F3 Spa: No points for Collet's sprint win amid safety car disruption

An incident-strewn race on a damp track, which as in Hungary was shortened by three laps due to concerns over tyres, saw the safety car run for much of its 12 tours and finished under caution.

As no two consecutive racing laps were completed without disruption, it will not count for points.

This preserves championship leader Gabriel Bortoleto's 42-point advantage despite a first non-finish of the year.

His closest rival Pepe Marti failed to finish but remains second after scoring two points for claiming pole for Sunday's feature race.

Zak O'Sullivan finished fourth but remains third in the standings with no points being awarded.

Collet, who lined up fourth for Van Amersfoort Racing, took third out of Turn 1 before moving into second before the Kemmel Straight. He then took the lead from Taylor Barnard (Jenzer) at Blanchimont before the first safety car was deployed.

Following two restarts, Collet took his first F3 win since Zandvoort last year, with Barnard securing second for his maiden F3 podium ahead of Prema driver Paul Aron.

With the track still damp from Saturday’s heavy rainfall and with more rain set to fall, poleman Hugh Barter (Campos) led off the line.

Barnard took second from Aron at Turn 1 before the Estonian and Collet fought for third, with Collet emerging ahead.

Caio Collet, Van Amersfoort Racing

Photo by: Formula Motorsport Ltd

Barnard then moved into the lead on the Kemmel Straight, with Collet in second ahead of Barter before the Brazilian took the lead at Blanchimont.

The first safety car was then deployed after Sebastian Montoya (Hitech) was tagged by VAR driver Rafael Villagomez, the former stopping on track after Turn 8.

Racing resumed on lap four, with O’Sullivan (Prema) passing team-mate Dino Beganovic for fifth.

But action was again suspended soon after as Gabriele Mini (Hitech) and Campos driver Pepe Marti came together in the fight for 10th at Pouhon, the Alpine Academy member tagging the Spaniard and sending him into a spin, with Mini’s race ended.

Marti then attempted to rejoin but crashed into the side of Rodin Carlin driver Ido Cohen, ending both drivers’ races in an incident which will be investigated by the stewards.

The safety car ended on lap eight with O’Sullivan taking fourth from Jonny Edgar (MP Motorsport) as he locked up at Turn 1, with team-mate Franco Colapinto attempting to repeat the move but staying behind.

Further back, Trident driver Bortoleto made it past Beganovic for ninth, but suffered contact from the Prema rookie. Bortoleto slowed before coming to a stop on track after Radillon having suffered a puncture, prompting yet another safety car.

This led the field across the line as the chequered flag waved, with Collet taking victory from Barnard and Aron.

Title contender O’Sullivan finished fourth, with Edgar fifth and Colapinto sixth. Poleman Barter was seventh ahead of Nikola Tsolov (ART Grand Prix), with Beganovic and Hitech driver Luke Browning rounding off the top 10.

F3 Spa: Race 1 Result (12 laps):

Driver Info

Cla	Driver	#	Laps	Time	Interval	km/h	Pits	Points	Retirement	Bonus
1	C. Collet Caio Collet Van Amersfoort Racing	17	12	-				10		1
2	T. Barnard Taylor Barnard Jenzer Motorsport	27	12	+0.500	0.500			9
3	P. Aron Paul Aron Prema Powerteam	1	12	+0.900	0.400			8
4	Z. O'Sullivan Zak O'Sullivan Prema Powerteam	3	12	+1.300	0.400			7
5	J. Edgar Jonny Edgar MP Motorsport	12	12	+1.500	0.200			6
6	F. Colapinto Franco Colapinto MP Motorsport	10	12	+1.600	0.100			5
7	H. Barter Hugh Barter Campos Racing	25	12	+2.200	0.600			4
8	N. Tsolov Nikola Tsolov ART Grand Prix	9	12	+2.500	0.300			3
9	D. Beganovic Dino Beganovic Prema Powerteam	2	12	+3.200	0.700			2
10	L. Browning Luke Browning Hitech Pulse-Eight	16	12	+3.300	0.100			1
11	L. Fornaroli Leonardo Fornaroli Trident	4	12	+3.500	0.200
12	G. Saucy Gregoire Saucy ART Grand Prix	8	12	+4.400	0.900
13	N. Bedrin Nikita Bedrin Jenzer Motorsport	26	12	+4.700	0.300
14	S. Flörsch Sophia Flörsch PHM Racing by Charouz	29	12	+5.300	0.600
15	K. Frederick Kaylen Frederick ART Grand Prix	7	12	+5.600	0.300
16	F. Simonazzi Francesco Simonazzi Rodin Carlin	21	12	+6.200	0.600
17	M. Boya Mari Boya MP Motorsport	11	12	+6.500	0.300
18	R. Faria Roberto Faria PHM Racing by Charouz	30	12	+7.600	1.100
19	A. Garcia Alex Garcia Jenzer Motorsport	28	12	+10.300	2.700
20	T. Smith Tommy Smith Van Amersfoort Racing	19	12	+10.800	0.500		1
21	C. Mansell Christian Mansell Campos Racing	24	12	+11.800	1.000		1
22	O. Gray Oliver Gray Rodin Carlin	20	12	+12.600	0.800		1
23	M. Shin Michael Shin PHM Racing by Charouz	31	12	+13.100	0.500
24	R. Villagomez Rafael Villagomez Van Amersfoort Racing	18	12	+18.800	5.700
dnf	G. Bortoleto Gabriel Bortoleto Trident	5	8	4 laps					Retirement
dnf	G. Minì Gabriele Minì Hitech Pulse-Eight	15	3	9 laps					Retirement
dnf	P. Martí Pepe Martí Campos Racing	23	3	9 laps					Retirement
dnf	O. Goethe Oliver Goethe Trident	6	3	9 laps					Retirement
dnf	I. Cohen Ido Cohen Rodin Carlin	22	3	9 laps					Retirement
dnf	S. Montoya Sebastian Montoya Hitech Pulse-Eight	14	11						Retirement
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