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Charlie Hollings has won a spectacular first race in the finale’ for the Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship for the CAMS Gold Star at Oran Park.
Hollings’ #10 Astuti Motorsport Dallara F304 took the lead on the opening lap with a bold outside pass on Tim Macrow and lead for the duration – however only taking the flag after holding off both Macrow and Leanne Tander in a shootout between the three championship contenders.
As a result four points now separate the three contenders with just the one race remaining, Tander holding a reduced lead of just two points.
Charlie Hollings leaps to second whilst Macrow was relegated to third, although just two points behind.
It sets up a winner-take-all finale this afternoon with the driver finishing ahead of his or her rivals likely to win the championship.
Leanne Tander will start from pole in race two, ahead of Barton Mawer, Hollings and Macrow.
Hollings leaped into the lead from the second row of the grid in race one, Macrow jumping to second and Tander slipping from pole to fourth, behind Walter Grubmuller.
Grubmuller, however, ran off the circuit on the second lap, drawing the safety car out for a three lap caution period.
On the restart the three contenders – Hollings, Macrow and Tander – staged a classic duel for the lead, trading fastest lap times all race long in search for the vital bonus point on offer for the race’s best lap.
The Astuti driver held on to record his fourth race win of the year, winning by 0.3s.
Mat Sofi and Chris Gilmour completed the top five, whilst contender Barton Mawer was forced out on lap thirteen after hitting the wall at the final corner, damaging his exhaust and suspension on the Opes Prime / team BRM Dallara.
Chris Barry had a race to himself in the National Class, whilst Samantha Reid, Lauren Gray and Rod Anderson enjoyed a three car battle further down the field, finishing in that order.
”Getting Leanne was important because she was the furthest ahead of us,” Charlie Hollings said after the race.
”She was the one that we needed to get ground on, and we did it. I got a good start and had a battle with Macrow into turn one and two – he was on the line but I got a good run on corner exit and got past.
”From there it was a matter of concentrating as hard as I could to hold off the others. We had the car set up to come on early in the race and I knew they were always there, but it was going to be down to whoever made a mistake because it’s hard to pass here.” He enthused.
The second race will be held at approximately 2:35pm (AEDST) this afternoon, over 15 laps.
Championship Points * Provisional
1. Leanne Tander 191
2. Charlie Hollings 189
3. Tim Macrow 187
Race Results:
1. Charlie Hollings
2. Tim Macrow
3. Leanne Tander
4. Mat Sofi
5. Chris Gilmour
National: Chris Barry
Trophy: Samantha Reid
NOTE: Results from this weekend are to be considered provisional following an incident involving Practice on Friday. Results will be made official following a hearing to be held at a later date after the race meeting.
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