– Formula 3 rookie makes immediate impression in the heat of Bahrain
– Ferrari Driver Academy youngster nets P4, P3 to sit third in the early standings
Dino Beganovic burst immediately into the limelight on an explosive FIA Formula 3 Championship debut in Bahrain, the Swedish rookie wasting no time to grace the podium in the Formula 1 feeder series.
The reigning Formula Regional European champion enjoyed a highly encouraging start to life in Formula 3, proving instantly competitive in the talent-packed 30-car field as the season got underway amid great anticipation this weekend.
After leading the PREMA Racing assault in qualifying, Beganovic went on to finish a strong fourth in the season-opening Sprint Race on Saturday – taking the spoils as top rookie.
Then a day later, the Ferrari Driver Academy youngster performed a committed drive from eighth on the grid all the way to third in the headline Feature Race, snatching his first podium of the season.
Beganovic finished both races as the lead PREMA Racing driver, with his efforts in Bahrain placing him third in the early championship standings.
“This is a great start to the season, and I’m very pleased with my debut weekend overall,” says Dino Beganovic. “It’s fantastic to come away from here with a podium and a P4 finish – it’s definitely something we can build upon. I felt immediately comfortable in the car, so big thanks to everyone at the team for making this transition as smooth as possible. Also a big thank you to the Ferrari Driver Academy and all my sponsors. We are here and we are competitive, and now we’ll push harder than ever to make this another memorable year.”
The FIA Formula 3 Championship resumes on the first weekend of April in Melbourne, Australia.
RESULTS
FIA Formula 3 Championship
Rd. 1 – Bahrain International Circuit (BHR)
Race 1 (full results)
1: P. Martí (ESP), Campos Racing
2: F. Colapinto (ARG), MP Motorsport
3: C. Collet (BRA), Van Amersfoort Racing
—
4: D. Beganovic (SWE), PREMA Racing
Race 2 (full results)
1: G. Bortoleto (BRA), Trident
2: O. Goethe (GER), Trident
3: D. Beganovic (SWE), PREMA Racing
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
FIA Formula 3 Championship
After 1/10 rounds (full standings)
1: G. Bortoleto (BRA), Trident, 26 p.
2: O. Goethe (GER), Trident, 23 p.
3: D. Beganovic (SWE), PREMA Racing, 22 p.
4: P. Martí (ESP), Campos Racing, 19 p.
5: G. Saucy (SUI), ART Grand Prix, 16 p.
