The Feature Race in Barcelona marked Round 5 of the 2024 FIA Formula 3 season and the 100th race in Championship history. After Friday’s Qualifying session, Christian Mansell started from Pole Position.
Arvid Lindblad joined Mansell on the front row, with Nikola Tsolov and Luke Browning in third and fourth positions. Oliver Goethe, who finished third in the Sprint, started fifth, followed by Leo Fornaroli in sixth, Martinius Stenshorne in seventh, and van Hoepen in eighth. Alex Dunne took P9, while Boya, after his Sprint Race win on Saturday, began from P10.
The formation lap got underway, and at the start, Mansell defended his lead from Lindblad into Turn 1, with Tsolov maintaining third place.
By Lap 2, Mansell hadn’t managed to pull away from Lindblad, who was within DRS range. On Lap 3, Laurens van Hoepen reported spotting rain on his visor, while Luke Browning set the fastest lap with a time of 1:31.970s.
Lindblad eyed the inside line of Mansell into Turn 1, but the ART driver defended well to maintain his position. Despite the pressure, Mansell held on to P1.
However, on the next attempt, Lindblad managed to get close enough, going side-by-side and sweeping around the outside of Mansell at Turn 1 to seize the lead in Barcelona.
LAP 5 / 25
— Formula 3 (@Formula3) June 23, 2024
NEW RACE LEADER!
Arvid Lindblad sweeps around the outside of Christian Mansell at turn 1 👏#F3 #SpanishGP pic.twitter.com/Np0hbs3ohl
Lindblad’s lead extended to 0.5 seconds, with Mansell keeping within range and Browning just 0.8 seconds further back in third. Mansell fell out of DRS range from race leader Lindblad and found himself under pressure from Browning in the battle for second place.
LAP 12 / 25
— Formula 3 (@Formula3) June 23, 2024
"If you overtake him, let's do it now!" 📻
Luke Browning is being given the hurry up in the battle for P2 #F3 #SpanishGP pic.twitter.com/1JAxJSgOQN
On Lap 14, Goethe made a clean move around the outside of van Hoepen’s ART at Turn 1 to snatch P6.
Championship leader Mini struggled and dropped to 16th after Meguetounif passed him at Turn 1. On Lap 15, Mansell reported that the rain was intensifying, especially in Sector 3. By Lap 17, Lindblad had extended his lead to three seconds, while Mansell pulled away from Browning, creating a 1.8-second gap.
On Lap 20, Lindblad’s lead grew to four seconds, showcasing his dominance over his closest rivals. By Lap 23, Goethe took fifth place after Tsolov fell out of DRS range from Fornaroli. Fornaroli began a late charge, fighting Browning for third.
LAP 22 / 25
— Formula 3 (@Formula3) June 23, 2024
Leonardo Fornaroli moves up to 4th with a neat move on Nikola Tsolov and now sets his sights on a podium finish 👀#F3 #SpanishGP pic.twitter.com/QeLPiKCHGc
Contact between van Hoepen and Stenshorne at Turn 4 allowed Dunne to move up to seventh, with van Hoepen suffering a puncture. Boya capitalized on this incident, moving up to eighth.
On the final lap, Fornaroli executed a brilliant move on Browning at Turn 3 to take third, with Goethe also sneaking past, relegating Browning to fifth. Stenshorne suffered a puncture as well, while Sector 3 became soaking wet due to increasing rain.
Arvid Lindblad claimed victory in the 100th race in FIA F3 history, with Mansell holding on to second place ahead of Fornaroli in third. Goethe finished fourth, Browning fifth, Tsolov sixth, and Dunne seventh. Boya secured eighth, Beganovic moved up to ninth on the final lap, and Noel Leon took the final point in tenth.
🥇 Arvid Lindblad
— Formula 3 (@Formula3) June 23, 2024
🥈 @CMansell_Racing
🥉 @LeonardoForna #F3 #SpanishGP pic.twitter.com/rgxdfdfOKV
Fornaroli took the lead in the Championship by five points ahead of Browning in second, while Mini dropped to third. Lindblad’s win moved him up to fourth in the standings.
