Spa F3: Eriksson takes maiden win as Russell bogs down

After taking the lead off the line, Eriksson stayed ahead after Les Combes despite Callum Ilott and Ben Barnicoat going side-by-side with him.

Both Britons went wide at the right-hander, with Ilott dropping to 20th and Barnicoat pitting with a puncture.

Anthoine Hubert was promoted into second, followed by Nikita Mazepin, although the Russian soon fell behind Lance Stroll.

Nick Cassidy then slipstreamed past Mazepin on the Kemmel straight, with Russell also attempting to overtake at the same spot only to lose control on the kerbs of Les Combes and run slightly wide.

Russell forced his way past his Hitech teammate Mazepin next time around, and soon also overtook Cassidy for fourth.

At the front, Eriksson never allowed his lead to be less than a second to eventually cross the finish line in first.

Despite coming under pressure from Stroll, Hubert kept second as the Canadian had to turn his attention to keeping the recovering Russell at bay.

Russell made a move at the Bus Stop with two laps to go and, even though Stroll reclaimed the spot on the Kemmel straight, he was passed on the outside of Les Combes on the same lap.

With the same scenario playing out on the next, final lap, Russell secured the final podium position.

Stroll settled for fourth ahead of Prema teammates Cassidy and Maximilian Gunther.

Red Bull junior Niko Kari finished seventh, with Mazepin taking his best finish of the year so far in eighth.

Mucke duo Mikkel Jensen and David Beckmann took the final two points-scoring positions.