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FIAT Spanish Formula 3 Championship front-runner Will Bratt concluded his maiden weekend of F3 action sixth overall in the driver standings after claiming a fighting top four finish during the second round of the season at Jarama today, Sunday, 4th May.Added to his fifth place result from round one on Saturday, the Banbury driver is happy with his first ever race meeting at an international level and is confident he can become a regular contender for podium finishes as the 2008 Spanish F3 campaign progresses.
Racing for EmiliodeVillota.com Motorsport, 20-year-old Will lined up on the front row of the grid for today’s race but at the start he couldn’t quite get away from the line as cleanly as he wanted, slipping down to fifth place.
Fighting back into the top four on lap three, Will remained there to the chequered flag, which came on lap 18, and saw a maiden F3 podium just elude him by a mere six 10ths of a second. Setting the fourth fastest race lap along the way, Will pushed incredibly hard but with the front-running quartet so evenly matched overtaking proved impossible.
Pursued himself by round one race winner Jaime Alguersuari, Will kept the Spanish driver at bay and in the end managed to pull out a very impressive three second margin over his more experienced F3 rival.
“At the start I dropped down to fifth unfortunately but then fought back into the top four where all of us at the front were running very similar lap times”, explained the Oxford University scholar, “Even though we couldn’t quite get on the podium, I’m happy with the pace we’ve shown.
 “Jarama is a very difficult circuit to overtake on so we have to be pleased with fourth today and the fifth place we achieved on Saturday. We have to remember, this is our first ever race weekend in Formula 3 and today was only my fourth day at the wheel of the new car.”
Will added: “I need to improve my starts in an F3 car but that will all come with experience, all in all it’s been a satisfying weekend and I know we will only get stronger as the season moves forward. I’m really enjoying working with Emilio (de Villota) and the rest of team and now I can’t wait to get back in the car to learn more.”
The world-famous home of the Belgian Formula One Grand Prix, Spa-Francorchamps, hosts the third and fourth rounds of the 2008 FIAT Spanish Formula 3 Championship four weeks from now on Saturday, 31st May, and Sunday, 1st June.
Provisional 2008 FIAT Spanish F3 Championship Driver Standings (after Rd2):
1st Victor Garcia, 19pts; 2nd Jaime Alguersuari, 18pts; 6th Will Bratt, 11pts
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