Engine explosion halts F3 practice at Australian GP

Mattia Colnaghi’s MP Motorsport F3 car ignited on the final lap of Friday’s Albert Park practice, prompting a red flag with five minutes remaining. He pulled into Turn 1, ending the 45‑minute session early and finishing 15th, uninjured.

Why it matters:

• Safety: An on‑track fire tests FIA response and underscores the risk inherent in high‑performance F3 machinery.
• Grid impact: The red flag halted final lap runs, potentially reshuffling the qualifying order for Race 1.

The details:

• The rear of Colnaghi’s car ignited as he exited Turn 3, sending flames down the straight before he braked into Turn 1.
• Local yellow flags were shown, then a red flag stopped the session.
• Ugo Ugochukwu set the fastest lap (1:34.607). Brando Badoer (1:35.034) and Noah Stromsted (1:35.056) completed the podium.
• Colnaghi’s best time was 1:35.495, placing him 15th. Prema’s James Wharton was 17th, while Louis Sharp was the highest‑placed Prema driver in 10th.
• Rookie Patrick Heuzenroeder struggled on the sticky surface, finishing 28th after two tyre‑burn incidents.

What's next:

• Qualifying resumes at 2:00 pm AEDT, setting the grid for Race 1.
• MP Motorsport will inspect the power unit for damage and may adjust the setup before qualifying.