FIA Formula 3

Gabriele Minì wins interrupted Formula 3 sprint in Hungary

Andrew Rickert

22 Jul 2023 — 3 min read

Gabriele Minì took victory in the FIA Formula 3 sprint race in Hungary as the field struggled with high tyre degradation and slippery conditions around the Budapest circuit.

Gabriele Minì celebrates victory in Hungary. *(Formula Motorsport Limited)*

The Hitech Pulse-Eight driver started on reverse-grid pole but dropped behind Nikita Bedrin off the line, regaining the lead later in the race and finishing with a lead of more than four seconds ahead of Bortoleto and Bedrin, who duelled through the final stages in a battle that was decided on the penultimate corner of the race.

“It was a really good race,” said Minì.

“Just tried to save the tyres from the beginning and then once I overtook Nikita, I started managing the tyres and happy to have kept my position to the end.”

“She was not an easy one.

“It was all about managing because at the end we were running more less five, six, seven seconds slower than the beginning. So, you can imagine the degradation was really high and it was all about just driving until the end.

“It is very nice to win once again, of course would prefer it to be a feature race win, but still, it’s always a win and it’s very nice. Very well done for my team to put my car fast for the race, and we’ll try again and score some points tomorrow.”

Minì leads the FIA Formula 3 field during the sprint race. *(Formula Motorsport Limited)*

Bedrin had the much better start than polesitter Minì, taking the lead around the outside into turn one.

“My start itself was really good,” said the Italian.

“Into turn one I braked into the normal braking point. Nikita did a really good job braking really late.”

Australian Christan Mansell started behind them in third and tried to tuck behind the leaders, but was under pressure from championship leader Gabriel Bortoleto from the first lap, who finally made the move for third on lap seven with DRS.

Mansell was dropped into a battle with Paul Aron, the pair wheel-to-wheel down the main straight before the Campos driver held off the challenge with Aron running wide in turn one.

Fellow Aussies Tommy Smith and Hugh Barter both fell through the field after pitting on the first lap, with Smith making contact with Sebastián Montoya, launched into the air and exiting onto the gravel.

Minì made the decisive move to regain the lead on lap eight and set about building a healthy lead before Montoya stopped on track on lap 13, bringing out the safety car.

Racing resumed with three laps left in the sprint race, with Aron catching Mansell and passing him for fourth in turn three, a move which left the Australian offline and passed by his familiar rival Oliver Goethe.

Pepe Martí was on a valiant drive into the points after starting thirteenth, which came undone after contact with Nikola Tsolov, the pair spinning out and the race briefly neutralised once again under the virtual safety car.

Minì had once again built a healthy lead and drove away cleanly to the chequered flag and Bortoleto chased down Bedrin for second, struggling heavily with tyre wear around the fast and winding Hungaroring.

Bortoleto made the pass in the penultimate corner to take second, with Bedrin holding on for the first Jenzer Motorsport podium of the 2023 season.

Gabriel Bortoleto, Gabriele Minì, and Nikita Bedrin on the podium. *(Formula Motorsport Limited)*

The Brazilian maintains a healthy lead of the drivers’ standings, 46 points clear of second-place Pepe Martí. Minì is now within five points of clinching second from the Spaniard, while Paul Aron holds fourth and Franco Colapinto moves up to fifth after finishing seventh in the sprint race.

Mansell was sixth at the line after his podium last time out, while Tommy Smith and Hugh Barter were 24th and 25th respectively after their opening-lap pit stops.

The FIA Formula 3 field returns for the feature race at 4.25pm Sunday (AEST).

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2023 FIA Formula 3 Championship - Round 8 Hungary Sprint Race Result