Pedro Clerot secured his first FIA Formula 3 victory in convincing fashion by winning the first of two feature races at the Madring season finale. The Brazilian driver capitalized on his front-row start to pass early leader Taito Kato and controlled the race to the checkered flag.
The win capped a dramatic weekend, as Ugo Ugochukwu of Campos Racing finished fourth to draw level on points with championship leader Freddie Slater. Meanwhile, Ugochukwu's teammates Ernesto Rivera and Theophile Nael also scored points, ensuring Campos Racing retained the teams' title.
The race began with a massive incident at the chicane. The two Van Amersfoort Racing cars of Enzo Deligny and Bruno Del Pino collided after the Spaniard was forced wide in his battle with Hitech's Jin Nakamura. Several drivers were caught up, including Maciej Gladysz, whose car was launched into the air, with his halo brushing the catch fencing. Jose Garfias, Fernando Barrichello, and Noah Stromsted were also eliminated, while Nicola Lacorte was able to continue to the pits.
After the restart, Clerot led Kato, with Taponen and Ugochukwu fighting for position. Behind them, Slater, who started 17th, suffered a miserable race. After contact with Hiyu Yamakoshi early on, he spun into the wall at Turn 19 on lap 10, bringing out the safety car. This incident severely damaged his championship hopes.
Racing resumed on lap 12, and Clerot maintained his advantage over Kato and Taponen. Ugochukwu, mindful of the championship, let Nakamura through but held onto fourth. Clerot eventually took the win by 1.341 seconds from Kato, claiming his first F3 victory.
With this result, the title fight intensifies ahead of the second race. Ugochukwu and Slater are now level on points, while Campos Racing has secured the teams' championship. Clerot's win also underscores his potential in F3 after an impressive season.
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