| Winslow takes 25th win as champions battle in Sydney |
| Story
By: F3 Media Release Date: 14/7/2012 at 4:50:07 PM |
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JAMES WINSLOW survived a mid-race restart and a challenge from two former champions to win his 25th career Australian Formula 3 race this afternoon at Sydney Motorsport Park.
Winslow narrowly missed out on pole position to the returning Tim Macrow earlier in the day, but made amends in the first 10-lap race, winning the start before holding off an early challenge from both Macrow and Chris Gilmour to take the win.
It was his 25th success from 59 championship starts – an incredible strike rate – and extended his Gold Star championship lead to 37 points ahead of the two races tomorrow.
A less-than-perfect start from Macrow saw him slot in behind Winslow on the run to the first corner, but the 2007 champion took advantage of a mid-race Safety car – called to recover a spun Jordan Skinner’s Team BRM Dallara – to attack on the restart.
He was unable to pass his long-time rival, however, and instead had to turn his attentions to defending the advances of another former champion of the series, Chris Gilmour.
Twice Gilmour attacked at turn one and two and twice Macrow was able to hold on, despite the pair running side-by-side through the flat-out first corner on more than one occasion.
Gilmour settled for third in the end, whilst Steel Guiliana charged from a pit-lane start – after the team changed a clutch between qualifying and the race – to finish fourth.
The Safety Car worked best for Guiliana, using the re-start to slice past the National class cars and show his raw speed to lock on to the back of the three champions dicing for the lead.
Hayden Cooper held out his determined teammate Ben Gersekowski to take a narrow win in the Forpark Australia National Class replicating the order in which they qualified. Darwin winner Lockie Marshall held third for much of the second half of the race before a last-lap off dropped him behind local driver Nathan Gotch, in his AGI Sport Dallara.
There were dramas for the pair of Forpark National Class drivers from R-Tek Motorsport, neither getting to log any race laps today.
Jon Collins missed qualifying after his car broke flywheel bolts as the team warmed it up before the session – R-Tek racing to fix the problem only to find the car wouldn’t fire for the race.
Meanwhile, fellow F3 rookie Adam Gill suffered a mysterious brake problem that saw the front brakes lock solid on the grid as the cars formed up – the car completely immobilised and forcing a delayed start as it was recovered.
Earlier, Tim Macrow recorded his 18th pole position after a thrilling shootout against James Winslow.
Macrow had topped the session early; however Winslow struck with three minutes remaining in the session to take the top spot before Macrow instantly responded.
One last-ditch lap from Winslow wasn’t quite enough, falling 0.08s short of taking pole position. Chris Gilmour qualified third, ahead of Steel Guiliana and Jordan Skinner, whilst Hayden Cooper edged out teammate Ben Gersekowski in the Forpark Australia National class battle.
The Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship will take in a further two races tomorrow, one further 10-lap sprint before the 14-lap feature race later in the afternoon. Both will be broadcast live on the internet via www.itvlive.com.au
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