Del Pino Triumphs in VAR 1-2 Finish Post Red Flag Sprint Race
Bruno Del Pino achieved his first FIA Formula 3 victory during the Melbourne Sprint Race. The Van Amersfoort Racing driver finished ahead of teammate Enzo Deligny and Brando Badoer from Rodin Motorsport. The race concluded prematurely due to a collision involving PREMA Racing’s James Wharton and Louis Sharp, which resulted in a red flag.
Race Highlights
The race commenced with a strong showing from the Van Amersfoort team. Del Pino maintained his lead while Deligny followed closely. Badoer improved his position by overtaking Noah Stromsted at the first turn.
The home hero, James Wharton, suffered a poor start, dropping from fifth to eighth place by the end of the first lap. Wharton overshot the first corner in an attempt to avoid contact with Stromsted’s car.
Key Incidents
- On Lap 2, Mattia Colnaghi ran wide and ended up in the gravel, dropping to the back of the field.
- By Lap 6, Del Pino had established a 1.3-second gap over Deligny, who faced pressure from Badoer and Stromsted.
- On Lap 8, Wharton and Sharp collided at Turn 6, leading to the red flag due to track and barrier damage.
Final Results
The race was ultimately called off after the incident, granting Del Pino his victory. The results saw Deligny in second and Badoer achieving his first podium finish in third place. The top five finishers were awarded points due to more than 25% of the race being completed.
Standings After the Sprint Race
| Driver | Points |
|---|---|
| Bruno Del Pino | 5 |
| Enzo Deligny | 4 |
| Brando Badoer | 3 |
| Noah Stromsted | 2 |
| Taito Kato | 1 |
Teams’ Championship Standings
- Van Amersfoort Racing: 9 points
- Rodin Motorsport: 3 points
- TRIDENT: 2 points
- ART Grand Prix: 1 point
Looking Ahead
The drivers will have another opportunity to compete in Melbourne with the Feature Race scheduled for Sunday at 08:50 local time.
