UpdateF1 >> Formula 1 News > EF3: Round 2

Maki and Mortara still tied

MUGELLO

Round two of Formula Three Euroseries was held at the Italian circuit of Mugello, after an unpredictable opening round at Hockenheim the championship is lead by Mika Maki and Mucke Motorsport. He is tied on ten points with Star of Tomorrow Eduardo Mortara of Signature-Plus. Tied on third place are Prema driver Charlie Kimball and Franck Mailleux of Signature-Plus who both have eight points.

The opening race was won by Nico Hulkenberg of ART making up for his double retirement in Hockenheim to hold off a hard charging Kodai Tsukakoshi of Manor Motorsport who was forced to settle for second place. Hulkenberg’s teammate S Julies Bianchi finished third quite a distance behind the front two to head up a pair of Star of Tomorrow drivers.

Montana finished fourth with Prema driver Ranger Van Der Zande in fifth. Championship leader Maki could only finish sixth and as a result looses the lead to Montana. Yann Clairay brought his SG car home in seventh place with the final point going to Dani Clos in eighth place to also give him pole for race two.

Christian Vietoris of Mucke Motorsport stalled on the grid and his race ended in the gravel as he attempted to make his way back up the order.

Race two was won in dominant style by Maki to send himself back to the top of the championship. Starting from third on the grid he got the best start to take the lead from Clos who went backwards during the race.

He was followed home by Clairay who finished 6.7 seconds behind after being unable to match the pace Maki was running at. Completing the podium was Mortara, his third of the year ensuring a share of the championship lead.

Outside the top three the remaining points went to: Bianchi in fourth holding off team mate Hulkenberg who failed to make up enough ground from eighth on the grid, and Naill Breen of Manor Motorsport was sixth to take his first points of the season.

In the championship, Maki and Mortara leave Mugello tied on points, just as they did when they entered the event. They have both moved onto nineteen points. Behind Hulkenberg has jumped into third place following his race one victory, he has fourteen points.

It is a long wait before the next round of the Formula Three Euroseries. It will be held in Pau, France on June 1st.

Written: Sun, 04 May 2008 21:07:04