Ferrari Formula 1 academy racer Callum Ilott has taken his first GP3 victory in the sprint race at Circuit Paul Ricard.
The polesitter lost the lead at the start of the race after Pedro Piquet rose from third to first around the inside, but Ilott regained the lead at right-handed Turn 11.
Ilott was then unopposed before winning by 3.4 seconds ahead of the Brazilian, who equals his father Nelson Sr’s result of second in the 1987 F1 grand prix at the circuit for his maiden series podium.
Joey Mawson fell from second on the grid to third to also take his first podium in the category.
Alessio Lorandi held on to fourth late on after pressure from ART’s Nikita Mazepin and Anthoine Hubert, and Trident team-mate and Ferrari academy driver Giuliano Alesi.
The Italian finished just a second ahead of Mazepin and Alesi, while Hubert dropped off the back of Alesi by 1.4s as the chequered flag waved.
Hubert managed to not sustain major damage when team-mate Jake Hughes attempted a late move across the start-finish straight on lap four.
Hughes moved from behind Hubert very late, damaging the left-hand side of his front wing against the right-hand side of the Frenchman’s rear.
This meant that Hughes had to pit for a replacement wing, dropping to 17th.
Leonardo Pulcini finished eighth for the last point, while Ryan Tveter and David Beckmann completed the top 10.
Renault-backed Christian Lundgaard was 13th in the final start of his one-off entry for MP, battling with team-mate Dorian Boccolacci and remaining ahead at the end.
Sauber F1 test driver Tatiana Calderon also required a front wing change and finished in 16th, while Niko Kari’s race ended on lap six after sustaining a puncture.
Gabriel Aubry’s participation came to a halt on the opening lap after the front of his Arden-Dallara jumped into the air across a kerb at Turn 1.
