On February 29, 2024, Luke Browning of Hitech Pulse-Eight emerged victorious in the Bahrain Feature race of Formula 3, despite facing technical difficulties. The young Williams prospect managed to fend off Christian Mansell and secure the win in an exhilarating competition.
The race got off to a disastrous start for polesitter Beganovic, who quickly fell behind and found himself in the middle of the pack. Meanwhile, Browning, driving for Hitech, swiftly overtook his competitors and took the lead as they approached the first corner.
Tim Tramnintz, a Red Bull Junior, showcased his skills by climbing from seventh to third in an impressive maneuver around the first corner. Sami Meguetounif also secured a spot on the podium by the second lap of the race.
As chaos ensued behind them, with collisions and penalties, Browning maintained his lead. Mari Boya of Campos suffered a rear left puncture due to a collision and was later penalized for speeding in the pitlane.
On Lap 2, as the DRS (Drag Reduction System) was activated, Mansell made a daring move and overtook Meguetounif from the inside before setting his sights on Tramnitz. Browning, in the Hitech car, continued to dominate the race while Mansell secured the second podium spot, leaving Tramnitz vulnerable to Meguetounif’s pursuit.
Tramnitz and Meguetounif engaged in intense battles reminiscent of their previous encounters in FRECA. Eventually, Meguetounif managed to pass Tramnitz, who was a member of the Red Bull academy. Browning, however, maintained a comfortable lead.
Martinius Stenshorne of Hitech successfully overtook Max Esterston, positioning himself well for a points finish. Gabriele Mini, an Alpine junior driver, steadily climbed up the ranks.
As the race progressed, tire wear became a concern. Mini overtook Leonardo Fornaroli and Arvid Lindblad, the Sprint race winner, in order to challenge Santiago Ramos for fifth place.
Despite facing technical issues with his Hitech car, Browning managed to fend off the ART driver behind him. He broke away from the pack utilizing the DRS and maintained a one-second lead over Mansell, who was struggling with his tires.
Oliver Goethe, driving for Campos, made an impressive jump from 17th to 10th place. Alexander Dunne also secured a points finish, giving MP two cars in the top 10.
In the final stages of the race, Tramnitz made a bold move and overtook Meguetounif to reclaim the final podium spot. Beganovic, who had a difficult start to the race, managed to recover and finish in 13th place.
The final classification of the race was as follows: Browning, Mansell, Tramnitz, Meguetounif, Ramos, Mini, Fornaroli, Lindblad, Dunne, and Goethe.