FIA F3: Trident Motorsport is Champion again with Leonardo Fornaroli
Trident Motorsport was able to celebrate a triumphant weekend conclusion in the FIA Formula 3 Championship finale at Monza, winning the Feature Race with Sami Meguetounif and sealing the Driver Championship with Leonardo Fornaroli. The Frenchman took off in front and never looked back after taking the lead, while the Italian, who started from pole, managed to secure the crown with a stunning last-corner pass for third place that handed him the drivers's title.
It was a very nervous race, with a lot of incidents and things happening, and a very unpredictable one until the end. The Trident Motorsport cars proved ultra-competitive and allowed their drivers to make the difference and achieve their highest goals. With two wins, three pole positions, and a consistently high level of performance, Trident Motorsport confirmed itself at the top of the series, and delivered its second consecutive title after the one achieved with Gabriel Bortoleto last year in Monza.
At the start, Fornaroli made good use of the pole position, taking an early lead. Meguetounif, who started from fourth place, maintained his position, as did Ramos, fifth in the very early stages. Fornaroli gave way to Alex Dunne, who took the lead at Parabolica, while Luke Browning, who was also fighting for the title, went out at the Ascari chicane, causing the race to be neutralized.
At the lap 7 restart, Fornaroli was second ahead of Meguetounif, while Ramos was in sixth place. On lap 7, Fornaroli made a mistake at the Ascari chicane, dropping to fourth place. Three laps later, Meguetounif successfully attacked Dunne and took the lead. A trip into the grass at the first chicane took Ramos out of the top five before he spun at the second chicane, which dropped him out of the points. Meanwhile, Meguetounif extended his lead, while Fornaroli fought as hard as possible, surviving many close calls and eventually storming to third place at the last corner, which earned him the title.
Giacomo Ricci, Team Manager, Feature Race Quote:“It was a very tight race, a perfect snapshot of a very competitive season where we had to face very tough competition. We took two wins with Sami Meguetounif, won the title with Leonardo Fornaroli, and repeated the feat achieved twelve months ago with Gabriel Bortoleto. Our balance is certainly very positive. Winning a championship with an overtake on the last corner is truly something unique, but I think it is the perfect representation of an intense season, which we have rounded out with two cars on the podium. Meguetounif had an impeccable race, which confirmed how competitive our cars were even on the home track. Now new challenges await us, with the new FIA F3 car that will be used from next season. It will be a new era that we will face with the utmost determination".
Leonardo Fornaroli, 2024 FIA Formula 3 Champion: "I can't believe it, we knew at the start of the season that we had excellent potential, but winning the championship is truly something incredible and comes at the end of a long and challenging journey. We took two pole positions and had a very solid year. The level of the competition was extremely high. Winning with a last-corner pass is special, but it was a very tight race. I made some mistakes that cost me some time. However, I never backed down and managed to recover. When the pit wall told me that third place was needed, I went for an attack that earned me the title. I dedicate it to my friend Luca Persiani, who is no longer with us."