Trident’s Leonardo Fornaroli started the race from pole position for the first time in his F3 career, but his teammate Oliver Goethe ultimately stole the show. Goethe showcased his talent and determination, clinching his maiden F3 victory in style. The impressive performance also secured the Trident team a 1-2 finish.
As the lights went out, Fornaroli had a strong start, maintaining the lead. However, Goethe quickly fought back and snatched second place from Marti. The battle intensified as the drivers jostled for positions, and Mansell made an impressive move, overtaking Bortoleto and Aron.
Drama struck early in the race, as a collision between Hugh Barter and Luke Browning brought out the safety car. Browning’s car stopped on track, while Jonny Edgar and Caio Collet suffered damage.
At this point, Fornaroli, Goethe, Marti, Aron, and Mansell held the top five positions. Bortoleto dropped to sixth, followed by Gabriel Mini, Franco Colapinto, Sebastian Montoya, and Taylor Barnard, rounding out the top ten.
When the safety car period ended on lap 6, Fornaroli aimed to retain his lead. Launching out of Stowe’s corner, he executed a strong restart to maintain his position at the front of the pack. The battle intensified among the leading drivers, with each of the top six contenders utilizing the DRS zones to their advantage.
As the race progressed, the challenge of tire degradation became increasingly evident. The drivers had to carefully manage their hard compound tires carefully, maintaining a balance between speed and preservation.
In a beautiful moment, Goethe, Fornaroli’s teammate, closed in on the race leader. Demonstrating impressive pace, Goethe made his move, ultimately seizing control of the race and storming to the front.
Further down the field, Aron attempted a daring maneuver around the outside of Stowe’s corner, but Marti defended his position aggressively. Aron went off the track and rejoined behind Marti, allowing the Spaniard to retain his third-place position.
Rain began to fall at Silverstone, adding another layer of complexity to the race. However, the drivers opted to stick with slick tires, weighing the risks and rewards as the conditions continued to evolve.
Roberto Faria’s off-track excursion into the barriers triggered a second safety car period after a battle with Tommy Smith. Faria’s incident resulted in him being stranded in the gravel, necessitating the safety car’s intervention.
On lap 21, the safety car finally retreated, setting the stage for a thrilling two-lap dash to the finish line. Goethe moved early on the restart, while Mansell ran wide but maintained his fifth-place position.
Further back in the pack, Colapinto and Saucy engaged in an intense battle for eighth place. Colapinto set his sights on moving up the order, weighing his options to overtake the Italian racer.
In the final lap, Oliver Goethe crossed the finish line to claim his first-ever victory in FIA Formula 3. His triumph also secured a 1-2 finish for Trident, with teammate Leonardo Fornaroli following closely in second place.
Juan Maria Marti secured the final spot on the podium in third for Campos Racing, while PREMA Racong’s Paul Aron and teammate Christian Mansell completed the top five.
Championship leader Gabriel Bortoleto claimed sixth for Trident, ahead of Hitech’s Gabriel Mini in seventh. MP Motorsport’s Franco Colapinto finished eighth, Caio Collet in ninth for Van Amersfoort, and Gregoire Saucy rounded out the top ten for ART.
As the FIA Formula 3 Championship takes a brief break, the drivers and teams will reflect on the weekend in Silverstone and prepare for Round 8 in Budapest from 14-16 July.
