F3 TITLE DECIDED IN SOCHI
The Formula 3 Championship Drivers’ title has been decided after the opening race at Sochi, with Dennis Hauger taking the honours.
Second place in the opening race was enough for the PREMA Racing driver to build an insurmountable points lead over Australian Jack Doohan to seal the title with two races remaining.
Doohan, who qualified on pole for the feature race was (after his teammate’s lap time was removed following a track limits violation) relegated down to 12th on the grid for the opening race of the weekend.
The Australian was caught up in the melee at the start, forced to launch over the kerbs at the first corner on the opening lap.
Doohan lost several positions in the process and was only able to salvage a 15th place result from the race and was not able to secure enough points to keep the title fight alive for the remainder of the weekend.
Originally scheduled for Saturday, organisers brought forward the opening F3 race of the weekend to Friday afternoon due to the weather that is forecast for Sochi.
Logan Sargeant went on to take the win after taking advantage of a front-row start to lead the entire race. Holding off a late push from Hauger to claim his first race victory of the season.
Victor Martins who started from the pole position rounded out the Race 1 podium.
The action was thick and fast throughout the field with Clement Novalak pulling off a late move to get by Caio Collet, who completed the top five.
Lorenzo Colombo, Arthur Leclerc, Frederik Vesti, Juan Manuel Correa and Ayumu Iwasa rounded out the top ten runners.
The race was very briefly interrupted when Tijmen Van der Helm’s MP Motorsport entry went up in smoke with five laps to go triggering a Virtual Safety Car.
the second Aussie in the field Calan Williams ended the day in 19th.
For more of the latest motorsport news pick up the current issue of Auto Action. Also make sure you follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or our weekly email newsletter for all the latest updates between issues.
