Oscar Piastri takes dominant victory in maiden FIA Formula 3 outing
Australian Oscar Piastri has taken a triumphant victory in the first race of the 2020 FIA Formula 3 season, ahead of American Logan Sargeant and fellow Aussie Alex Peroni.
Sebastián Fernández started on pole position after a hectic qualifying session on Friday at the Red Bull Ring, but it was Lirim Zendeli who had the best start from the inside of the front row, seemingly heading into Turn 1 in the lead.
Renault Academy driver Oscar Piastri had a storming start from P3, nosing ahead of Zendeli before a small moment of panic. Zendeli led Piastri and Fernández into the corner, but Piastri braked first, and with Fernández pushing around the outside, the Australian was pinched between the two top-starters.
The pole-sitter came out third-best, and spun off onto the concrete at the outside of Turn 1.
A drag race then ensued as the remaining pair ascended into the Austrian hills, with Piastri taking the lead around the outside in his Prema.
Behind the leaders, fellow Aussie Alex Peroni was up four places to P4, but quickly under pressure from the Prema of Frederik Vesti. The Tasmanian, in his orange Campos, was able to put the foot down, setting the fastest lap on Lap 3.
Kiwi Red Bull Junior Liam Lawson was another strong starter, up five places on the opening lap to P7.
By lap 5, Piastri had “called reception and checked out”, as a train of seven cars under DRS emerged behind Zendeli in P2. Logan Sargaent got past Zendeli in the middle sector, before dropping a wheel off the track and losing the advantage.
Sargaent attacked in the same position on the next lap, and Peroni saw the opening and took it, leaving Zendeli to drop from second to fourth in just one corner.
Pisatri was charging ahead, holding a 3.2 second lead over Sargeant by Lap 7. The race order at the front settled down, until Lap 14 saw the American mount a charge for the lead. Sargeant took the Australian’s lead down to just 2.3 seconds, putting just under a second between himself and Peroni in third.
The train behind the leaders was slowly lengthening out, but Peroni, and Vesti behind him, were both holding steady in DRS range of the driver in front.
Nobody could match Piastri’s pace, with the Melburnian holding his lead and storming away with the first win of the 2020 FIA Formula 3 season.
Alex Peroni was third and took the fastest lap, with Kiwi Liam Lawson ending the day in P6. Jack Doohan finished in P14, with Calan Williams in P21.
2020 FIA Formula 3 - Austrian Grand Prix Race 1 - Results
Oscar Piastri (AUS)
Logan Sargeant
Alex Peroni (AUS)*
Frederik Vesti
Lirim Zendeli
Liam Lawson (NZ)
David Beckmann
Richard Verschoor
Aleksandr Smolyar
Clement Novalak
Bent Viscaal
Max Fewtrell
Theo Pourchaire
Jack Doohan (AUS)
Dennis Hauger
Igor Fraga
Roman Stanek
Enzo Fittipaldi
Federico Malvestiti
Olli Caldwell
Calan Williams (AUS)
Cameron Das
Enaam Ahmed
Lukas Dunner
David Schumacher
Sophia Floersch
Matteo Nannini
Jake Hughes
Alessio Deledda
Sebastian Fernandez - DNF
