Following several changes to the starting line-up after a spate of late penalties announced following the conclusion of Friday’s Qualifying, the final Sprint Race of the 2024 FIA Formula 3 Championship is set to get underway at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza. Under the reverse-grid conditions, MP Motorsport’s Tim Tramnitz (TRA) starts on pole, following a sixth-place finish in Qualifying Group B. While not in contention for the championship title, sitting eleventh in the point standings with 63 points, Tramnitz will be hoping for a successful weekend to gain a few places in the championship.
PREMA Racing’s Dino Beganovic (BEG) starts just behind in second place. The Swedish driver, who finished fifth in Qualifying Group B, just 0.003 seconds ahead of Tramnitz, is one of six drivers still actively competing for the title, currently sitting fifth in the standings with 100 points, just 31 points off championship leader Leonardo Fornaroli. While Beganovic will have his work cut out for him during the Feature Race, due to his relatively low qualifying position, he will hope to maximise his points scored in Sprint to reduce the gap between himself and those ahead of him.
Beganovic is one of several drivers from Group B who benefit from the penalties handed out to eleven of the fifteen Group A drivers. The drivers, including Trident’s Leonardo Fornaroli (FOR), PREMA Racing’s Gabriele Minì (MIN), AIX Racing’s Joshua Dufek (DUF) and Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak (INT), Campos Racing’s Mari Boya (BOY) and Noah Strømsted (STR), Hitech Pulse-Eight’s Luke Browning (BRO), Rodin Motorsport’s Piotr Wisnicki (WIS), Van Amersfoort Racing’s Noel León (LEO) and Tommy Smith (SMI), and Jener Motorsport’s Maz Esterson (EST), were each awarded a four-place grid drop for the Sprint Race after they were found to have been driving unnecessarily slowly between Turns 6 and 7 during Qualifying. Three-place grid penalties were also awarded to ART Grand Prix’s Christian Mansell (MAN) and Nikola Tsolov (TSO) who were found to have impeded Beganovic and Van Amersfoort Racing’s Sophia Floersch respectively. Additionally, MP Motorsport’s Kacper Sztuka (SZT) was awarded a five-place grid drop, following his collision with ART Grand Prix’s Laurens Van Hoepen (VAN). This will have little effect on Sztuka’s starting position, however, with the driver set to start from the pitlane anyway.
The starting line-up will be TRA, BEG, MON, RAM, MEG, INT, DUN, BOY, MAN, DUF, LOA, LIN, STE, MIN, SHI, FOR, BRO, VOI, TSO, WIS, LEO, BED, EST, WUR, FLO, STR, SMI, ZAG, VAN, and finally, SZT who will be required to start from pitlane after his collision with Van Hoepen.
The drivers have gone out on their formation lap, hoping to get some warmth into their tyres, and refamiliarize themselves with the Monza Circuit. They soon return to the starting grid, taking their places at their respective starting positions. The start of the race will be halted, however, as there appear to be issues with the car of ART Grand Prix’s Christian Mansell, with the driver waving his hands above his head, alerting the stewards of his inability to safely the race. The decision is made to send the drivers for an extra formation lap. Fortunately, Mansell can join the formation lap but will be starting the race from the pitlane.
The drivers have now completed their second formation lap around the Monza Circuit and have returned to their starting positions. Mansell, who caused the extra formation lap, has surrendered his ninth-place starting position and returned to the pitlane for his start.
As the lights go out, Tramnitz gets a good start off the line and defends his lead going into Turn 1. He is, however, noted for a race start infringement, though this will be investigated after the race. Behind him, however, Beganovic is unable to hold on to second place, losing position to Campos Racing’s Sebastian Montoya (MON). Montoya goes second while Beganovic falls to third. Behind them, Joshua Dufek suffers a huge lockup into Turn 1 and drops three places, from P9 to P12. His AIX Teammate, Inthraphuvasak, also appears to be struggling, having fallen to P8 after losing places to MP Motorsport’s Alex Dunne and Mari Boya.
Yellow flags have been brought after an incident in Sector 1. Both Nikita Bedrin and Noel León have gone off track and are stuck into the gravel at the exit of Turn 2. A review of the incident shows that Tommy Smith made contact with his Van Amersfoort Racing teammate, León, sending him into a spin, and subsequently into Bedrin. Though Smith appears to have escaped unscathed, both Bedrin and León will have to retire early, with the Safety Car being brought out to allow for the recovery of both cars. This incident will be investigated by the stewards. León has also been noted for a collision incident with Tsolov at Turn 8.
The safety car is in at the end of Lap 5. Inthraphuvasak and Rodin Motorsport’s Joseph Loake (LOA) are noted for a safety car infringement, while Tramnitz opts for an early start in an attempt to keep the chasing pack behind. His strategy works on second-place Montoya, who is caught unaware, but not on third-place Beganovic who is quick to launch a challenge on Montoya into Turn 1. The Campos Racing driver is careful to defend his position, however, shutting the door on Beganovic, subsequently keeping the PREMA Racing driver behind him. Beganovic is unable to similarly defend and is forced to surrender his place to Trident’s Santiago Ramos (RAM). This is not the race that Beganovic would have wanted.
Into Lap 7, championship leader Fornaroli, who had made his way up to P10 after starting sixteenth, later fifteen after the second formation lap, charges past PREMA Racing’s Arvid Lindblad (LIN) going into the Ascari chicane. Fornaroli is now up to ninth, apparently eager to get as far ahead as he can. His Trident teammate, Ramos, however, does not share Fornaroli’s fortune and is unable to get past Montoya despite having mounted a good attack. Montoya has been careful to defend well so far, and if he continues to do so, this may be what keeps him on the podium.
Behind them, Browning challenges Lindblad going into the Roggia chicane on Lap 8, hoping to get past to take eleventh place. His challenge fails, however, with the PREMA driver defending well to keep Browning behind. Meanwhile, Fornaroli’s charge up the field continues, as he gets up to eighth place, ahead of Stenshorne into Turn 1.
At the front of the grid, Ramos is finally able to get past Montoya on Lap 9. Despite his defensive driving throughout the first half of the race, Montoya appears to be struggling and soon falls under pressure from Beganovic. Beganovic, however, is unable to capitalise, and remains fourth, behind Montoya.
As the drivers get into the tenth lap of the race, the standings are TRA, RAM, MON, BEG, DUN, MEG, BOY, FOR, STE, LIN, BRO, MIN, LOA, INT, WIS, VAN, WUR, EST, ZAG, FLO, DUF, MAN, TSO, SZT, STR, SMI, SHI, and VOI. This soon changes as Browning is finally able to get ahead of Lindblad at the Curva Grande, taking tenth place. Up ahead, championship leader Fornaroli gets ahead of Boya into the Roggia chicane, taking seventh place with the fastest lap. These will be valuable points to Fornaroli, who will be hoping to extend his lead ahead of Minì. Further ahead, Trident’s Sami Meguetounif (MEG) gets ahead of Dunne to take fifth place. Dunne now comes under pressure from Fornaroli.
At the front, Tramnitz has built a lead of about 1.1 seconds to Ramos, going into the eleventh lap. Ramos now appears to be struggling slightly, soon losing his position to Montoya. As the drivers get into the last five laps of the race, more appear to be struggling, with Beganovic losing position to Meguetounif, and Fornaroli losing position to Boya. Browning, however, does not appear to be sharing their difficulty, getting ahead of Stenshorne in P9.
The yellow flags are again brought out following a collision between Rodin Motorsport’s Piotr Wiśnicki (WIS) and Jenzer Motorsport’s Max Esterston (EST). Both will be forced to retire from the race as the second safety car is brought out. Elsewhere, Mansell appears to have a puncture, having made contact with another Jenzer Motorsport car going into the Ascari chicane.
The safety car comes in at the end of the sixteenth lap. The drivers will have only a single lap of racing to secure their final positions. They will, however, not have DRS. Tramnitz tries to pull ahead of the pack, but Montoya is quick to react and remains close on his tail. Tramnitz, however, keeps Montoya at bay, and keeps ahead in hopes of taking the victory at the end of the lap.
Behind them, Fornaroli and Browing go wheel-to-wheel with Browning eventually getting ahead. Ramos and Montoya also go wheel-to-wheel at Parabolica, with Montoya keeping ahead of Ramos, holding on the second place.
Meanwhile, the yellow flags are brought back out in Sector 1, but this has no effect on Tramnitz who crosses the finish line first after having led the entire Sprint Race. This is Tramnitz’s first win of the season. Behind him, Montoya and Ramos finish second and third respectively, completing the podium.
With the final Sprint Race of the 2024 Championship now complete, the standings are TRA, MON, RAM, DUN, BEG, MEG, BRO, BOY, FOR, MIN, STE, LIN, VAN, ZAG, LOA, FLO, STR, SHI, INT, SZT, TSO, MAN, SMI, WUR, VOI, DUF, EST, WIS, BED and LEO.
FIA Formula 3 will return on Sunday morning for the Feature Race which will ultimately determine the championship winner.
