Pinnacle Motorsport wins back-to-back at Yas Marina to claim F3 Asia championship lead
A pair of race wins have now put Motorsport Ireland International Team Licence holders, Pinnacle Motorsport, on top of the driver's standings as the F3 Asian Championship Certified by FIA reaches 2021's halfway point. Pierre-Louis Chovet went on to take commanding victories in Race 8 and 9 at the Yas Marina Circuit, making him the first driver to win 4 races this season.
Chovet missed out on pole by a mere seven thousands of a second, putting him in P2 and P3 during Qualifying. Alexandre Bardinon continues to improve with a P15 and P16 during the second consecutive event held in Abu Dhabi. Matthias Luethen and Alessio Deledda swapped positions during the 2 sessions with both alternately claiming P18 and P19 spots.
Lining up on the front row of the grid gave Chovet a clear run towards the first corner in Race 1, which he made full use of thanks to his lighting quick start. His charge for the lead was uncontested and made a clean pass for P1. The Frenchman then maintained focus and never looked back, securing victory with a comfortable 3.861 second advantage. Bardinon had a clean run throughout the 30 minute race to finish in 14th. Deledda managed to get past his teammate and grab 16th at the chequered flag with Luethen not far behind in 17th.
Chovet further cemented his dominance in Race 2, this time with a lights-to-flag victory. Although several lengthy safety car periods prevented him from pulling away from the field, he still picked up full points to extend his championship lead. Deledda did well to stay out of trouble amidst all the chaos up and down the grid and finish in 13th position. Sadly, teammates Bardinon and Luethen both failed to finish after coming together on track.
With the driver's title at stake, Chovet drove a smart race in Race 3 to ensure that he finishes with as much points as safely as possible. He took no risks, earning him a solid 4th place when the chequered flag dropped. Bardinon fought hard for a top 10 spot and crossed the line in 11th. However, a post-race penalty later undid all his hard work and dropped him down to 13th. Deledda and Luethen were again racing each other for position with Deledda ahead in 15th and Luethen in 16th.
A pair of wins in Round 3 now puts Pierre-Louis Chovet in the Driver's Championship lead with a 10 point gap ahead of his closest rival. Pinnacle Motorsport, on the other hand, sits 3rd in the Team's Standings as the F3 Asian Championship Certified by FIA returns to the Dubai Autodrome for Round 4 in a week's time.
John O'Hara, Team Director: “What a great way to wrap up a long four-day race weekend at Abu Dhabi. We've worked long hours to give our drivers the best cars possible and it's good to be rewarded with two wins and the championship lead. There's only two more rounds to go in 2021 and we're fully committed to wrap up the season still on top of the points race.”
Organized by Top Speed, F3 Asian Championship Certified by FIA is a new single-spec F3 championship designed to provide a stepping stone for regional drivers into Formula 2 and ultimately Formula 1. It focuses on performance, safety, and cost control for up-and-coming talent in the world's most dynamic region.
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