UpdateF1 >> Formula 1 News > EF3: Round 5

Mortara still leads despite no points

ZANDVOORT

Round five of Euroseries Formula Three came from Zandvoort in Holland. Eduardo Mortara lead the championship coming into the race driving for Signature Plus with forty points.

In race one the championship leader crashed out of the race giving his rivals a huge opportunity to close the gap. Championship contended Nico Hulkenberg of ART thought he had taken victory after he crossed the line five seconds ahead of Mucke driver Mika Maki but was disqualfied later for being underweight.

This gave Maki the win and promoted Hulkenberg’s team mate Jules Bianchi into second place. Sam Bird was third for Manor ahead of Yann Clairay of SG, Jean-Karl Vernay for Signature in fifth, Renger van der Zande sixth for Prema, Robert Wickens seventh for Signature, continuing his good form since his switch from World Series by Renault.

The final points position went to Niall Breen in eighth for Manor who inherits a point for Signature due to the disqualification of Hulkenberg.

Home hero Van Der Zande won race two on home soil after watching the front row men of Breen and Wickens take each other off on the run down in to turn one. He avoided the collision and as other drivers took avoiding action as Breen’s car slid back across the track.

He was followed home by Clairay in second, Mailleux of Signature third and the only man to gain any positions at the head of the field. Vernay was fourth, Maki fifth and Bird sixth

Despite his pointless weekend Mortara still leads the championship on forty points. Maki has moved to second with thirty-one. Race two winner Van Der Zande is now third with twenty-seven passing Hulkenberg who also had a pointless weekend in fourth with twenty-six

Written: Sun, 13 Jul 2008 12:15:01