Maximilian Gunther becomes first two-time winner in European F3
Maximilian Gunther became the first two-time winner in this season's Formula 3 European Championship after leading all the way from lights to flag in the second race at the Hungaroring to take the points lead
Gunther this time made a strong start from pole, and led the sister Prema Powerteam Dallara-Mercedes of front-row partner and first-race winner Aron throughout.
After the tyre-related dramas and thrills of race one, this was a relatively serene sequel.
The leading Prema drivers decided not to push too hard in the early laps, and were able to manage a gap so they didn't come under pressure from behind, although Aron felt he was a little too conservative in the early stages.
"We analysed what happened at the first start so I knew exactly what to do and my start was good," said Gunther.
"We had good speed and we controlled the pace. I'm very happy for the team and for my mother - it's her 50th birthday!"
George Russell again made a terrific start, this time from fifth on the grid, and the Hitech GP driver even challenged Aron for second at Turn 1.
Russell, one of the worst-affected by tyre problems in race one, soon had Motopark pair Guan Yu Zhou and Sergio Sette Camara crawling all over him.
Ferrari protege Zhou finally broke the deadlock by passing Russell at half-distance, and set off after the leading Prema pair.
The Chinese racer eroded the gap to 1.140s to Aron by the finish, although had to save the tyres in the closing stages.
Behind Russell, Sette Camara had his hands full with lead Carlin man Alessio Lorandi, and that gave Russell the respite he needed to secure fourth, while Red Bull Junior Sette Camara finally won the scrap for fifth. The rest were miles behind.
Mikkel Jensen had a great first lap to go from 12th to seventh but from then on the Mucke Motorsport-run Dane seemed to lack race pace.
Just as he did at Paul Ricard, Jensen defended superbly from Lance Stroll, with Callum Ilott, Ben Barnicoat and Ryan Tveter running in a train behind.
There was no end to the Hungaroring gloom for pre-race championship leader Nick Cassidy, who felt his tyres going off even on the reconnaissance laps to the grid, and was then turned around at the first corner after contact, most likely from Niko Kari, who pitted for a new front wing at the end of lap one.
RESULT
Pos | Driver | Team | Car | Laps | Gap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Maximilian Guenther | Prema Powerteam | Dallara/Mercedes | 22 | 35m03.935s |
2 | Ralf Aron | Prema Powerteam | Dallara/Mercedes | 22 | 3.676s |
3 | Guanyu Zhou | Motopark | Dallara/Volkswagen | 22 | 4.816s |
4 | George Russell | Hitech GP | Dallara/Mercedes | 22 | 10.451s |
5 | Sergio Sette Camara | Motopark | Dallara/Volkswagen | 22 | 11.306s |
6 | Alessio Lorandi | Carlin | Dallara/Volkswagen | 22 | 15.175s |
7 | Mikkel Jensen | kfzteile Mucke Motorsport | Dallara/Mercedes | 22 | 28.495s |
8 | Lance Stroll | Prema Powerteam | Dallara/Mercedes | 22 | 29.292s |
9 | Callum Ilott | Van Amersfoort Racing | Dallara/Mercedes | 22 | 30.002s |
10 | Ben Barnicoat | Hitech GP | Dallara/Mercedes | 22 | 30.642s |
11 | Ryan Tveter | Carlin | Dallara/Volkswagen | 22 | 31.111s |
12 | Harrison Newey | Van Amersfoort Racing | Dallara/Mercedes | 22 | 31.675s |
13 | Anthoine Hubert | Van Amersfoort Racing | Dallara/Mercedes | 22 | 34.435s |
14 | Pedro Piquet | Van Amersfoort Racing | Dallara/Mercedes | 22 | 35.720s |
15 | Arjun Maini | ThreeBond with T-Sport | Dallara/NBE | 22 | 59.497s |
16 | Nick Cassidy | Prema Powerteam | Dallara/Mercedes | 22 | 1m10.143s |
- | Nikita Mazepin | Hitech GP | Dallara/Mercedes | 17 | Retirement |
- | Joel Eriksson | Motopark | Dallara/Volkswagen | 9 | Retirement |
- | Niko Kari | Motopark | Dallara/Volkswagen | 9 | Retirement |
- | Zhi Cong Li | Carlin | Dallara/Volkswagen | 1 | Retirement |
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