The FIA F2 feature race was forced to be cancelled due to heavy rain in Australia, as Rafael Camara took the win in F3.
F2:
Due to the adverse weather conditions in Melbourne, this morning’s FIA Formula 2 Feature Race has been cancelled. The race had been scheduled to get underway at 11:30 local time but following continuous rain hitting the track, it was initially then Red Flagged. However, after an attempt to start, the decision was made to cancel the event as the heavy downpour continued. With no racing laps completed, no points will be awarded, although ART Grand Prix driver Victor Martins will receive two points for starting from Pole Position.
FIA Formula 2 CEO Bruno Michel: “I feel sorry for the fans who wanted to see us race and also for our teams and drivers who came all the way to Melbourne, but safety takes precedence. We tried everything we could to make it happen, but ultimately, the track conditions were too dangerous, which the drivers confirmed over the radio, so the right call was to cancel. We focus now on Bahrain, which will take place on 11-13 of April.”
F3:
After several formation laps behind the Safety Car, racing got underway in the Feature Race with a rolling start, and pole sitter Câmara launched into a sizeable lead over Stromsted. The Safety Car was called upon before the end of the first lap however, with Nikola Tsolov and Callum Voisin off the road at Turn 10. Back to racing conditions entering Lap 6, Câmara re-established a healthy gap back to Stromsted in second.
McLaren Development Drivers Ugo Ugochukwu and Martinius Stenshorne went into battle on Lap 8 at Turn 4, the Norwegian slicing his way by the PREMA Racing for P8. Ugochukwu lost another place on Lap 9 to Roman Bilinski after running wide at Turn 11, opening the door for the Rodin Motorsport driver to go through for ninth.
The rain intensity picked up on Lap 11, making things even trickier for the drivers as they fought through the spray, though Câmara was taking full advantage of his clear view, five seconds clear of the pack. The Safety Car was back out on Lap 13, with DAMS Lucas Oil driver Christian Ho in the barriers at Turn 7. He was out of the car and ok, but the field was bunched back together with rain coming down heavily once again.
After several laps behind the Safety Car, the Red Flags were thrown on Lap 18 of 20, and with the weather not improving, the Feature Race was called. Câmara capped off his impressive first F3 weekend with victory ahead of Stromsted, the team’s second consecutive Feature Race one-two going back to Monza 2024. Nael was on the podium for Van Amersfoort Racing in third, their second trip to the rostrum across the weekend.
Nikita Bedrin finished fourth for AIX Racing ahead of MP Motorsport driver Tim Tramnitz. Charlie Wurz was sixth on a great day for TRIDENT, while Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak of Campos Racing, Stenshorne, Bilinski and Ugochukwu completed the points.
Here’s how F2, F3 sprint panned out
[The story is as per press release]
