|
Leanne Tander the new formula 3 points leader |
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, 04 September 2007 |
LeanneTander
has gained the outright lead of the Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3
Championship for the first time with just one round of the 2007
season remaining.
A pair of second-place finishes at Symmons
Plains raceway at the weekend was enough to leap the Fleetcare
TanderSport driver from third to first in the standings, Tander now
leading the race for the Australian Drivers Championship by four
points.
It is the first
time Leanne has lead the Formula 3 championship since joining the
series – a result of hard work and determination after a difficult
start to the year saw her more than 15 points behind the leader
after the first round.
Tander was on the money from the get
go at Symmons, scoring pole position for race one in the dying
seconds of the first qualifying session on Saturday.
She
then missed a front row starting position by an agonising tenth of a
second in qualifying for the Inaugural Country Club Tasmania Formula
3 SuperPrix race later that afternoon, lining up fourth.
In
race one Tander and James Winslow staged a classic wheel to wheel
duel for the entire 24-lap duration, Tander dropping to second at
the start however working her way back to the lead mid-race with a
bold move into the final corner.
After a safety
car period Winslow was able to retake the position and was able to
record the win ahead of the Fleetcare car, Tander realising Winslow
was not in the championship battle and electing to make the finish
once she had been re-passed.
In the 30-lap feature race
Tander jumped to third on the opening lap and quickly took advantage
of gearbox dramas from championship rival Charlie Hollings to move
into second on the seventh lap.
From there she asserted
considerable pressure on leader Barton Mawer but in a final three
lap sprint to the flag was unable to get past – settling for second.
The points scored, however, elevated Leanne from third to
first in the championship for the first time this year.
Tander said that she was able to meet her aims for the
weekend by virtue of taking the points lead.
”We came to
Tasmania looking to close the gap, and we came away from it leading
so it’s been a pleasing weekend,” she said.
”However it’s so
close at the front that the three of us (Tander, Charlie Hollings
and Tim Macrow) may as well be on the same points. I came out in
front but it comes down to the last two races of the season at Oran
Park where the championship will be decided.”
“During both
races I realised that James (race 1) and Bart (race 2) weren’t in
the championship hunt so I didn’t need to take risks trying to pass
them.
”I think I let the race one win go too easily but
because I was in front of the other contenders it wasn’t a huge
loss.
”I think we played it smart last weekend,” She added.
”Because of that I’m leading the championship which is the
ideal position to be in heading to Oran Park.”
The final
round of the year will be held at the Sydney Circuit in early
November, Leanne having qualified on the front row there the last
two times the championship visited.
|
