FORMULA 3: Vips breaks PREMA stranglehold for first victory

The FIA Formula 3 Championship had its first non-PREMA winner of the campaign with Juri Vips earning a stylish first victory in the series, muscling his way past Max Fewtrell and poleman Marcus Armstrong in the opening exchanges. The Hitech Grand Prix driver never wavered and maintained a healthy gap ahead of the ART Grand Prix and PREMA Racing men.

The Red Bull junior fought off an assault from Jehan Daruvala when the lights went out and then earned himself a shot at the poleman, having made light work of Fewtrell for P2. He followed up his comfortable pass on the Brit with an all-too-easy overtake on the race leader and scuttled off into the lead. Fewtrell took a tow and followed him, as the Ferrari junior lost two positions in one.

Championship leader Robert Shwartzman had suffered technical snags in Qualifying and was forced to start from ninth on the grid, but made light work of the charge and swiftly settled in behind Daruvala for fifth. With Armstrong in third, this presented PREMA with a three-way battle between their drivers for the final podium spot, but the trio resisted the urge to brawl and potentially compromise their races, running home in that order.

For full results and more news, visit the official F3 website.