Martinius Stenshorne takes maiden F3 victory in frantic Melbourne sprint race

Rookie Martinius Stenshorne came out on top of a multi-lap battle with polesitter Laurens van Hoepen to take his maiden Formula 3 victory in the sprint race at the Australian Grand Prix.

Martinius Stenshorne celebrates his maiden FIA Formula 3 victory at the Australian Grand Prix. (Formula Motorsport Limited/Supplied)

Stenshorne made the move for the lead on lap five and survived a late safety car to take the chequered flag, crediting the interruption for part of his success.

“I was really struggling with my tyres,” admitted

“So, the safety car helped me a lot to bring my tyres back in, and after that the pace was quite strong.”

“I’m happy with that.”

The Norwegian revealed that he had resumed green flag racing sideways.

“I decided to just go,” he said of the safety car restart.

“I got a bit of wheelspin at the start when I pulled off, so I was a bit sideways, but I think I managed a good gap, and the safety car restart was not bad.”

Stenshorne was fast off the line but unable to challenge van Hoepen for the lead with ART teammate Christian Mansell chasing down the lead duo.

With Stenshorne catching van Hoepen on lap three it became a three-, at times four-way battle for the lead, with the top ten only separated by three seconds.

The ART man took the lead on lap five, but it was a reversal of fortunes for his Australian teammate, losing pace and falling victim to Red Bull junior Arvid Lindblad behind.

Mansell quickly fell through the fell and out of the points, an upsetting result for his home crowd who have never seen an Australian on the podium in an international category at Albert Park.

Fellow Australian Tommy Smith was also in the wars, colliding with the rear of Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak’s PHM AIX car on lap 13.

Arvid Lindblad, Martinius Stenshorne, and Laurens van Hoepen on the podium at the Australian Grand Prix. (Formula Motorsport Limited/Supplied)

Lindblad was up to second by the safety car period and threatened Stenshorne for the lead, but the Norweigan held on to the top step ash van Hoepen completed the all-rookie podium.

Championship leader Luke Browning finished a lap down after a mechanical issue during the race but holds onto the lead of the standings on 25 points, with Lindblad up to second on 23 points after his second podium of the season.

Mansell was 12th and out of the points at the chequered flag, now tied with teammate Laurens van Hoepen in fourth on 18 points.

The FIA Formula 3 field returns on Sunday at the Australian Grand Prix for the feature race, underway at 9.05am (AEDT) with Leonardo Fornaroli on pole.

Watch every race of the FIA Formula 3 season on Kayo Sports.