SPRINT RACE: Inthraphuvasak holds off Ugochukwu for second Sprint win of 2025

Campos Racing’s Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak earned his second victory of the season, resisting PREMA Racing’s Ugo Ugochukwu in a one-lap sprint to the finish after a late Safety Car. Charlie Wurz rounded out the podium for TRIDENT following a final lap pass to take third.

AS IT HAPPENED

Inthraphuvasak immediately moved to cover off James Hedley at lights out and he retained the lead into the first corner, while Brando Badoer moved ahead of Alessandro Giusti to take P4.

Hedley tried a move at Turn 10 to take the lead, but that allowed James Wharton a chance at second, though the AIX Racing driver retained P2 as they entered the final sector.

Just behind them and entering the penultimate corner, Giusti had contact with Ugochukwu which damaged his suspension and left him heading into the barriers, bringing out the Safety Car.

The Safety Car was in at the end of Lap 3 with Inthraphuvasak leading Hedley, Wharton, Badoer and Ugochukwu in the top five.

The American was able to find a pass on his teammate at Turn 13 to take fourth on Lap 5 and he was immediately harrying Wharton for third position.

With DRS on Lap 7, the PREMA driver set up a switchback out of Turn 1 to move up to third place, and by Lap 8 he was onto the back of Hedley, as the Briton remained within half a second of the race leader.

A wide moment at Turn 4 for Hedley on Lap 11 opened the door to the McLaren Development Driver, Ugochukwu moved up to second and set about closing the one-second gap to Inthraphuvasak.

Lap 14 and he had closed in on the leader and was into DRS range of the Campos driver.

In the fight for the final podium spot, Hedley had fallen five seconds away and had Wharton glued to his gearbox, but an opportunistic pass by Wurz at Turn 3 gave the TRIDENT driver P4.

Moments later, Noel León and Théophile Nael ran off at Turn 4 as they fought for position and made contact as they tried to rejoin, leaving the PREMA driver out of the running and bringing out the Safety Car.

It was withdrawn with a lap to go, leaving Inthraphuvasak to fend off Ugochukwu for the victory in a one-lap shootout.

Wurz was on the move behind them as he dived down the inside of Hedley to take third position at Turn 1.

Inthraphuvasak held on though, earning his second Sprint Race victory of the year ahead of Ugochukwu and Wurz.

Hedley was fourth as he beat Wharton by three-tenths across the line. Badoer secured sixth for PREMA ahead of Mari Boya, Rafael Câmara, Nael and Gerrard Xie in the final points position and 10th.

KEY QUOTE – Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak, Campos Racing

“Really happy! I have to thank the team for the car today, it was really good. Tyre management was key in this race because deg was super high around this track and we’re on the Mediums this year as well. But I think we managed the race very well and came out with the win.”

THE CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

Rafael Câmara adds more points to his Championship advantage and will have a chance to clinch the 2025 title in Sunday’s Feature Race. He leads on 129 points over Nikola Tsolov in second on 98. Tim Tramnitz is third on 93 with Mari Boya following in fourth now on 89. Noah Stromsted completes the top five on 73 points.

TRIDENT remain at the top of the Teams’ Standings on 243 points ahead of Campos Racing in second, now on 235. MP Motorsport follows in third place with 164 to their tally followed by Van Amersfoort Racing on 126, one point clear of ART Grand Prix in fifth on 125.

UP NEXT

The FIA Formula 3 Feature Race is scheduled to get underway at 08:50 local time on Sunday morning, with Rafael Câmara going from pole position with a chance to seal the 2025 title.