Juri Vips dominated the final Formula 3 race of 2019, leading from lights-to-flag for his third victory of the campaign and his first since Silverstone.
Marcus Armstrong grabbed the headlines, however, as the Kiwi rose from seventh to second to secure P2 in the drivers’ championship at team mate Jehan Daruvala’s expense.
Estonian Vips’ positon had initially been under threat from Jake Hughes, but the British HWA RACELAB driver tangled with Leonardo Pulcini as the duo scrapped for second. Their collision allowed Armstrong to fire past and put himself on course for a second podium of the weekend.
With Daruvala out of the points having started 22nd, Armstrong needed first or the fastest lap to leapfrog the Indian in the standings. With Vips nearly 4s ahead, he opted for the latter and switched to qualifying mode, roaring around the Sochi Autodrom to secure second in the championship by a single point.
Champion Robert Shwartzman also snuck onto the podium to cap off a successful campaign, bringing his final 2019 points tally to 212 points.
For the full report, results and more news, visit the official F3 website.
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