UpdateF1 >> Formula 1 News > EF3: Round 9

Hulkenberg takes title

The penultimate round of the 2008 Formula Three Euroseries championship was held at the famous Le Mans circuit in France.

Nico Hulkenberg was in touching distance of the title after the opening eight rounds and could seal the title in race one.

Which he did, young teammate at ART took the victory by almost eighteen seconds from Manor driver Sam Bird, with Mucke driver Mika Maki completing the podium. Maki was a title contender in the early season but dropped of in mid-season.

Koudai Tsukakoshi was fourth for Manor, Jean-Karl Vernay fifth for Signature, Dani Clos was sixth for Prema. Signature teammates Franck Mailleux and Robert Wickens were seventh and eighth with Brendon Hartley ninth for Carlin and Edoardo Mortara tenth for Signature.

Hulkenberg had a bad race and could only manage to finish twenty-fourth and a lap down, but due to Mortara only finishing tenth, it was enough to hand Hulkenberg the title.

The second race was competed in wet conditions. Wickens won the shortened race after several minutes of stoppage.

The race started but the rain soon came and cars were spinning of all over the track forcing the race to be stopped.

It restarted with just six of the forty minutes to go and starting from pole Wickens held on to win.

Dani Clos finished second for Prema, Vernay was third, Tsukakoshi fourth, James Jakes was fifth for ART, Rodolfo Gonzalez sixth for Carlin, Daniel Campos-Hull of HBR seventh Hulkenberg eighth Stefano Coletti ninth for Prema and Christian Vietoris completing the top ten for Mucke.

As a result of the shortened sprint race, only half points were awarded.
Hulkenberg is now the 2008 Formula Three Euroseries champion with a round to spare but the battle to become vice-champion is still alive. Mortara is second with forty-nine points, Bianchi has forty-two and Maki has forty.

Written: Sun, 05 Oct 2008 17:02:18