Nikolas Stromsted powered to his first Formula 3 victory in the Spa Sprint Race, turning reverse-grid pole into a commanding lights-to-flag triumph. The 18-year-old Mercedes junior, driving for Campos, stretched his lead early and fended off late pressure to cross the line 2.5 seconds clear.
Starting from the front, Stromsted nailed his getaway, pulling away from Prema’s Gabriele Mini and ART’s Laurens van Hoepen. Behind him, the pack scrambled—Rodin Carlin’s Callum Voisin slipped to sixth after a sluggish launch, while Hitech’s Martinius Stenshorne charged from 12th to snatch the final podium spot.
The race stayed dry under grey Belgian skies, but drama unfolded midway. Van Hoepen’s bold move on Mini for second at Les Combes sparked contact, earning the Dutchman a five-second penalty that dropped him to fourth. That opened the door for Stenshorne, who capitalized on fresh tires to hunt down the leaders.
Stromsted, unfazed, managed his pace expertly, marking a breakthrough after a season of near-misses. “This win means everything—I’ve been chasing it all year,” he said post-race. As a key prospect in Mercedes’ young driver program, his form could fast-track him toward Formula 2, especially with the team’s 2025 F1 lineup still evolving amid potential shifts at seats like Williams or Sauber.
Points leader Luke Browning, starting from the back, clawed to seventh but couldn’t close the gap on title rival Leonardo Fornaroli, who finished fifth. The main Feature Race looms tomorrow, promising more twists at the iconic Ardennes circuit.
