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Race report

F3 Monza: Martins crowned champion after red flag confusion in finale

Victor Martins claimed the 2022 FIA Formula 3 title at Monza after a red flag brought a premature end to the season finale.

Victor Martins, ART Grand Prix

Victor Martins, ART Grand Prix

Formula Motorsport Ltd

The Frenchman clinched the championship after some confusion surrounding penalties after the stoppage, with Martins, Trident’s Zane Maloney and Prema Racing driver Ollie Bearman in contention, but the Frenchman emerged victorious. 

During the stoppage, Martins was handed a penalty, having been running in third, and was demoted to fourth. 

But fourth-place runner William Alatalo (Jenzer) was then also penalised, promoting Martins back to fourth and securing him the title. 

Maloney took second in the championship by five points, with Bearman finishing in third. 

Maloney won the sprint race, while Bearman finished second and teammate Jak Crawford in third.

Story of the race 

Maloney passed Stanek off the line before taking the lead from Smolyar at Turns 1 and 2. 

Leclerc and Bearman tussled at the first chicane, the former running wide and allowing his rookie teammate past into fifth. 

The safety car was deployed on the first lap after David Vidales (Campos) and Van Amersfoort Racing’s Rafael Villagomez ran into the gravel at Lesmo having made contact, while Brad Benavides (Carlin) and his teammate Enzo Trulli also touched. 

Racing resumed on lap five, with Maloney dropping back into the clutches of Martins and Smolyar, the ART driver taking the lead into the second chicane as Smolyar locked up, settling for second. 

Leclerc then passed Bearman for fifth before the pair tussled again the following lap, with Leclerc off at Turn 2 but emerging ahead of his teammate. 

Ahead, Smolyar, Maloney and Stanek were embroiled in a fight for third, with Maloney passing his MP Motorsport rival for second into Turn 1 on lap eight.  

Maloney and Martins then embarked on a fight for the lead, with Maloney passing at the second chicane before having to hand the position back. 

Leclerc and Stanek tangled at Turn 1 the following lap, with Bearman capitalising on them going through the bollards to take fourth. 

The Briton then passed Smolyar for third at Ascari, before both the other Premas also passed him, with Smolyar dropping rapidly down the order. 

Bearman took second from Martins down to Turn 1 on lap 12, while a huge fight ensued in the midfield down to Turn 1, with several cars running across the kerb and through the bollards. 

The Prema driver was closing on Maloney by lap 14 and was within 0.5s of the Barbadian by the following lap, almost clinching the lead at Turn 1 as Maloney locked up. 

Bearman ran wide across the sausage kerb and briefly led before giving the place back. 

The race was red flagged on lap 16 after Kush Maini (MP Motorsport) spun at the exit of Lesmo 2, collecting Benadvides on their way into the barrier. 

Martins was then handed a five-second penalty, having previously been waved the black and white flag for exceeding track limits on lap seven. 

The penalty demoted Martins to fifth, but William Alatalo was then awarded a five-second penalty, promoting the Frenchman back up to fourth. 

Leclerc finished fifth, with Stanek and Alatalo in sixth and seventh respectively.  

Jonny Edgar finished eighth for Trident, with Hitech driver Isack Hadjar, who had been a strong title contender until he crashed out of Friday’s qualifying session, in ninth and Reece Ushijima rounding off the top 10 for VAR. 

F3 Monza - Race results:

results to follow

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