Williams junior driver Luke Browning overcame an apparent engine problem to dominate the first feature race of the new Formula 3 season.
He took the lead after disaster struck pole-winner Dino Beganovic seconds after the start. The Prema driver struggled to get away and was engulfed by the field.Browning led all 22 laps of the second race of the weekend in Bahrain. The 2022 GB3 champion scored his first F3 victory ahead of Christian Mansell and Tim Tramnitz.
But despite appearing to be in control of proceedings out front, Browning endured a nervous second half of the race. He reported a rattling sound from him engine to his Hitech team, while Mansell also noted smoke from the rear of the leader’s car.
However, despite that cause for concern, the problem remained only minor and Browning kept up his pace to win by just over a second. Mansell equalled his best finish to date with second, while third completed a strong first weekend for rookie Tramnitz, who also finished in the top five yesterday.
His fellow newcomer Sami Meguetounif took fourth ahead of Trident team mate Santiago Ramos with Gabriele Mini in sixth and the third Trident of Leonardo Fornaroli in seventh. Sprint race winner Arvid Lindblad finished eighth, as Alex Dunne and Oliver Goethe completed the points finishers.
Whatever problem struck Beganovic at the start was not terminal. He got back up to speed soon afterwards and recovered to 13th by the chequered flag – an impressive result given his appalling start.
It was another generally well-behaved showing from the young F3 field, with only a handful of minor incidents. Mari Boya fell to the back after a puncture caused by contact with Goethe, while Sophia Floersch was the race’s only retirement as she pulled off track along the back straight on the final lap with a car problem.
Browning leads the championship following the opening round with 25 points, four ahead of Tramnitz with Mansell third. F3’s next round will take place at the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne as part of the Australian Grand Prix weekend.
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Formula 3 Bahrain race two results
| Position | Car | Driver | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 | Luke Browning | Hitech |
| 2 | 23 | Christian Mansell | ART |
| 3 | 7 | Tim Tramnitz | MP |
| 4 | 5 | Sami Meguetounif | Trident |
| 5 | 6 | Santiago Ramos | Trident |
| 6 | 2 | Gabriele Minì | Prema |
| 7 | 4 | Leonardo Fornaroli | Trident |
| 8 | 3 | Arvid Lindblad | Prema |
| 9 | 9 | Alex Dunne | MP |
| 10 | 10 | Oliver Goethe | Campos |
| 11 | 25 | Nikola Tsolov | ART |
| 12 | 20 | Noel Leon | Van Amersfoort |
| 13 | 1 | Dino Beganovic | Prema |
| 14 | 15 | Martinius Stenshorne | Hitech |
| 15 | 24 | Laurens Van Hoepen | ART |
| 16 | 17 | Charlie Wurz | Jenzer |
| 17 | 11 | Sebastian Montoya | Campos |
| 18 | 27 | Nikita Bedrin | PHM |
| 19 | 19 | Matías Zagazeta | Jenzer |
| 20 | 26 | Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak | PHM |
| 21 | 29 | Callum Voisin | Rodin |
| 22 | 22 | Tom Smith | Van Amersfoort |
| 23 | 31 | Joseph Loake | Rodin |
| 24 | 18 | Max Esterson | Jenzer |
| 25 | 30 | Piotr Wisnicki | Rodin |
| 26 | 16 | Cian Shields | Hitech |
| 27 | 28 | Josh Dufek | PHM |
| 28 | 8 | Kacper Sztuka | MP |
| 29 | 12 | Mari Boya | Campos |
| DNF | 21 | Sophia Floersch | Van Amersfoort |
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Formula 3
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- Win-less Fornaroli clinches F3 title with last-lap pass in epic Monza finale
- Formula 3 reveals new car for 2025 with aim to be “more inclusive”
- Five points covers F3 top three for finale as Tramnitz wins sprint race
