Press Releases - F3 Masters S29: Monaco, Zandvoort and Spa Recaps + Macau Preview

F3 Masters S29: Monaco, Zandvoort and Spa Recaps + Macau Preview

Hey guys, I tried doing a recap on Friday but the data on my computer corrupted so here I am doing it again, I've written lots too so I'm getting this done finally once and for all.

Monaco:
After the Pau Success, Samuel Bellamy continued it with a Monaco pole but Luiz Thomazini is looking to kick start his championship campaign with a front row start with Bartek Szybki 3rd, a casualty in qualifying was Chloe de St-Germain as she clipped the inside of the Swimming Pool section and crashed into the wall, ended her qualifying run.
But after a early scare from Szybki, Thomazini fading down the order, a safety car, Bellamy dominated the whole race with Szybki in 2nd and Cordell Gifford jumping a couple of guys to take home the podium. Juca Macieira also kickstarted his season missing out on the podium but just about beating his older compartiot Thomazini.
Things got crazier for the Feature Race, more or less 10 cars crashed out of the race notably Vilanova on Lap 1, Novikov and Gifford in the late stages, safety car appearing a whooping 5 times and thus, spicing the strategy up, the top guys got it all wrong with the midfielders who aren't that far off got it right and came to play. Verschoor thought he had the win in the bag not only for him to grind to a halt after his pitstop, Bellamy miscalculated his fuel and had to stop again but Bartek Szybki found his way through to come home and win the Feature Race and take the championship lead with Bellamy only recovering to 10th afterwards. Eichenschild was 2nd and Mack Zaggro took home a very encouraging podium for himself infront of his fellow Brit Steve Wallace. Luiz Thomazini once again finishing 5th. Steve Villeneuve kind of dropped a bit back in the title race after a dismal meeting at Monaco. Massimiliano Del Ragno had a brilliant race in 7th, giving the U22s a good name also.


Zandvoort:
Luiz Thomazini turned up the heat and put in a beautiful lap to take a well needed pole position infront of Samuel Bellamy and Marc Vilanova who has also turned up the heat after a bit of a unlucky start. Bartek Szybki the championship leader for now, only qualified in 21st after a brief off on his only run but keep an eye on the places he gained at this track that is tough to pass. Shoutout to Damon Michael Novikov who qualified 6th infront of some older, highly rated top guns in this.
Luiz Thomazini lead from start to finish unchallenged but lots happened for 2nd, the Spanish warrior squeezed his way past Bellamy only for Steve Vileneuve to jump them both and take home 2nd, Vilanova and Bellamy didn't exchange positions after that and Gifford finished in the top 5. Bartek Szybki's meeting went from bad to worse as his gearbox failed on Lap 8, which allowed Bellamy to snatch the lead back again.
Villeneuve sure did attack again but Thomazini got his way back past and the top 5 didn't really change positions but lots happened in the midfield with DeCesaris taking adantvage of Eichenschild's retirement to beat El Dama Heleia Genorés who impressed in this meeting infront of home hero Roy Penninckmeester and Marc Montane who might've found his mojo after a rocky start too. Damon Michael Novikov also held on for point finishes in both races so it's been a successful meeting for the young Russian.


Spa-Francorchamps:
Luiz Thomazini takes pole once again with Thorin Eichenschild on the front row and Marc Vilanova briefly ahead of Juca Macieira and Steve Wallace respectively. Bartek Szybki was nowhere once again in qualifying after a bad tyre choice but this time Spa should be kinder.
The Sprint Race was exciting, it was too close to call who could've win, Thomazini and Eichenschild swapping places in the start before after the pits Vilanova saw himself potentially winning but Samuel Bellamy was on a mission from 7th, battling Thomazini as he closed up to Vilanova and got past him allowing him to take what was his 3rd win of the season. Thomazini passing Vilanova also, Marc Montane took adantvage and finished 4th with Macieira in the top 5. Eichenschild slipped off after another successive mechanical failure.
The Feature Race was filled with thunderstorms and all the drivers surviving the monsoon was tricky but it hasn't denied us from another battle for the lead, Vilanova still kept his elbows out to the older Thomazini and Bellamy, Samuel Bellamy aquaplanned into the wall at La Source after the pitstops and the championship has taken another turn with Thomazini denied Vilanova a victory once again and just ran away to win at Spa and also lead the championship coming into Macau. Marc Vilanova's stablemate Marc Montane came home to take a well deserved and needed podium finish just behind him, dealing with the pressure from Andrea DeCesaris who has also been in top form lately. Great comebacks by Eichenschild and Verschoor to finish 5th and 6th respectively and another one having a good race was Zach Austin behind. Other than bad news for Bellamy, the guys having bad news was fellow rival Szybki whos chances have just closed itself shut into a jar and smashed into pieces, Del Ragno, Macieira, Holguera and Zaggro all getting it wrong in the wet, seeing them finish really low down the field.


Macau:
After a dry/wet quali, it's looking good for Steve Villeneuve who had ups and downs in 3rd in the champ but will lead the grid through with Marc Vilanova on the front row alongside him, has a good chance after pulling great races at Zandvoort and Spa-Francorchamps, Juca Macieira in 3rd, another great qualifying by him, Luiz Thomazini the championship leader in 4th on the grid so he should be alright but it's a disaster for Samuel Bellamy and Bartek Szybki who could be mathematically eliminated after the race if he doesn't beat the rest of the guys infront so they're progress is something to look out for also the grid mixed and matched plus there's the long starights at Macau where the overtaking happens before the real work starts!
Tune in at 8pm to see who survives! I grauntee the race will be a stunner once again!


Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jBxrkc3XxXM_Z1ZxfS0QdOP1RAzzb3R1H-3_bVnEQTc/edit#gid=205053711