SMITH GETS FIRST GB3 WIN ON RECOUNT 

It’s probably not how Tommy Smith imagined capturing his first chequered flag in the GB3 Championship, but a recount at Spa Francorchamps during the third race of the fifth round, brought about his bizarre victory.

Smith had the lead in the early stages of the flipped grid race, after finishing 14th and 19th in races one and two.

When American driver David Morales hit the wall hard on lap three at Blanchimont, a red flag stoppage was triggered. Morales was deemed to be ok but was shaken by the crash, and the race was resumed.

Smith pushed for his first victory but just didn’t have the pace and was reigned in on lap four before another safety car was called after Mikkel Grundtvig went into a sand trap.

The race was forced to an end under the safety car conditions, leaving Smith in second place, and falling just short of a maiden GB3 victory.

However, after it was found that the incorrect grid information was given by the category organisers on the red flag restart, the results were counted back prior to the red flag.

The stewards report read:

“Race 3 was red flagged due to an accident, the leader had completed two laps at the time [of] the first showing of the Red Flag. The race was restarted under Safety Car, had another Safety Car phase directly after the restart and was ended when the clock ran to zero.

“Due to the reported fact, that the procedure for building the grid for the restart was not respected, the Stewards have decided… that the result of Race 3 will be based on the order of crossing the finish line after lap 1. That is one lap less than the number of laps completed by the leader at the time of the first showing of the Red Flag.”

The findings meant that Smith would be awarded his first victory in the category, albeit, in a highly unusual fashion.

The other Australian, Marcos Flack, came in ninth after getting a podium at Snetterton in the last round.

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