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Verstappen continues winning streak in first Norisring race

by Peter Allen
Max Verstappen

Photo: FIA F3 European Championship

Max Verstappen scored his fourth consecutive win in the FIA F3 European Championship in race one at the Norisring.

The race was interrupted by four safety car periods, but Verstappen managed to fight his way to the front after dropping back from third to fourth at the start.

After the second safety car intervention, Esteban Ocon dived down the inside of pole-sitter Felix Rosenqvist at the first corner to take the lead.

Having got back ahead of Tom Blomqvist after his poor start, Verstappen quickly followed Ocon past Rosenqvist to get up into second. A couple of laps later he then moved past Ocon and into the lead at turn one.

Verstappen survived the final two safety car periods, opening up a 1.125 second lead over Ocon.

Rosenqvist was shuffled down to sixth by the finish, with his Mucke Motorsport team-mate Lucas Auer claiming the final podium place.?Nicholas Latifi claimed his best result since Silverstone in fourth, while Jake Dennis continued his strong form in fifth.

Roy Nissany was seventh ahead of Felix Serralles and Sean Gelael, while Blomqvist recovered to tenth after pitting to change a damaged front wing.

The first safety car was triggered by a first corner incident that eliminated Felipe Guimaraes and Dennis van de Laar. Contact between Antonio Fuoco and Gustavo Menezes caused the second interruption on lap six, while the third was caused by Antonio Giovinazzi running into Tatiana Calderon. The detached front wing of Jordan King prompted the final caution.

Race results
Pos Driver? Team Time/Gap
1 Max Verstappen Van Amersfoort Racing 37 laps in 35:15.791
2 Esteban Ocon Prema Powerteam +1.125
3 Lucas Auer Mucke Motorsport +3.432
4 Nicholas Latifi Prema Powerteam +6.464
5 Jake Dennis Carlin +7.013
6 Felix Rosenqvist Mucke Motorsport +7.687
7 Roy Nissany Mucke Motorsport +9.229
8 Felix Serralles Team West-Tec +11.065
9 Sean Gelael Jagonya Ayam with Carlin +12.216
10 Tom Blomqvist Jagonya Ayam with Carlin +12.878
11 Mitch Gilbert Fortec Motorsports +15.400
12 Santino Ferrucci EuroInternational +21.832
13 Hector Hurst Team West-Tec +22.002
14 Sandro Zeller Jo Zeller Racing +22.482
15 John Bryant-Meisner Fortec Motorsports +22.826
16 Alexander Toril ThreeBond with T-Sport +32.776
17 Richard Goddard ThreeBond with T-Sport +33.968
18 Jules Szymkowiak Van Amersfoort Racing +4 laps
Not classified
Michele Beretta EuroInternational +7 laps
Jordan King Carlin +10 laps
Tatiana Calderon Jo Zeller Racing +21 laps
Antonio Giovinazzi Jagonya Ayam with Carlin +22 laps
Gustavo Menezes Van Amersfoort Racing +32 laps
Antonio Fuoco Prema Powerteam +32 laps
Dennis van de Laar Prema Powerteam +37 laps
Felipe Guimaraes Double R Racing +37 laps