The Formula 3 season has begun and Luke Browning has secured the first F3 feature race win of the 2024 season. A poor start by pole-sitter Dino Beganovic not only hindered his teammate Gabriele Minì, but opened the door for the Brit to drive to victory.
In a thrilling showdown in the opening F3 feature race of the 2024 Formula 3 season, Hitech Pulse-Eight’s Luke Browning clinched his first Feature Race win, fending off Christian Mansell from ART Grand Prix. Browning’s strategic driving saw him maintain a lead from start to finish, with a margin of just over a second at the checkered flag.
At Lights Out
There was a dramatic start at lights out as pole-sitter Dino Beganovic struggled to accelerate off the line, granting Browning the early advantage. Beganovic’s slow start also hindered his teammate Gabriele Minì who lost momentum in the chaos. Sami Meguetounif of Trident and Tim Tramnitz of MP Motorsport swiftly moved up the ranks to second and third respectively..
Meanwhile, Minì’s issues at the start saw Mansell climb to fourth. Leonardo Fornaroli, also from Trident, recovered from a slow start to make significant progress in the early stages of the race.
As the battle intensified, Browning maintained a narrow lead despite relentless pressure from Mansell, who pulled out all the stops in an attempt to close the gap. Tramnitz powered through the grid late in the race, overtaking Meguetounif to secure the final podium spot.
Browning strategically increased his pace in the closing laps, widening the gap between himself and Mansell. Despite Mansell’s best efforts, Browning crossed the finish line to clinch the victory.
Browning’s triumph has given him an early lead with 25 points, followed closely by Tramnitz with 21 points and Mansell with 18. Trident leads the Teams’ Standings with 38 points, trailing ART Grand Prix with 35 points, setting the stage for an exciting season ahead.
Meguetounif was the highest placed Trident driver in fourth, ahead of Ramos and Minì. Fornaroli, Arvid Lindblad, Alex Dunne and Oliver Goethe completed the top ten.
Browning is looking to keep the momentum going into the rest of the season;
“That’s the Feature Race win in Bahrain. Super happy, great job to the team and looking forward to Melbourne!”
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