Lorenzo Colombo takes maiden FIA Formula 3 win in Spa opener

Lorenzo Colombo has won the reverse grid FIA Formula 3 opener at Spa, beating Jak Crawford and Roman Stanek in treacherous wet conditions.

Colombo led from reverse grid pole as the safety car took the field around the Belgian circuit for three formation laps before the session was stopped.

The race restarted as conditions slightly cleared, with three more formation laps before the Italian led away from the eventual race start.

Colombo built up his lead as the cautious pair of Hitech drivers behind him fell seconds behind.

Further back, Caio Collet and Victor Martins both charged past Logan Sargeant and Clément Novalak for seventh and eighth.

A queue of three drivers bunched behind David Schumacher, but the German moved past Jonathan Hoggard into fourth for a brief moment of calm before the mid-field battle erupted.

Hoggard moved back into the lead of the pack as Vesti and Collet joined the rear, with Collet moving through to fourth and Hoggard eventually falling to seventh as he was forced wide.

Collet had also run wide, and was judged to have gained an advantage, with the stewards issuing him a five second penalty.

At the flag, Colombo was unchallenged, followed by Crawford and Stanek.

"It was a difficult race, but we managed to finish it and get P1," said the Campos driver as he became the youngest winner in the category and tenth race-winner of the season, a FIA Formula 3 record.

Colombo’s victory was made even sweeter after being stripped of his inaugural race win in Hungary.

"That’s the best result that we could have gotten."

"I am mega happy with the team and with the efforts that we did analysing quali yesterday."

"We will now push for Race 2."

Vesti and Martins finished fourth and fifth, while Collet's penalty dropped him to ninth.

Aussie Jack Doohan finished twelfth, earning reverse grid pole position for the second race.

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