Tasmanian Alex Peroni pulls off big F3 result in Austria in comeback race from huge crash

Hobart motor racer Alex Peroni made a sensational start to the Formula 3 championship in Austria — his first race back from a horrific crash in Italy last year.

HOBART motor racing whiz kid Alex Peroni made a barnstorming comeback from the coronavirus shutdown by taking his first ever FIA Formula 3 podium in the first race of the motorsport reboot in Austria on Saturday night.

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✨ The new podium ✨

And we were the first to test out if it was champagne-proof 🍾😜#AustrianGP 🇦🇹 #F3 pic.twitter.com/XruTFadMHl

— Formula 3 (@FIAFormula3) July 4, 2020

Alex Peroni celebrates his first F3 podium position. Picture: Formula 1 via Getty Images/Dutch Photo Agency

Team Prema took a one-two finish through fellow-Australian Oscar Piastri and American Logan Sargeant while Peroni claimed third by holding off a throng of challengers in the support race to the re-start of the world Formula One championship.

There was chaos at the start and Peroni, who was on grid position eight, was a beneficiary of the chaotic start.

Tasmanian F3 driver Alex Peroni on the podium after finishing third in Austria in the sport's reboot following the coronavirus shutdown. Picture: DUTCH PHOTO AGENCY

It was Peroni’s return to F3, following a horror crash at Monza last year, which ended his season early.

Peroni said he wanted to claim another podium spot in race two on Sunday.

Alex Peroni in second behind Logan Sargeant during the race in Spielberg, Austria. Picture: Mark Thompson/Getty