F3: Rosenqvist wins, trouble for Leclerc

Felix Rosenqvist took a comfortable win in the second Formula 3 European Championship race of the weekend at Zandvoort.

The race took a while to get into its rhythm due to two early safety-car periods, but Rosenqvist was never troubled by first-race winner Antonio Giovinazzi, his closest pursuer.

Rosenqvist converted his pole position into the lead, shooting his Prema Powerteam Dallara-Mercedes into the first corner ahead of Giovinazzi's Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen, while fast-starting Prema driver Jake Dennis tried to get around the Italian before locking up and settling into third. But a startline clash brought out the safety car. Markus Pommer, from third on the grid, and Lance Stroll (fifth) swept across to the inside, and it resulted in contact between Stroll and championship leader Charles Leclerc.

Stroll's car hit the end of the pit barrier before ricocheting down to rest on the inside grass before the first corner, while Leclerc continued in fifth place behind Pommer.

On the restart – at which an errant rescue vehicle had to dive off the track just before being swamped by the field – Rosenqvist opened a 1.251-second gap within one lap, but on the third lap under the green flag Leclerc felt something wrong with his car, which snapped on him at the high-speed Scheivlak turn, sending him into the barriers. Leclerc's Van Amersfoort Racing team said the most likely cause was a trackrod failure as a result of the collision with Stroll, with the Monaco resident taken to the medical center with a bruised and swollen knee.

Rosenqvist had to defend on the second restart from Giovinazzi, but 'Mr Zandvoort', twice a winner of the Masters of F3 at the Dutch circuit, soon opened up another gap and crossed the line over three seconds clear.

"It was really the first time this weekend we were able to show our pace, which was quite strong already," said Rosenqvist after a processional race. "I don't really have any issues except the safety cars, and the truck made it a bit more exciting, but why not?!"

Pommer took another good result with fourth in his Motopark car, while Alexander Albon (Signature) and George Russell (Carlin) followed him throughout to fill the top six.

Another Motopark driver, Sergio Sette Camara, scored seventh, with Maximilian Gunther leading Mucke Motorsport team-mate Santino Ferrucci home for eighth.

The final point went to Ferrucci's fellow American Ryan Tveter, the Carlin driver beating compatriot and teammate Gustavo Menezes to claim his first Euro F3 point.

RESULTS - 20 LAPS:

Originally on Autosport.com