Nurburgring F3: Rosenqvist takes title with fifth consecutive victory

The Swede needed to outscore Antonio Giovinazzi by 10 points while maintaining his gap over Charles Leclerc to be crowned early.

And his task became much easier at the start when Giovinazzi picked up damage in a collision with Mikkel Jensen.

As Rosenqvist kept the lead off the line, Giovinazzi passed Jake Dennis for third, but was tagged by an out-of-control Jensen.

The Italian soldiered on through the first few corners, but went straight on at the hairpin and proceeded to limp back to the pitlane.

With the chaos out front setting up a Prema 1-2-3-4, returnee Nicolas Pohler then crashed with Alessio Lorandi to bring out an early safety car.

A second safety car followed a few laps later after Matt Rao was unable to avoid a sideways Sam MacLeod on corner exit.

On lap 11, a late lunge from Dorian Boccolacci on Ryan Tveter into Turn 1 made it a hat-trick of stoppages as the Frenchman pulled over to the side.

And the next green flag stint lasted less than a lap, with Lorandi and Tatiana Calderon coming to blows in the final corner and ending up in the gravel at high speed.

With the timer ticking down during the numerous safety car periods, only a minute was left on the clock when the race restarted for the fourth time.

And Rosenqvist eased through the solitary remaining lap to clinch the win and the title with it.

Lance Stroll finished as runner-up, recording his best result of the season, while Nick Cassidy and Dennis made up an all-Prema top four.

Leclerc was best of the rest in fifth, ahead of Markus Pommer and Santino Ferrucci, who had passed Callum Ilott in one of the short green-flag stints.

The top 10 was completed by Sergio Sette Camara and George Russell.

Race results: