Formula 3: Mid race engine failure at Monza gives rookie Sebastian Cucalon the first last-place finish of his career

Sebastian Cucalon picked up the 1st last place finish of his SCRL Formula 3 Series career in Round 11 at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza when his #1 IZOD fell out with engine issues after 3 of the 7 laps.

The finish came in his 11th career start. In the SCRL Formula 3 Series, it's the 1st for car #1 and the 2nd due to engine issues. Across all the series in the SCRL, it's the 13th for the #1 and the 47th due to engine issues. Cucalon had never competed in a SCRL sanctioned race before signing up to compete in the lowest Formula division in a attempt to climb up through the ranks to one day compete in the SCRL Red Bull Formula One Series. Cucalon's debut started off with a 19th and a 5th at Catalunya, 3rd and 14th at Silverstone, 2nd and 18th at Hockenheimring, 18th and 3rd at Hungaroring before finishing 5th and 22nd at Kyalami in the last round.

On race day, Cucalon rolled off starting 4th while starting last was first Catalunya last-place finisher the #26 RC Cola of DJ Dogo, a position he would hold for the first three turns as he knocked second Hungaroring last-place finisher the #7 McAfee / Bing of Jacob Rose into the final spot. Rose would trail for the first three laps when Cucalon, who had fallen back to 6th, pulled onto pit road, reporting that his car had lost power. As the field raced past and knocked Cucalon into the final spot, the team discovered that the engine had blown, ending their day after three laps.

Finishing 22nd was second Hockenheimring last-place finisher the #6 TrueCar of Brian Fox, who suffered a broken header just after the field took the white flag, as Fox limped back around the 4.261 mile track, pulling into the garage, having not completed all seven laps.

The remaining Bottom Five finished on the same circuit as the race leaders: 21st was the aforementioned #7 of Jacob Rose, 20th was the #33 Shell V-Power / Pennzoil Ultra of Mitchell Collins and 19th was the #17 Automatic Fire Sprinklers of Toma Lakatos.

SCRLASTCAR STATISTICS
*This was the first time the #1 had finished last in a Formula 3 race as well as at Monza.

THE BOTTOM FIVE
23) #1-Sebastian Cucalon / 3 laps / engine
22) #6-Brian Fox / 6 laps / header
21) #7-Jacob Rose / 7 laps / running
20) #33-Mitchell Collins / 7 laps / running
19) #17-Toma Lakatos / 7 laps / running