Red Bull Ring European F3: Fuoco inherits Giovinazzi's win

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