first turn, behind Richard Verschoor and Kush Maini. Unfortunately for the F3 champion, the approach to turn 4 marks the end of his weekend, as he collides with Roman Staněk, who is also forced to retire.
At the same time, Verschoor spins Vesti, who won’t be able to continue, causing the deployment of the safety car.
In the restart, the top three are composed of Théo Pourchaire, with Kush Maini in second and race sprint winner Ralph Boschung, who started 10th and overtakes the Indian at the first corner. The Frenchman Isack Hadjar, starting from fourteenth position, takes 6th place by overtaking Zane Maloney and Enzo Fittipaldi in this 4th lap.
Boschung initially tries to put pressure on Pourchaire with his soft tires against Pourchaire’s hard tires, but the Swiss driver quickly struggles with his tires. The French driver pulls away and will not be troubled anymore in a perfectly executed race.
First stops
The 11th lap already sees several drivers stopping to get rid of the hard tires and put on the red-banded rubber. They are followed by the race leader in the next lap. Boschung, on the other hand, waits until the 14th lap to do the same and comes out between the Frenchman and Oliver Bearman.
The English driver from Prema is struggling, and Arthur Leclerc takes advantage at turn 1, followed by Maini. At this moment, the Monegasque is on the podium, but he makes two mistakes by going off track at turn 10 and 1, allowing Maini, Bearman, and Iwasa to pass.
A thrilling finish
Zane Maloney unleashed on the final stretch, once again pushing the DAMS driver who complains on the radio about no longer having brakes, but manages to return to the top five before being overtaken by Verschoor on the last lap.
Starting 18th, Malonney, vice-champion of F3 in 2022, makes a remarkable comeback by overtaking Iwasa and Bearman in the final laps, securing a superb fourth place. Kush Maini, who was holding onto third place, runs out of tire grip and gets overtaken by the Barbadian in the penultimate lap.
At the finish line, Théo Pourchaire wins the race with a 20-second lead over Ralph Boschung, and 30 seconds over Zane Maloney who completes the podium.
Kush Maini and Richard Verschoor enter the top 5. Arthur Leclerc, Isack Hadjar, Ayumu Iwasa, Enzo Fittipaldi and Juan Manuel Correa complete and take the points of the top 10.
