Local Hero Mari Boya Shines in Dramatic Barcelona F3 Sprint Race Finish
Mari Boya secured a special first Formula 3 victory on home soil after overcoming a Safety Car restart and the challenge of MP Motorsport’s Alexander Dunne to win the Barcelona Sprint Race.
Boya started in third but was quickly up into the lead on Lap 3 after the Trident pair of Santiago Ramos and Sami Meguetounif collided at Turn 1 while battling for P1. Ramos and Meguetounif's early clash set the stage for Boya's ascendancy, catapulting him into a prime position to taste victory.
F1 ACADEMY: Pulling fends off Chambers to secure Barcelona poles
Safety Car Drama
The drama in Barcelona was far from over. A lap after Boya snatched the lead, a collision between Callum Voisin of Rodin Motorsport and Nikita Bedrin from AIX Racing at the same notorious Turn 1 prompted a Safety Car intervention. Despite the pressure, Boya navigated the restart skillfully, retaining his lead amidst the chaos.
In the heat of the moment, Boya had to fend off a fierce overtaking attempt from Alexander Dunne. Dunne’s relentless pursuit kept fans on the edge of their seats, but another Safety Car was triggered when Gabriele Mini and Sebastian Montoya collided into the gravel at Turn 5.
The Final Lap
With the Safety Car finally withdrawing on the last lap, Mari Boya crossed the finish line unchallenged. This monumental win marked Boya's first career triumph in the F3 Championship and brought immense joy to the Spanish crowd. MP Motorsport's Alexander Dunne claimed second place, making history as the first Irishman to secure a podium finish in Formula 3.
Campos Racing celebrated a double podium with Oliver Goethe in third place, while Martinius Stenshorne, another McLaren-backed driver, finished fourth for Hitech Pulse-Eight.
Notable Performances
Noel Leon delivered a remarkable performance, climbing from 13th on the grid to finish fifth for Van Amersfoort Racing. Laurens van Hoepen secured sixth place, flying the flag high for ART Grand Prix. Meanwhile, Leonardo Fornaroli managed to close the points gap to two behind Championship leader Gabriele Mini with a seventh-place finish.
PREMA Racing's duo, Dino Beganovic and Arvid Lindblad, also left a mark by finishing eighth and ninth respectively. MP Motorsport’s Tim Tramnitz rounded off the top ten, ensuring a tightly contested points finish.
What's Next?
All eyes are now set on the upcoming Barcelona Feature Race, a milestone event marking the 100th race in the Championship's history. Christian Mansell of Campos Racing will start from pole position, promising another thrilling chapter in the F3 season.
For an in-depth report of the F3 Sprint Race from Barcelona, visit the official website here.