A promising victory for Red Bull's junior programme turned sour at Monza when Tim Tramnitz had his Formula 3 Sprint Race triumph revoked following a technical violation.
The 20-year-old German driver finished first on track but received a 10-second time penalty that relegated him to eighteenth position.
Racing stewards determined that Tramnitz had breached start procedure regulations, leading to the harsh sanction. The penalty meant Roman Bilinski of Rodin Motorsport claimed his first F3 victory instead.
The incident occurred during the championship's season finale at the Italian circuit, dealing a crushing blow to Tramnitz's campaign.
Tim Tramnitz was stripped of his win after a technical infringement
|Getty
Following the race, stewards conducted a thorough investigation that included testimony from both Tramnitz and his team representative. The FIA's technical examination revealed that Tramnitz's car was the sole vehicle among all competitors that hadn't activated the required start set-up procedure.
Race Control's comprehensive check during the formation lap identified car number 17 as the only one failing to comply with regulations. Technical data confirmed the driver hadn't engaged the mandatory start procedure as required.
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The stewards' written verdict detailed these findings after reviewing all available evidence from the incident.
Tramnitz took to social media to address the devastating outcome, maintaining that the infringement wasn't deliberate.
"We did a great job on track securing the win in the sprint today!" he posted.
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"This one is painful!"
The setback was particularly bitter given Tramnitz had previously won the Monza Sprint in 2024.
The penalty handed Bilinski an unexpected maiden Formula 3 triumph at the iconic Italian venue. The Polish driver's inheritance of the victory marked a significant milestone in his racing career.
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Despite the disappointment, Tramnitz concluded the season in fourth place in the drivers' championship standings.
The German racer's campaign included multiple strong performances, though this latest setback prevented him from adding another victory to his tally.
Tim Tramnitz had won the race in 2024
|GETTY
Brazilian driver Rafael Câmara secured the overall championship title, capping off a successful season.
The incident at Monza served as a stark reminder of how technical regulations can dramatically alter race outcomes, even after drivers cross the finish line.