Frederik Vesti wins tightly-contested final FIA Formula 3 outing in Austria
Frederik Vesti has won the final race of the FIA Formula 3 weekend in Austria ahead of Dennis Hauger and Olli Caldwell in a race marred by a huge crash for Arthur Leclerc.
Arthur Leclerc celebrates after winning in Austria. (FIAFormula3)
Vesti won the lead after a spirited battle with championship leader Hauger, with the lead decided on Lap 5 after an intense opening skirmish.
Arthur Leclerc was the fastest of the early runners, passing Jack Doohan around the outside of Turn 8 in an aggressive attack that started a sector earlier.
The condensed field meant no driver was safe and the order changing multiple times at the front, but it was temporarily neutralised after a massive collision between Arthur Leclerc and Clement Novalak on Lap 14.
Leclerc attempted to pass Victor Martins on the inside of Turn 3, with the Alpine academy driver running wide.
As Martins returned to the track, Leclerc attempted to pass on the inside, touching the rear of Martins and losing his front wing.
Leclerc skidded off onto the grass, losing his right wheel against the guardrail.
Without a front wing and a limp front wheel, Leclerc's car was out of control, skidding back across the track and colliding with Novalak at full speed, sending both drivers off into the gravel in a huge impact.
As the Safety Car controlled the race and the field caught their breath, it became clear that Caio Collet was on a charge through the field - up into thirteenth after stalling on the starting grid and falling to last on the first lap.
At the restart Vesti held his lead over Hauger, with Caldwell into the final podium position past Smolyar on Lap 21.
Behind them, a fierce struggle was underway for fifth, as Jack Doohan acted as the cork on the bottle for an almost ten-car battle.
Doohan led Matteo Nannini, Jak Crawford, Ayumu Iwasa, and about five other cars, with the battles running three wide at some points through Turns 3 and 5.
Jack Doohan runs wide with a puncture after contact with Jak Crawford. (FIAFormula3)
It came to a head the next lap, when Nannini past Doohan into Turn 1.
Doohan backed off to let Nannini back onto the racing line, cutting across the front of Crawford.
Crawford ran wide and lost his front wing, while Doohan tumbled down the order and onto the gravel with a rear puncture.
Crawford and Doohan dived into the pits as the Virtual Safety Car calmed the field with just two laps remaining.
Frederik Vesti, Dennis Hauger, and Olli Caldwell celebrate on the podium. (Formula Motorsport)
Vesti held the lead and took the chequered flag, followed by Hauger and Caldwell.
"We won Race 3 and I am really happy," said Vesti.
"P2 in Quali, P2 yesterday and then we got the win today."
"It is my first victory for ART Grand Prix and I am really proud of that.”
Hauger left the weekend holding his lead of the championship, making significant gains on his rivals with a podium in each of the three races.
"Overall it was a really good weekend," said Hauger.
"We showed again that we could get that last win."
"We have been a bit unfortunate with the Virtual Safety Car, because we had the pace."
"Still good points in the championship and some good things we can take with us for the next one so we have to be happy with the weekend."
Collet finished in seventh - making up 22 positions from the first lap.
Aussie Calan Williams finished well after some tough midfield battles, crossing the line in ninth.
"P9 in Race 3," said Williams. "More points!"
"Car was fantastic and a good race to finish the weekend."
Jack Doohan finished as the last runner in 27th.
"Not the way we would of liked to finish the weekend," said Doohan.
"We’ll bounce back when we head to Hungary next month."
Doohan leaves the weekend third in the championship, behind Hauger and Vesti.
The FIA Formula 3 Championship will resume at the Hungaroring on August 31.
