There was plenty of action in the Formula 3® Feature Race at the Formula 1® Rolex ® Australian Grand Prix 2023 but all of it happened behind Gabriel Bortoleto.
After a double disqualification of other drivers changed the results of Saturday’s race the rookie took his second win of the season in style, making a solid start, keeping the lead and taking victory by just over half a second.
His
Trident entry looked to be the class of the field, ahead of the ART Grand Prix
entry of Swiss driver Gregoire Saucy. Close behind came Italians Gabriele Mini
(Hi-Tech Pulse Eight) and Leonardo Fornaroli (Trident), who held off a
determined Briton Zak O’Sullivan (Trident) for fourth place.
There were multiple clashes behind and two Safety Cars were deployed. Argentine Colapinto had a terrible race, a puncture early in the race sending him into the wall at Turn 5 and out of the race. Later in the 23-lap journey Ido Cohen (Rodin Carlin) clashed with Rafael Villagomez while attempting to pass the Mexican driver.
After a lap 1 clash with another ‘name’ driver, Sebastian Montoya Christian Mansell was the best of the Aussie drivers in 11th, two spots ahead of Tommy Smith. Hugh Barter finished behind in 15th place.
Bortoleto leads the 2023 Championship points on 58, 20 clear of Saucy. The Formula 3® teams will now head back to Europe for Round 3 in Imola, Italy on May 19-21.
