Lively in the opening laps, the race ultimately came down to strategy above all else. While many drivers in the top ten had opted to start on soft tires, Richard Verschoor's (MP Motorsport) off-beat approach allowed him to beat everyone to the post.
At the start of the race, however, the tactical duel seemed to concern the two leaders. Jak Crawford (Dams) had stopped at the start of the 8th lap, while Victor Martins (ART Grand Prix) had chosen to stay on track for one more lap. By getting out ahead of his opponent, the French driver seemed to have won the day, especially since a virtual safety car was announced shortly afterward.
Unfortunately for the new protégé of the sector Williams, the car Crawford's seemed faster. After a great battle lasting almost a lap, including an entire sector of wheel-to-wheel competition, the American finally got the better of his rival of the day.
The battle raged at the foot of the podium
Behind the three men who finished this main race on the podium, the duel became even more intense between Leonardo Fornaroli (Invicta Racing), Alex Dunne (Rodin Motorsport), and Luke Browning (Hitech) in particular. From the 6th lap, Browning's overtaking of the champion Formula 3 Fornaroli also allowed Irishman Alex Dunne to pass the Italian.
On lap 12, Campos rider Josep Maria Marti also joined the fray, eventually getting the better of his rivals. The Catalan, winner of the sprint race in Bahrain and second in Saturday's sprint, finished fifth, just a few seconds off the podium.
In the world championship, Richard Verschoor had the most impressive performance of the weekend. Close to victory on Saturday, but denied success due to a late penalty, the MP Motorsport driver took a 12-point lead over Marti and a 13-point lead over Leonardo Fornaroli. Victor Martins left Jeddah in 6th place overall, 25 points off the lead.
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