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Austrian
Walter Grubmüller converted his sixth place grid position into a sixth
place finish in the second British Formula 3 International Series race at
Bucharest
on Sunday. His young
team-mate Max Chilton, who started just ahead of him, made an impressive
start to go into the first corner fourth.
However
a lap eight collision with early series leader Sergio Perez caused damage
to his car which required a trip to the pits for repairs although he
collected a point for tenth place. The
qualifying session this morning allowed the pair to repeat their strong
form in Friday’s free practice and Saturday’s opening round. Running third for much of the
session, 17 year-old Max dropped to fifth in the dying minutes as others
went marginally quicker on the final lap.
For
Grubmüller, a repeat of his performance in session one enabled him to post
the sixth quickest time, although the Austrian admitted to being unable to
find a clear track around the narrow streets of
Romania.
In
the race, Max made a superb start to pass first race winner Brendon
Hartley off the line, but Walter alongside him on the third row lost four
places as he bogged down, dropping him down the order. On the second lap
Walter had gained a position to take ninth while Max and John Martin were
coming under pressure from a recovering Hartley.
The trio entered
the second chicane side-by-side, forcing Max to take to the slip road
which allowed Hartley through. As Max and Martin headed into the first
corner, Martin dived up the inside, demoting Max to fifth ahead of Perez.
For four laps BRDC Superstar Max and Perez ran nose to tail and on
lap eight, the Mexican eventually found a way past. However the battle
ended at the first corner as Max ran into the back of Perez under braking,
pushing him into a spin and damaging his own front wing. The following
Ricardo Teixeira had nowhere to go and slammed into the stationery car of
Perez forcing the safety car out, the three-lap delay allowing Max to pit
for a replacement nosecone.
The youngster was given a stop-go
penalty for his part in the incident, which he served a lap later, but he
continued to the flag and picked up the final championship point for tenth
International runner.
The incident elevated Walter to seventh where
he stayed for five laps chasing down the Ultimate Motorsport duo Esteban
Guerrieri and Michael Devaney. Five laps from the finish, Martin retired
from the race moving Walter up the order to record his second successive
points scoring finish and moving him the championship points
table.
Results
of Race Two – 20 laps
1. Jaime Alguersuari Carlin Motorsport Dallara
F308 Mercedes HWA 30:43.123
2. Oliver Turvey Carlin Motorsport Dallara
F308 Mercedes HWA 30:43.765
3. Brendon Hartley Carlin Motorsport
Dallara F308 Mercedes HWA 30:44.244
4. Esteban Guerrieri Ultimate
Motorsport Mygale M-08F3 Mercedes HWA 30:53.236
5. Michael Devaney
Ultimate Motorsport Mygale M-08F3 Mercedes HWA 30:55.356
6. Walter
Grubmüller Hitech Racing Dallara F308 Mercedes HWA 30:56.014
10. Max
Chilton Hitech Racing Dallara F308 Mercedes HWA 31:38.057
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