Leon wins sprint race but under investigation after dramatic finish · RaceFans

Van Amersfoort driver Noel Leon took his first F3 win in the Imola sprint race after a dramatic and confusing finish.

Leon swept around reverse-grid pole winner Kacper Sztuka to lead the race through four Safety Car deployments until the final lap.

But as a Virtual Safety Car period ended on the final lap, Oliver Goethe pounced on Leon seemingly to snatch victory. However, despite taking the chequered flag first, Goethe was immediately hit with a five-second time penalty for a Safety Car infringement apparently committed during one of the four earlier deployments.

That handed victory back to Leon. But moments later came word the winner is under investigation by the stewards for allegedly weaving into the Rivazzas under green flag conditions following one of the many restarts. He will state his case in front of the stewards and risks losing victory to Goethe should he receive a time penalty.

MP driver Tim Tramnitz finished third after he was passed by Goethe later in the race, while Ferrari junior Dino Beganovic finished in fourth. Pole starter Sztuka fell to finish in fifth, with Alpine junior Gabriele Mini in sixth ahead of Laurens van Hoepens. Red Bull junior Arvid Lindblad finished in eighth, while Nikita Bedrin and feature race pole winner Santiago Ramos took the final point in 10th.

Championship leader Luke Browning retired late after an ill-judged attempt to pass Sztuka into Tosa which resulted in the Williams junior clipping his front wing and sliding off into the gravel trap, putting him out of the race. The result sees Browning, Leonardo Fornaroli and Mini all tied on 37 points at the top of the championship standings, with Beganovic just two points behind in fourth.

Campos driver Mari Boya retired on the opening lap after contact in the Villeneuve chicane from Tommy Smith’s Van Amersfoort car, prompting the first Safety Car appearance. Rodin’s Callum Voisin was also eliminated on lap five after a clash with Charlie Wurz at Tosa, causing the Safety Car’s first return. Both Smith and Wurz received 10-second penalties for being deemed responsible for their respective clashes. Sami Meguetounif also failed to finish after spinning out at high speed into Tamburello.

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Formula 3 Italy race one results