Zandvoort F3: Gunther defeats Cassidy to win race three

In a reversal of the second race, Gunther led fellow Prema Powerteam driver Nick Cassidy all the way in another dominant showing for the pair.

By the second lap Gunther had extended his advantage to over a second, and it hovered at this mark for most of the race.

Cassidy chipped away to close to within a second at mid-distance and also with a few laps remaining, but the German leader remained unflustered.

"The start was definitely the key for this race," said Gunther.

"I went very well off the line and managed my pace in the lead.

"It was very important to be consistent without any mistakes to harm the tyres."

David Beckmann, who only joined the series at the third round with Mucke Motorsport after he had celebrated his 16th birthday, notched up his maiden podium.

Beckmann, who was elevated to third on the grid by the exclusion from qualifying of Lance Stroll and Sergio Sette Camara, had a lonely race and made no mistakes.

Alessio Lorandi completed his most competitive all-round weekend to date in F3 by taking fourth in his Carlin car.

Lorandi shrugged off an early challenge from the Hitech GP machine of George Russell, and then Russell had to turn his attentions to making sure there was no attack from Van Amersfoort Racing's Callum Ilott.

A big slide for Ilott with a couple of laps to go killed off any lingering hopes of a change in the leading positions.

Motopark's Joel Eriksson was seventh, while Ralf Aron (Prema) held off Ben Barnicoat (Hitech) for eighth after an early battle in which Barnicoat did his best to deny the Estonian.

The weekend's final point was claimed by VAR driver Anthoine Hubert.

On such a hard-to-pass circuit, Stroll again made little impression from the rear of the field, dropping back from the pack at one point and making two pitstops.

RACE THREE RESULT