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An Aussie Fightback Underway As Macrow Tops Hollings At Albert Park |
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Sunday, 18 March 2007 |
A lone Aussie has halted the charge of the international visitors in the second non-championship Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 race at the Formula 1 ING Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, today.
Victorian local Tim Macrow beat race one winner Charlie Hollings, from Yorkshire in the UK, to the line today after another competitive outing on the 5.3km Albert Park circuit just outside the Melbourne CBD.
Italian driver Marco Mapelli continued his strong run of form this
weekend by finishing third, meaning Hollings’ Astuti Motorsport entry
was sandwiched by cars from the Adelaide-based Team BRM stable.
Hollings, 24, got the best of the starts and clearly lead by three car lengths heading into the first chicane.
Behind them the 30-car field all made it through the first turns
cleanly with Macrow shading Hollings for the first half of the lap.
At the turn eight – nine chicane, however, Macrow got a strong run on
the race leader and assumed the point at the following turn, gathering
a lead that he wouldn’t abdicate for the remainder of the six laps.
A Safety car was called on the fourth lap for Tim Berryman, who had a
high-speed 160kph spin at turn nine after finding his tyres weren’t
right up to temperature.
Stranded in the middle of the track at one of the fastest points of the
circuit, Berryman’s Delta Agribusiness F301 Dallara avoided any damage,
however the spin relegated the leading National Class runner down to
the very tail of the field.
”You can usually take that corner flat,” mused Berryman – from Wagga Wagga in New South Wales – after the race.
”Unfortunately the tyres weren’t hot enough to do so that lap and I had
a pretty wild spin. Fortunately nothing is damaged, but it’s a shame
because things were going quite well to that point.”
Racing resumed on the final lap, Chris Alajajian (Then 5th) Making a
bold dive down the inside of Leanne Tander at the first corner – a move
that ended with the Sydneysider spinning in front of the field, barely
missing Karl Reindler who was following the Jack Hillermans / Team BRM
entry.
Tander promptly took avoiding action, the driver of the #42 Fleetcare
TanderSport Dallara forced onto the grass and relegated down to 9th at
the finish after a strong showing earlier in the six lap race.
Macrow, however, was never troubled to take his first win at Albert Park, with Hollings and Mapelli competing the top three.
Karl Reindler rebounded from a disappointing black flag (for a jumped
start) yesterday to finish fourth, barely holding off James Winslow and
Walter Grubmuller off at the line.
“It’s frustrating,” Reindler rued this afternoon.
”It was nice to be on pole yesterday and I know I didn’t jump the start – our data didn’t show that we moved at all.
”The weekend just hasn’t gone to plan so far but there are still two
races left. The car is good so we’ll try and go hard on cold tyres
tomorrow.” He said.
Winslow had rebounded from 16th on the grid – the British driver of the
#27 Opes Prime Dallara Mugen Honda penalised for missing a black flag
in yesterday’s encounter and stripped of his fourth position.
”The car was the best it has ever been,” the British driver – and reigning Asian F3 champion – said.
”We have had plenty of dramas throughout this weekend but that race was trouble free and I was able to come through the field.
”It was very competitive but I know that the car is as quick as – if
not faster – than the guys in front so hopefully we can go forward
tomorrow.” He said.
In the end, though, it was a delighted Macrow who came through to win on home soil.
”My start wasn’t so good because I was on the dirty side of the track.” He explained.
”But the car was good straight out of the gate which is what you have to have in these short six lap races.
“The car was very, very good on cold tyres and I was able to get a run
on Charlie. From there the car was brilliant - We made some changes
overnight and it made it fantastic to drive.
”I need to thank my Team BRM and Maher Algadrie for making this happen this weekend.” He said.
Tomorrow’s (third) race will be held at 16:10pm Local time, set to be contested over eight laps.
For more information head to www.formula3.com.au
RACE RESULTS – Race 2 (6 Laps)
1. Tim Macrow (Team BRM)
2. Charlie Hollings (Astuti Motorsport)
3. Marco Mapelli (Team BRM)
4. Karl Reindler (Team BRM)
5. James Winslow (Team Opes Prime)
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