Kobayashi Wins F3 Qualifying Race on Pole for GP

Written on November 18, 2006 by a2zMacau

You can listen here to a radio report on the qualifying courtesy Crash.net

And today’s race news by Crash.net | And Formula Three Euro Series rookie champion Kamui Kobayashi picked up where he had left off in the Macau Grand Prix qualification race today, converting pole position into victory to earn himself the prime staring spot for tomorrow’s all-important final.

It was not quite a lights-to-flag performance from the rising Japanese ace, though once he had regained his lead and his composure after a jittery start he was pretty much untouchable, pulling away from the chasing pack to eventually come home more than three seconds clear of early weekend star Marko Asmer.

Although he let slip his advantage as the lights went green, Kobayashi soon maneuvered his ASM Dallara-Mercedes back to the head of the field thanks to some intelligent slipstreaming on the run down to Lisboa. From there on he was untroubled as he raced on to an impressive triumph.

It marked the 20-year-old’s maiden victory in Formula Three after finishing eighth overall in the Euro Series this year with a string of impressive showings, the highlights of which were podium finishes at Brands Hatch, the Norisring and the Nurburgring. Should he succeed in going one better and winning again tomorrow it would complete his debut campaign in the formula in the best possible style.