David Schumacher Cruises to Maiden F3 Win at 2021 Austrian Race Two

David Schumacher benefitted from an unintentional reverse-pole to cruise to his maiden Formula Three victory in the second Austrian race. 

Schumacher led from lights out as Roman Stanek bravely fought off the fast-charging Jak Crawford even after a safety car following a collision between Logan Sargeant and Tijmen Van Der Helm on lap two.

Crawford eventually got past but was forced to retire with a power failure on lap nine, as Stanek fended off Victor Martins and then Frederik Vesti who both got past but Martins suffered a power failure on lap 23 to force him out just two laps from the checkered flag.

Schumacher consequently took victory from Vesti and Dennis Hauger who once again drove from 12th to the podium, having won Race One in similar fashion, as Stanek was forced to settle for fourth ahead of Jonny Edgar, Arthur Leclerc, Jack Doohan, Enzo Fittipaldi, Olli Caldwell and Johnathan Hoggard.

In driver standings, Hauger now leads Doohan by 25 points with Martins a further six points behind in third place.

At lights out, Schumacher got a clean getaway to lead Stanek and Juan Manuel Correa with the American finding himself passed by compatriot, Crawford at Turn Three with the latter quickly pressurising Stanek for second.

Further behind, Sargeant was mid-pack after a post race-one penalty and overtook Van Der Helm on inside of Turn One on lap two, only to be struck from behind to send both drivers spinning out and trigger a two-lap safety car.

Once the race resumed, Schumacher sprinted away to victory as Stanek set about defending from Crawford, but the American eventually completed an outside move around Turn Four on lap nine to take second before his Hitech suffered a power failure at the end of the following lap.

Manuel-Correa and fellow American compatriot, Kaylen Frederick then collided at Turn Three on the inside line on lap 11 which gifted Martins third after Vesti was forced to slow down to avoid the spinning Americans who caused a virtual safety car.

Upon the restart on lap 13, Hauger cleared Caldwell for ninth into Turn One and slowly carved his way through the front runners, whilst Arthur Leclerc was slowly recovering from starting 28th on the grid and ultimately broke into the top eight after a collision between Fittipaldi and Caio Collet on lap 20.

Up front, Martins cleared Stanek into Turn Four with a late braking move on lap 15 for second whilst Vesti got through into Turn Three just three laps later.

Martins however was struck down by a power failure as he started the 23rd lap and retired at Turn One, leaving Schumacher to win from Vesti and Hauger who had worked his way up to third by the checkered flag as Stanek finished fourth ahead of Edgar, Leclerc, Doohan, Fittipaldi, Caldwell and Hoggard.