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Tag: Alex Smolyar
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Smolyar takes victory from Novalak in frenetic season’s 1st race
Barcelona, 8 May 2021: Alex Smolyar sealed an impressive first victory in Formula 3 for ART Grand Prix, scampering ahead of Jonny Edgar in the early stages before managing out the remainder of Race 1 to finish ahead of Trident’s Clément Novalak and MP Motorsport’s Caio Collet.
After a convincing opening stint, Smolyar was spared a late encounter with Novalak as the race ended under Safety Car conditions, following a spin from Oliver Rasmussen. The Trident had risen from fourth and begun to close the gap to P1, but wouldn’t get the chance to have a go at him.
MP rookie Collet briefly dropped off the podium but recovered to seal a rostrum on his first start in F3, ahead of 2020 title challenger Logan Sargeant.
Despite dropping down to P5 at the flag, 17-year-old Edgar did at least come away with plenty of points on his debut, finishing ahead of PREMA’s Olli Caldwell.
AS IT HAPPENED
Lining up on reverse grid pole, Edgar’s first F3 race start was delayed by an issue for his teammate, Ido Cohen, who had struggled to a stop on the formation lap. The Israeli was pleased to get his Carlin going, albeit from the pitlane, as the grid were forced into a second formation lap, shortening the action from 22 laps to 21.
The additional formation lap meant Edgar had plenty of time to think about his start, and he made no mistake when the five lights did eventually go green, thundering off into the distance with a great getaway.
Smolyar brushed off a challenge from Collet to hold onto P2, as Novalak and Logan Sargeant tussled their way through to fourth and fifth.
Having kept his cool at the start, Smolyar was picking up the pace and fast catching the race leader, Edgar. The polesitter had spoken about tyre management in the leadup to his debut, saying that he wouldn’t fight an overtake if it meant destroying his Pirellis, and that bore out on Lap 4, as Smolyar glided past with the aid of DRS.
Further down the order, Smolyar’s teammate Frederik Vesti was struggling to keep Caldwell at bay. The PREMA had dropped back at the start, but recovered to go on the charge, picking off Vesti and David Schumacher for P6 within a matter of laps.
An all-rookie battle was emerging for P2 between Edgar and Collet, but the duo’s clash took them away from the racing line and allowed the more experienced Novalak to sneak in between them, after Collet skewed ever so slightly onto the marble.
Having briefly managed to hold off Novalak, Edgar eventually succumbed to the Frenchman, who clinically swept around the outside at the first chicane for P2. The Briton was visibly struggling and watched on as Collet and Sargeant followed Novalak past.
Having looked so controlled out in front for much of the race, Smolyar’s lead was suddenly under threat from Novalak, who was nearly within DRS range after eating into the gap between them. So, Russian was relieved to see a Safety Car come out with three laps to go, after Rasmussen spun off into the gravel.
The length of the clear-up meant that the Safety Car led the drivers over the finish line, allowing Smolyar to clinch a maiden victory over Novalak and get his title challenge up and running.
He may not have been able to hold off Collet and Sargeant, but the late drama ensured Edgar kept P5, ahead of Caldwell and Vesti. Friday’s form driver, Dennis Hauger, took P8 ahead of Victor Martins and Matteo Nannini. Enzo Fittipaldi will start Race 2 from reverse grid pole, ahead of Schumacher.
KEY QUOTE – ALEX SMOLYAR (ART GRAND PRIX)
“My first win of the season and I am really happy with the race. I had quite a comfortable lead at the beginning, but then had to fight off the pace of Novalak.
“I am quite pleased with the win and I will now try and keep earning as many points as I possibly can this weekend.”
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Alex Smolyar wins F3 Race 2 to become 6th different winner
Silverstone, 2 August 2020: Alex Smolyar commanded Sunday’s Race 2, converting reverse grid pole into his first ever FIA Formula 3 win to become the sixth different victor of the year, leading from lights-to-flag at Silverstone ahead of David Beckmann and Clement Novalak.
Beckmann may feel aggrieved to have not gained further ground on his Championship rivals, who were all further down the pack, but it was a case of balancing risk versus the reward for the Trident driver, as a train of cars were following in tow, ready to pounce on any mistakes made.
He’ll won’t have been thrilled by Smolyar’s attempts to break his own tow either, but the ART Grand Prix driver kept it on the limit and race control didn’t deem it severe enough for a black and white flag.
Fellow title challengers Frederik Vesti and Logan Sargeant managed fifth and sixth, with Liam Lawson gaining three positions for seventh. Meanwhile, it was a difficult morning for the Championship leader, as Oscar Piastri was forced to retire.
AS IT HAPPENED
Smolyar made a fine start from reverse pole, and he needed it to keep Beckmann at bay. The Trident racer pushed the Russian hard into the first corner, but couldn’t catch up to attempt an overtake.
Sebastián Fernández attempted to fire down the middle off the line, but was blocked by the Carlin of Clement Novalak in third. The Spaniard was then served with a stop/go penalty for being out of position during the formation lap, rendering his strong start inconsequential.
There was a hairy moment for Piastri in the opening laps, as the Championship leader ran wide at Luffield and battled to get back onto the tarmac. This plunged the PREMA out of the points and down to 16th. The Australian’s day didn’t get any better as he was later forced to retire from the pits.
It didn’t take long for his teammate, Vesti, to be told on the radio that all of his Championship rivals, bar Beckmann, were behind him and that he should go on a charge.
Little else changed early on and Smolyar continued to lead the pack around Silverstone until Igor Fraga came to a halt and brought out a safety car, which forced Smolyar to make a second getaway.
The Russian kept his cool at the restart, controlling the pace at the front and setting the fastest lap on his way around. Lawson, who had taken his first Race 1 win on the Saturday, was on the assault and made up four spots to sixth to boost his Championship chances.
Vesti, who had been told to push on by his team, had failed to make any inroads on Peroni in fourth and was quickly being caught by the resurgent Lawson. The Hitech racer attempt a move down the inside and momentarily got ahead, but the PREMA just about clawed the place back.
Smolyar had been unable to pull away, and Beckmann twice eyed up the race leader but didn’t have the confidence in his tyres to commit to a move, with a large train of cars behind him. The Trident was fully aware that any slip up could cost him a podium and crucial Championship points.
In a rather cheeky attempt to break the tow, the ART racer was weaving down the straights, but the Russian was warned by his team over radio that he was over-stepping the mark and race control noted his antics.
The weaving stopped, but Beckmann was still unable pass in the final laps as Smolyar calmly closed out his first win in F3. Novalak completed the podium, ahead of Alex Peroni and Vesti.
Lawson’s charge up the grid was thwarted by Sargeant, who reclaimed sixth from the Hitech. Théo Pourchaire finished in the final points position, to at least depart Round 4 with a point on the board, having finished outside of the top ten in Race 1.
Piastri remains at the top of the Drivers’ Championship with 94 points, but is now only 18 ahead of his teammate Sargeant in second. Beckmann is third on 61.5, followed by Lawson and Vesti. In the Teams’ Championship, PREMA lead with 223.5, ahead of ART on 106. Trident are third, followed by Hitech Grand Prix and MP Motorsport.
KEY QUOTE – ALEX SMOLYAR (ART GRAND PRIX)
“My first win and it was a tough one. I had to defend a few times, but I am super happy with the car and super happy that I managed to hold my place.
“It was an amazing race and I hope that it is just beginning and that we can fight more, and even better, for the next races.”
WHAT’S NEXT?
F3 will return in just a weeks’ time for Round 5 of the 2020 season, and the Drivers’ Championship remains wide open, with no one able to pull away as of yet.
