Red Bull Ring European F3: Fuoco inherits Giovinazzi's win
Antonio Giovinazzi won a dramatic Formula 3 European Championship race at the Red Bull Ring on the road, only for fellow Italian Antonio Fuoco to be given the victory
Giovinazzi led all the way from pole, but was penalised for an infringement at the final restart, when he failed to keep within acceptable distance of the safety car.
While a joyful Giovinazzi crossed the line appearing to be oblivious to any punishment, Fuoco already knew that his compatriot had been penalised.
Ferrari Formula 1 team protege Fuoco's win was based on a superb pass on Turn 2 on the opening lap, in which the Prema Powerteam Dallara-Mercedes squeezed up the inside of front-row starter Tom Blomqvist and Lucas Auer to move from fourth to second.
As Auer ran wide at Turn 2 on the opening lap, that allowed Felix Rosenqvist and Esteban Ocon to move into fourth and fifth places. Points leader Ocon then passed Rosenqvist for fourth at Turn 2 on lap two.
Shortly afterwards the first of three safety cars emerged. Max Verstappen had run wide at the final corner, and Jake Dennis passed him for seventh, the two cars colliding on the pit straight as Dennis chopped brutally into the Dutchman.
Jordan King then got a run on Verstappen to Turn 2, but sustained suspension damage when he hit a kerb on the inside, stranding the car in what was deemed a dangerous place.
Another safety car followed a few laps later when Dennis van de Laar spun at Turn 1 while battling with Sean Gelael, the Dutchman coming to rest in the runoff.
Rosenqvist tucked right in behind Ocon at the restart, and got a run to his outside approaching Turn 1. Ocon moved left to take his line, and only had himself to blame for the collision that forced both out of the race with damaged cars.
The final safety car emerged for a spectacular shunt at Turn 2.
Spike Goddard was launched after touching Roy Nissany on the approach, smashing into Sandro Zeller who was innocently turning into the corner. A contrite Goddard apologised to Zeller as they clambered out of their cars.
After Giovinazzi's 20-second penalty, which dropped him to 16th, Jagonya Ayam with Carlin stablemate Tom Blomqvist moved up to second in his Dallara-Volkswagen.
Auer claimed third with his Mucke Motorsport Dallara-Mercedes, while Dennis seemed on course for fourth until he pulled into the pits on the penultimate lap with a loss of power after someone else's visor strip slipped into his airbox.
That allowed the battered-and-bruised Verstappen to move into fourth, from Van Amersfoort Racing team-mate Gustavo Menezes and Carlin pair Ed Jones and Gelael.
Nicholas Latifi, Jules Szymkowiak and Alexander Toril rounded out the top 10.
Results - 22 laps: Pos Driver Team/Car Time/Gap 1. Antonio Fuoco Prema Dallara-Merc 35m21.893s 2. Tom Blomqvist Carlin Dallara-VW +0.398s 3. Lucas Auer Mucke Dallara-Merc +1.845s 4. Max Verstappen Van Amersfoort Dallara-VW +3.778s 5. Gustavo Menezes Van Amersfoort Dallara-VW +4.684s 6. Ed Jones Carlin Dallara-VW +5.737s 7. Sean Gelael Carlin Dallara-VW +6.344s 8. Nicholas Latifi Prema Dallara-Merc +7.105s 9. Jules Szymkowiak Van Amersfoort Dallara-VW +7.831s 10. Alexander Toril T-Sport Dallara-NBE +8.624s 11. John Bryant-Meisner Fortec Dallara-Merc +9.601s 12. Santino Ferrucci EuroInternational Dallara-Merc +9.985s 13. Tatiana Calderon Jo Zeller Dallara-Merc +10.652s 14. Roy Nissany Mucke Dallara-Merc +12.191s 15. Alfonso Celis Jr Fortec Dallara-Merc +14.612s 16. Antonio Giovinazzi Carlin Dallara-VW +18.215s 17. Michele Beretta EuroInternational Dallara-Merc +23.757s 18. Jake Dennis Carlin Dallara-VW -1 lap* 19. Hector Hurst West-Tec Dallara Merc -1 lap Retirements: Sandro Zeller Jo Zeller Dallara-Merc 15 laps Spike Goddard T-Sport Dallara-NBE 15 laps Esteban Ocon Prema Dallara-Merc 11 laps Felix Rosenqvist Mucke Dallara-Merc 10 laps Dennis van de Laar Prema Dallara-Merc 8 laps Felix Serralles West-Tec Dallara-Merc 7 laps Jordan King Carlin Dallara-VW 2 laps * Not running at finish
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