Hadjar inherits win in season-opening F3 Sprint Race

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Isack Hadjar inherited a hard-earned victory yesterday in the season-opening Sprint Race of the 2022 FIA Formula 3 Championship, held as part of the weekend’s events in the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit.

Oliver Bearman of Prema Racing originally crossed the finish line in first but was then given a five-second penalty for track limits, dropping him to the runner-up spot on the final classification.

Hadjar was promoted as the winner on his debut in F3. The Hitech Grand Prix ace had a winning time of 37 minutes 30.285 after 20 laps. Bearman had to settle for the second 1.589 seconds behind, while Alexander Smolyar of MP Motorsport took the final podium place in third after finishing 3.593s from Hadjar.

Finishing the Sprint fourth through eighth, respectively, were Zane Maloney of Trident, Arthur Leclerc of Prema, pole-sitter Zak O’Sullivan of Carlin, Caio Collet of MP Motorsport and Hadjar’s Hitech teammate Kaylen Frederick.

The F3 field is now set for its first Feature Race of the season today starting at 11.45 am, with Franco Colapinto of Van Amersfoort Racing in the leading grid position.