Alex Smolyar commanded Sunday’s Race 2, converting reverse grid pole into his first ever FIA Formula 3 win to become the sixth different victor of the year, leading from lights-to-flag at Silverstone ahead of David Beckmann and Clement Novalak.
However, Smolyar was served a crushing blow in the form of a post-race five second time penalty, which has cost him his first ever FIA Formula 3 win, following today’s Race 2 at Silverstone.
Smolyar has been penalised for changing direction down the straight between corners 14 and 15, in order to break the tow between himself and Beckmann in P2.
The stewards determined that the ART driver did this for several laps, up to and including Lap 16. This violates the rule against manoeuvres liable to hinder other drivers.
The Russian’s demotion hands David Beckmann his second win in F3, and awards Alex Peroni his second podium. The ART Grand Prix does retain a points finish, dropping down to sixth place, behind Logan Sargeant.
Fellow title challengers Frederik Vesti and Logan Sargeant managed fifth and sixth, with Liam Lawson gaining three positions for seventh.
“A really great start, made up some places and then I was driving conservatively so that I would have the tyre last,” commented Lawson. “Even though I was doing that and the guys in front were definitely pushing a lot more but somehow they ended up driving away from me, I just didn’t have tyres for the second half of the race.”
Meanwhile, it was a difficult morning for the Championship leader, as Oscar Piastri was forced to retire.
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