Brando Badoer secured his first FIA Formula 3 victory with a composed drive through the streets of Monaco. He was able to convert his lightning start into a memorable triumph in Sunday’s Formula 3 Feature Race.
Perfect Start Puts Badoer in Control
Starting alongside polesitter Théophile Nael on the front row, Badoer wasted no time in seizing the initiative. The Italian launched from second on the grid and swept into the lead at Sainte Dévote, relegating Nael to second place before the field climbed towards Casino Square for the first time.
Behind them, Freddie Slater held third but immediately came under pressure from Ugo Ugochukwu, while further back the opening-lap drama claimed Tuukka Taponen. The Finn found the barriers at the penultimate corner following contact with Maciej Gladysz, prompting an early Safety Car intervention.
Early Pressure at the Front
Racing resumed on the end of Lap 5 with Badoer controlling the restart. Slater piled pressure onto Nael for second position, but the Frenchman soon settled back into a rhythm. By Lap 6, Nael had closed back onto the rear of the race leader, with the leading trio covered by less than a second as they began edging away from Ugochukwu in fourth.
The battle at the front intensified over the following laps. Nael remained within striking distance of Badoer, while Slater lurked just behind, creating a tense three-car fight for victory around the Principality. However, Monaco’s narrow confines offered little opportunity for overtaking despite the relentless pressure.
Penalties and Monaco’s Famous Train
Further down the order, Woohyun Shin endured a difficult afternoon. The driver received a 10-second stop-and-go penalty for a starting procedure infringement before later collecting an additional five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane.
By Lap 9, Badoer had managed to establish a small buffer, stretching his advantage beyond one second for the first time. Yet Nael refused to allow him any breathing room, keeping the gap under control while Slater remained within touching distance.
As the race entered its middle phase, the entire field formed a remarkable Monaco train. At one stage every driver from first to 22nd sat within a second of the car ahead. This created a strategic puzzle as competitors balanced tyre management against the need to maintain track position. The Top 10 on Lap 10 featured Badoer ahead of Nael, Slater, Ugochukwu, Rivera, del Pino, Giusti, Clerot, Xie and Stromsted.
Slater Falls Away
Slater appeared increasingly comfortable as the race developed. He reported over his team radio on Lap 13 that he was pleased with the balance of his car while sitting just four tenths behind Nael. However, the Briish driver then deliberately backed off on the following lap, seemingly allowing his tyres a brief respite before mounting another challenge.
Elsewhere, penalties continued to shape the midfield battle. Matteo de Palo received a 10-second time penalty for leaving the circuit and gaining an advantage after taking the Nouvelle Chicane incorrectly following the tunnel.
As the laps ticked down, Badoer’s control of the race became increasingly evident. By Lap 18 he had stretched his lead to three seconds over Nael, who in turn enjoyed a comfortable advantage over Slater. While the gaps fluctuated throughout the closing stages, the race leader never looked seriously threatened.
Battles Continue Through the Field
There was still action further back. Yevan David produced one of the overtaking moves of the afternoon, sweeping around the outside of Ho at Rascasse for 18th place. Meanwhile, Deligny mounted sustained pressure on Bhirombhakdi in a battle for 15th.
Slater’s hopes of challenging the leading pair gradually faded. By Lap 23 he had dropped more than eight seconds behind Nael, and three laps later the gap had risen to over 15 seconds. His attention instead shifted to defending third place from the increasingly determined Ugochukwu.
On the same lap, Ugochukwu delivered an impressive drive in fourth, behind slowed Slater. He continued to absorb pressure from the long train of cars behind throughout the latter stages.
Maiden Victory Secured
A late yellow flag on the final lap, triggered after contact involving Lacorte and Bhirombhakdi left debris on the circuit, briefly added uncertainty to proceedings. Behind the leader, Nael managed to reduce the deficit in the closing kilometres, but the charge came too late.
After 27 laps around Monaco’s unforgiving streets, Badoer crossed the line to seal a superb maiden Formula 3 victory. Nael followed home in second, while Slater completed the podium despite mounting pressure from Ugochukwu in the final stages. Rivera finished fifth ahead of del Pino, Giusti, Clerot, Xie and Stromsted, rounding out the top ten. Three drivers failed to reach the chequered flag, with Taponen joined on the retirement list by Barrichello and Lacorte.
For Badoer, however, the day belonged entirely to him. A brilliant getaway at the start laid the foundations, and a measured performance thereafter ensured the Rodin Motorsport driver left Monaco with a breakthrough victory to remember.