Santiago Ramos has taken victory in the Formula 3 Feature Race at Imola, after a race-long battle with title-leader Rafael Camara.
The Van Amersfoort driver reinvigorated his title credentials with victory, which was almost taken on the last lap by Noah Stromsted, who demoted the Brazilian down to third towards the end.
Tuukka Taponen was fourth with Mari Boya coming home in fifth place. Tim Tramnitz, who took victory in Saturday’s Sprint Race, was sixth, with Alessandro Giusti seventh.
Roman Bilinski was eighth, as Nikola Tsolov and Laurens van Hoepen rounded-up the top 10.
At the start, Camara, who secured a record-breaking third consecutive pole position to open the campaign, lost his lead to Ramos into Tamburello, the Mexican sweeping around on the outside.
Taponen moved up into third place, while Rodin Motorsport’s Louis Sharp lived up to his name by looking sharp in the early stages, moving-up to fourth.
Camara was back in-front on Lap 4 once DRS was enabled, and promptly opened-up a lead of almost a second. Further back, Stromsted went for it down the inside Sharp at Tamburello.
The Dane moved ahead of Taponen four laps later, the Finn having failed to keep-up with Camara and Ramos.
Tramnitz, fresh from his Sprint win on Saturday, took Noel Leon for ninth place, as Bilinski put Sharp further down the order for fifth.
Ramos closes down on Camara after VSC
The Virtual Safety Car was signalled for a brief time when Ivan Domingues retired, and upon the green flags, Ramos set about regaining the lead, harrying Camara but finding no way through.
Sharp continued to fall down the order, now passed by Boya who then took Bilinski for fifth, as Sharp fell victim to Tramnitz, as Ramos continued to hold onto Camara.
With just three laps to go, Camara’s lead was now hanging by a thread, with the Mexican in desperate search of a way through, as Stromsted, with clear air, edged closer towards them.
With just three laps to go, with DRS open, Ramos finally made a move count, darting down the inside of Camara for the lead, as Stromsted looked to get in on the action.
Camara could not offer any riposte, and on the penultimate lap, was passed by Stromsted, who was now charging hard in a bid to snatch the win himself.
On the final lap, the Trident got within DRS range and made a move at Tamburello, but Ramos was able to resist and hold on to claim victory.
After a barren run without points since the Sprint in the opening weekend, Ramos leaps to fifth in the Drivers’ standings, with Stromsted cutting Camara’s lead, but still enjoys a healthy 21-point buffer going into the Monaco weekend next.
READ MORE – Tim Tramnitz wins F3 Sprint Race at Imola for a MP Motorsport 1-2
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