Charles Leclerc decides thrilling three-way battle in his favour

Season race: 13 of 33
Track: Spa-Francorchamps
Winner: Charles Leclerc (Van Amersfoort Racing)
Pole position: Felix Rosenqvist (Prema Powerteam)
Weather: overcast, drying track

After a thrilling battle, Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc (Van Amersfoort Racing) came out on top in the 13th season race of the FIA Formula 3 European Championship. Thus, the rookie driver also took over the lead in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship drivers’ standings. Second place at the demanding 7.004 kilometres long Spa-Francorchamps Formula 1 circuit went to Swede Felix Rosenqvist (Prema Powerteam) while Antonio Giovinazzi (Jagonya Ayam wiuth Carlin), who came to Spa as the points’ leader, retired. Rookie driver Alexander Albon (Signature) scored his first FIA Formula 3 European Championship podium finish by coming home third, also securing the first top three result for his Signature team since the outfit’s Formula 3 return.

At the start of the race, Antonio Giovinazzi took the lead, but he wasn’t able to pull away from his rivals Felix Rosenqvist, Jake Dennis (Prema Powerteam) and Charles Leclerc. Later on, Dennis dropped back, but Leclerc and especially Rosenqvist kept the leader under pressure. Rosenqvist and Giovinazzi alternated in the lead several times, until the two tangled in a duel. A few metres later, the Italian parked his car with a puncture while the Swede took the escape road and continued. Charles Leclerc took over the lead and brought it home safely, Rosenqvist took the chequered flag in second place.

Third place went to Alexander Albon, so that the driver from Thailand was allowed to take part in an FIA Formula 3 European Championship podium ceremony for the first time. Towards the halfway point of the race, he beat his rivals Jake Dennis and Santino Ferrucci (kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport) in the battle for fourth and moved up to third following Giovinazzi’s retirement. Ferrucci and Dennis ended up fourth and fifth from George Russell (Carlin), Mikkel Jensen (kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport), Pietro Fittipaldi (Fortec Motorsports), Fabian Schiller (Team West-Tec F3) and Alessio Lorandi (Van Amersfoort Racing). German driver Schiller, who is living only 150 kilometres away from Spa-Francorchamps, thus scored his first-ever FIA Formula 3 European Championship points.

Charles Leclerc (Van Amersfoort Racing): “I was happy that I made a very good start. Things got a little bit close with Jake Dennis at Eau Rouge, so that I backed off first, only to overtake him soon after that. Then, I didn’t want to take too many risks in the battle for the lead with Antonio and Felix. Somehow, I saw the accident between the two of them coming, because it was really close between them.”

Felix Rosenqvist (Prema Powerteam): “My start wasn’t very good, because I was on the damp part of the track. In the battle with Antonio, there was contact. I was happy that I could continue and still save second place.”

Alexander Albon (Signature): “Being on the FIA Formula 3 European Championship podium for the first time is great, especially as I had an accident in second qualifying yesterday and ended up last. In the opening laps, I drove rather cautiously, because I first wanted to find out where the good places to overtake were. My car was fast throughout the weekend: I reckon we have been able to make another step forward