Nikola Tsolov delivered a commanding lights-to-flag victory in a frantic FIA Formula 3 Feature Race at the Red Bull Ring, slashing Rafael Câmara’s lead in the drivers’ standings and throwing the championship wide open heading into Silverstone next weekend.
Starting from pole, the Bulgarian star controlled the race from the front while chaos unfolded behind him. After a clean getaway, Tsolov quickly escaped DRS range in the opening laps and never looked back, stretching his lead to over two seconds by Lap 4 as the squabbling behind allowed him clear air to drive away.
Early Moves and Championship Implications
It was Câmara who provided much of the early action, surging from seventh on the grid to fifth by Turn 4 on the opening lap. The Brazilian was immediately in the thick of it, making contact with Ugo Ugochukwu at Turn 1, which resulted in a damaged front wing for the PREMA Racing driver. Despite that, Ugochukwu fought valiantly, passing Stromsted and momentarily claiming second.
But Câmara wasn’t done. A clever dummy into Turn 4 allowed him to wrest second back from Ugochukwu on Lap 8, though the relentless battling gave Tsolov breathing room up front. By Lap 9, the Campos Racing driver had stretched his advantage to nearly two seconds, and from there, he never looked under threat.
Stenshorne and Tramnitz Storm Through the Field
The star of the midfield, however, was Hitech TGR’s Martinius Stenshorne, who gained a remarkable 12 positions over the course of the race to finish second. The Norwegian’s racecraft was on full display, including a brilliant double overtake on Ugochukwu and Stromsted at Turn 3 on Lap 14 – a move that catapulted him into podium contention.
Just behind him, Tim Tramnitz matched Stenshorne’s charge through the field, also climbing 12 spots from his starting position to take third. The German held off a late attack from Mari Boya, who had made similar progress from P14 on the grid. Their battle in the closing stages kept the crowd on their feet, with Boya diving down the inside at Turn 9 on the penultimate lap, only to fall just short at the flag.
Camara Drops to Sixth, Tension Mounts in the Title Race
The drama continued for Câmara in the final laps. Tramnitz made a move into Turn 3 on Lap 24. With that, he took third place and pushed Câmara down to fourth. Boya moments later, seized the opportunity to take fourth with a bold lunge at Turn 9, relegating the points leader to fifth.
Then came Ugochukwu’s turn. With a lap and a half to go, the American muscled his way past Câmara for P5, ensuring maximum point damage to the Brazilian’s title defence. Câmara eventually crossed the line in sixth, with his once-comfortable lead in the standings now under serious threat from the surging Tsolov.
Midfield Madness and Late-Race Gains
Behind the leading pack, Charlie Wurz thrilled the home fans with a brave move at Turn 9 to take P10. The Austrian later overtook teammate Noah Stromsted for seventh on Lap 22 in a daring switchback out of Turn 4 followed by an assertive move into Turn 6.
Van Hoepen also had a strong showing, climbing into the points late on to finish ninth, just behind Noah Stromsted in eighth. Voisin faded in the latter stages and had to settle for P10, narrowly holding off a charging group in the closing laps.
A Weekend to Remember
Tsolov’s win wasn’t only a showcase of pace but also perfect management under pressure. The circuit once again delivered a race filled with overtakes, drama, and title implications. With just one week until the Grand Prix at Silverstone, the championship picture has shifted. Nikola Tsolov now sits within striking distance of Camara. Stenshorne and Tramnitz have also proven themselves as podium threats.
Formula 3 continues to deliver on its reputation for edge-of-the-seat racing, with the standings tightening at the top, the fight for the title is only just beginning.
Note: Nikola Tsolov has been disqualified from the Feature Race in Spielberg. Post-race scrutineering found the plank on his car to be non-compliant, measuring just 3.7mm at the periphery of one of the designated holes — below the minimum legal thickness of 4mm. As a result, Tsolov loses the win, promoting Martinius Stenshorne to P1.
Laurens van Hoepen was also disqualified from the same race after his car failed to meet the minimum tyre pressure requirements set out in Pirelli’s technical preview for the event.