That is what you call a statement response. Pedro Clerot drove a brilliant, controlled race for Rodin Motorsport to claim his first ever FIA Formula 3 victory in Madrid, answering the outside noise with raw speed and absolute composure.
Clerot knew the opening moments would decide everything. Lining up alongside ART Grand Prix's Taito Kato, the race winner nailed his launch off the line with zero wheelspin after feeling confident right from the Formation Lap. Side-by-side into Turn 1, he made the move stick. A Red Flag and two Safety Car restarts could have scrambled the order, but the machine underneath him was flying, and he handled the chaos brilliantly.
Behind him, Kato brought his ART Grand Prix machine home in second place for his fourth podium of the season. Starting from pole position, the Japanese driver admitted to mixed feelings after narrowly missing out on the win, especially after his team had to fix a small issue on the car right before the Formation Lap. Despite a tricky track where overtaking proved difficult, Kato locked down a strong haul of points.
Meanwhile, MP Motorsport's Tuukka Taponen secured the final step of the podium in third, marking his second rostrum appearance of the year. Taponen executed a clean start, calmly maintained his position, looked after his tyres, and then threw everything at the end to snatch the fastest lap. When Ugo began hunting him down in the closing stages, Taponen simply had the pace to respond while keeping the championship picture at bay.
Clerot celebrated his triumph with a phone celebration at the finish line, eager to silence critics after a difficult year. Looking ahead to tomorrow, where he starts from third on the grid, the winner is ready to capitalise on whatever openings appear next.
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