Luke Browning (GBR, Hitech Pulse-Eight), 1st position, celebrates with a team mate on the podium
Luke Browning converted pole position into his second Formula 3 win of the season to reclaim the points lead with a controlled drive in the Austrian feature race.
The Williams Academy driver, racing for Hitech, kept clear of the touring car-style battles raging behind him to win by 1.6s from Prema's Gabriele Mini.
Having made a solid start, Browning pulled clear of the field while third-placed starter Tim Tramnitz dropped like a stone having failed to launch his MP Motorsport entry.
This allowed the Prema trio of Arvid Lindblad, Mini and Dino Beganovic to position themselves line astern behind Browning, although Lindblad would soon drop back after the front-row starter was shovelled off the track by MP Motorsport’s Alex Dunne on lap eight of 26.
Dunne was handed a time penalty for his trouble, and he was joined on the naughty step by Tramnitz, Mari Boya (Campos) and Callum Voisin (Rodin) who were also involved in on-track incidents.
But it was in the closing laps that an already exciting race reached a climax, with the battle for second taking centre stage.
At the end of lap 21, Beganovic demonstrated how hard he was having to push in order to keep pace with Browning, as he lost the rear and drifted through the final corner – a move that allowed the race leader a few extra tenths of breathing room.
With three laps to go, the battle intensified with Mini's attempted move on Beganovic costing him a place to ART Grand Prix's Christian Mansell, before the Alpine junior regained his position on the final step of the podium around the outside of Turn 6.
The battle continued on the penultimate lap, and this time Mini was successful in his attack on Beganovic, waiting to complete the move at Turn 4.
The positions changed once again on the final tour, when Beganovic moved back ahead at Turn 3 before ultimately losing second for one final time at Turn 6.
The late battling allowed Browning to score his first win since the Bahrain season-opener unchallenged, as Mini and Beganovic completed the podium order.
Mansell ended up fourth after starting 11th, the Australian describing events as “the best race of my life” over team radio.
Browning now heads the standings on 106 points from Mini, with Leonardo Fornaroli (Trident) dropping from first to third after finishing ninth and claiming only two points. Beganovic is 26 points off the lead, with only four weekends remaining.
-
+1.600
1.6
+2.100
2.1
+2.500
2.5
+3.100
3.1
+7.100
7.1
+7.800
7.8
+9.900
9.9
+10.200
10.2
+13.400
13.4
+13.800
13.8
+14.000
14.0
+14.500
14.5
+17.900
17.9
+18.300
18.3
+21.300
21.3
+22.200
22.2
+23.900
23.9
+30.100
30.1
+33.900
33.9
+33.900
33.9
+41.800
41.8
+47.600
47.6
+1'00.600
1'00.6
+1'16.600
1'16.6
+1'22.000
1'22.0
1 lap
16 laps
21 laps
21 laps
Source: Autosport