There was a dramatic end to the season as Jack Doohan sealed the Teams’ title for Trident with a fourth victory of the season in Race 3 at Sochi, coming out on top of an intense battle with teammate Clément Novalak, who ended up in third behind Frederik Vesti.

The trophy is Trident’s first-ever and takes the Teams’ crown away from PREMA Racing, who had won it in both 2019 and 2020. Drivers’ Champion Dennis Hauger was taken out of contention by Oliver Rasmussen midway through and had to pit for repairs but did manage to take the fastest lap from Novalak.

His teammates, Arthur Leclerc and Olli Caldwell fought their way to seventh and 10th, having started in 14th and 15th, but it wasn’t enough to clinch the title for their team.

In the closing stages, Frederik Vesti stole second from Novalak, whose tyres had taken a battering from his fight with Doohan.

Logan Sargeant climbed from 11th to fourth to secure fifth in the Teams’ Championship for Charouz Racing System, their highest placing at this level. Hitech Grand Prix’s Jak Crawford completed the top five for his best result on a Sunday.

AS IT HAPPENED

Doohan and Novalak remained one and two heading into the first corner of the season’s final race. With Hauger stuck in ninth, and Leclerc and Caldwell both out of the points, Trident had provisional jumped PREMA in the Teams’ title race.

Vesti briefly lost a couple of places to Juan Manuel Correa and Lorenzo Colombo at the start, dropping to sixth, but recaptured them both when the Campos driver lost his footing and tumbled down the order.

This sparked a titanic six-man brawl between Correa in sixth and Alex Smolyar in 12th. Hauger was in amongst it and attempted to force his way through the traffic, but he was tagged by Rasmussen and sent spinning across the track.

The HWA RACELAB driver recovered to 15th but was later handed 10s penalty for causing the collision, as Hauger dove into the pits for repairs and returned at the back of the field. Meanwhile, Sargeant was up to fifth, ahead Crawford, Leclerc, Correa, Ayumu Iwasa and Alex Smolyar.

There was a nervy atmosphere on the Trident pit wall as Doohan and Novalak began to brawl for first. Novalak attempted a brave move at the first turn, going side-by-side with his teammate, but the Frenchman locked up and missed the corner.

Vesti had passed Johnathan Hoggard for the final podium spot and was watching keenly while the front two continued to tussle, as orders came from the Trident pit wall telling Doohan not to fight his teammate.

Yet, their battle continued. Novalak momentarily took first from the Australian at the chicane, but Doohan fought back and retook it down the straight.

All the while, Vesti was watching on. The Dane was within one-tenth of Novalak, whose tyres were looking worse for wear. Vesti found space at Turn 12 and squeezed past going into 13, taking second from the Frenchman.

Novalak was staying within DRS range and kept Vesti busy as Doohan closed out the race win and secured Trident the Teams’ title.

Logan Sargeant and Crawford nabbed fourth and fifth from Hoggard in the final laps. The Jenzer Motorsport driver was followed by Leclerc, Martins and Iwasa. Caldwell completed a sterling recovery drive to grab the final points’ place.

KEY QUOTE – JACK DOOHAN (TRIDENT)

“I just won the final race of the year here in Sochi. I am sad that it's over, but I’m happy to end on a win and to reward the team with the Teams’ Championship, their first ever. “I’m happy, but we need to keep working. We didn’t win the Drivers’ title and I’m still disappointed with that. We will work hard and next year try and go one better.

” THE CHAMPIONSHIP VIEW

Hauger finishes the season on 205 points, ahead of Doohan on 179, Novalak on 147 and Vesti is fourth with 138. Victor Martins finished as the highest placed rookie with 131 points in fifth. Trident win the Teams’ Championship with 381 points, ahead of PREMA Racing on 375 and ART Grand Prix on 256. MP Motorsport are fourth with 224 and Charouz Racing System fifth with 127.

WHAT’S NEXT? The season may be over, but Formula 3 will return for post-season testing at Valencia in just over a month on 1-3 November.