Jean-Eric Vergne extended his British F3 International Series points lead at Rockingham last weekend.
The Frenchman had a win and a second place in the two main feature races in his Carlin-run Dallara-Volkswagen and was ninth in the shorter reversed-grid event, outscoring his closest title rival Oli Webb (Fortec Motorsport) by 17 points to extend his advantage to 51.
Vergne’s sixth win of the season came in the weekend’s first race, with all the hard work completed on the opening lap as he passed the slow-starting car of pole man Webb and then dived inside Carlos Huertas (Raikkonen Robertson Racing) at the Deene hairpin.
Huertas didn’t let Vergne have things all his own way for the remainder of the race, but crossed the line 0.282 seconds behind at the chequered flag having been unable to find a way past.
After his poor start, Webb had to fend off the challenge of James Calado (Carlin) to take third, while Hitech Racing duo William Buller and Gabriel Dias were fifth and sixth.
The reversed-grid race 2 saw a new face on the top step of the podium as Daniel McKenzie (Fortec) scored his maiden triumph and also put his name in the history books as British F3’s first-ever pitstop race winner.
The stop proved crucial to the overall result as McKenzie timed his to perfection and rejoined just ahead of pole man Daisuke Nakajima (Raikkonen Robertson Racing) before holding off the Japanese driver for a 1.113 second victory.
While Nakajima had led the first stint, McKenzie had to pass both Felipe Nasr and Adriano Buzaid before his stop.
Buzaid held on for third ahead of Hitech’s Dias and Buller, but Nasr stalled at his pit stop and slumped down to 15th at the finish.
The Brazilian bounced back in some style in the final event though as Nasr netted his maiden win and his team’s first of the season.
The race began with a dramatic opening lap which saw carnage at the Deene hairpin as Huertas spun into the wall and Webb and Vergne touch wheels as they fought over the lead. That resulted in accidents further down the pack as Nakajima, Dias and series newcomer Pietro Fantin (Hitech Racing) all crashed out.
Nasr led behind the resulting Safety Car, but was beaten by Buzaid at the restart and lost his lead into Deene. Buzaid didn’t lead for long however as Nasr fought his way past on lap 10 before romping home to a huge 15.6 second victory.
Vergne drove superbly to recover to second, making fine moves on Calado, Jaafar and Buzaid, while Calado also got round the Brazilian to claim the final podium spot. Webb made it back to sixth place, just behind Buller, but his Fortec team launched a protest at the end of the race into Vergne’s conduct as the banged wheels at the start, meaning the results remain provisional.
Menasheh Idafar (T-Sport) narrowed the points lead of his team-mate James Cole in the National Class with victories in races 1 and 2. Cole finished second in both those events and then took the race 3 win, but his advantage at the top of the standings is now down to just 5 points.
British F3 International Series results – Rounds 13-15, Rockingham
Round 13
1 Jean-Eric Vergne, Carlin, Dallara-Volkswagen, 24 laps 29:38.641
2 Carlos Huertas, Raikkonen Robertson Racing, Dallara-Mercedes, +0.282
3 Oliver Webb, Fortec Motorsport, Dallara-Mercedes, +4.600
4 James Calado, Carlin, Dallara-Volkswagen, +5.241
5 William Buller, Hitech Racing, Dallara-Volkswagen, +20.595
6 Gabriel Dias, Hitech Racing, Dallara-Volkswagen, +21.197
7 Felipe Nasr, Raikkonen Robertson Racing, Dallara-Mercedes, +21.728
8 Daniel McKenzie, Fortec Motorsport, Dallara-Mercedes, +22.380
9 Adriano Buzaid, Carlin, Dallara-Volkswagen, +23.116
10 Daisuke Nakajima, Raikkonen Robertson Racing, Dallara-Mercedes, +24.966
11 Rupert Svendsen-Cook, Carlin, Dallara-Volkswagen, +35.194
12 Lucas Foresti, Carlin, Dallara-Volkswagen, +35.574
13 Menasheh Idafar, T-Sport, Dallara-Mugen Honda, +37.075 (N)
14 James Cole, T-Sport, Dallara-Mugen Honda, +39.524 (N)
15 Max Snegirev, Fortec Motorsport, Dallara-Mercedes, +47.359
16 Alex Brundle, T-Sport, Dallara-Volkswagen, +49.806
17 Pietro Fantin, Hitech Racing, Dallara-Volkswagen, +53.487
18 Adderley Fong, Sino Vision Racing, Dallara-Mercedes, +55.308
Not classified
Jay Bridger, Litespeed F3, Dallara-Mercedes, 19 laps
Hywel Lloyd, CF Racing with Manor Motorsport, Dallara-Mercedes, 16 laps
Jazeman Jaafar, Carlin, Dallara-Volkswagen, 12 laps
Round 14
1 Daniel McKenzie, Fortec Motorsport, Dallara-Mercedes, 16 laps 20:06.462
2 Daisuke Nakajima, Raikkonen Robertson Racing, Dallara-Mercedes, +1.113
3 Adriano Buzaid, Carlin, Dallara-Volkswagen, +8.788
4 Gabriel Dias, Hitech Racing, Dallara-Volkswagen, +18.230
5 William Buller, Hitech Racing, Dallara-Volkswagen, +19.685
6 James Calado, Carlin, Dallara-Volkswagen, +20.274
7 Carlos Huertas, Raikkonen Robertson Racing, Dallara-Mercedes, +20.665
8 Oliver Webb, Fortec Motorsport, Dallara-Mercedes, +21.396
9 Jean-Eric Vergne, Carlin, Dallara-Volkswagen, +22.351
10 Lucas Foresti, Carlin, Dallara-Volkswagen, +25.627
11 Jazeman Jaafar, Carlin, Dallara-Volkswagen, +26.381
12 Alex Brundle, T-Sport, Dallara-Volkswagen, +27.311
13 Rupert Svendsen-Cook, Carlin, Dallara-Volkswagen, +30.124
14 Hywel Lloyd, CF Racing with Manor Motorsport, Dallara-Mercedes, +31.198
15 Felipe Nasr, Raikkonen Robertson Racing, Dallara-Mercedes, +31.436
16 Pietro Fantin, Hitech Racing, Dallara-Volkswagen, +32.057
17 Jay Bridger, Litespeed F3, Dallara-Mercedes, +34.854
18 Max Snegirev, Fortec Motorsport, Dallara-Mercedes, +39.288
19 Menasheh Idafar, T-Sport, Dallara-Mugen Honda, +1 lap (N)
20 Adderley Fong, Sino Vision Racing, Dallara-Mercedes, +1 lap
21 James Cole, T-Sport, Dallara-Mugen Honda, +1 lap (N)
Round 15
1 Felipe Nasr, Raikkonen Robertson Racing, Dallara-Mercedes, 31 laps 40:15.189
2 Jean-Eric Vergne, Carlin, Dallara-Volkswagen, +15.652
3 James Calado, Carlin, Dallara-Volkswagen, +21.808
4 Adriano Buzaid, Carlin, Dallara-Volkswagen, +25.012
5 William Buller, Hitech Racing, Dallara-Volkswagen, +27.365
6 Oliver Webb, Fortec Motorsport, Dallara-Mercedes, +28.888
7 James Cole, T-Sport, Dallara-Mugen Honda, +35.375 (N)
8 Menasheh Idafar, T-Sport, Dallara-Mugen Honda, +36.031 (N)
9 Hywel Lloyd, CF Racing with Manor Motorsport, Dallara-Mercedes, +37.355
10 Jay Bridger, Litespeed F3, Dallara-Mercedes, +42.335
11 Lucas Foresti, Carlin, Dallara-Volkswagen, +53.737
12 Daniel McKenzie, Fortec Motorsport, Dallara-Mercedes, +53.973
13 Adderley Fong, Sino Vision Racing, Dallara-Mercedes, +56.290
14 Jazeman Jaafar, Carlin, Dallara-Volkswagen, +1:12.241
15 Alex Brundle, T-Sport, Dallara-Volkswagen, +2 laps
Not classified
Rupert Svendsen-Cook, Carlin, Dallara-Volkswagen, 20 laps
Max Snegirev, Fortec Motorsport, Dallara-Mercedes, 14 laps
Daisuke Nakajima, Raikkonen Robertson Racing, Dallara-Mercedes, 1 lap
Gabriel Dias, Hitech Racing, Dallara-Volkswagen, 0 laps
Carlos Huertas, Raikkonen Robertson Racing, Dallara-Mercedes, 0 laps
Pietro Fantin, Hitech Racing, Dallara-Volkswagen, 0 laps
Championship Standings (after 15 rounds)
International Class
1 Jean-Eric Vergne, 199pts
2 Oli Webb, 148
3 James Calado, 115
4 Adriano Buzaid, 98
5 Gabriel Dias, 96
6 William Buller, 70
7 Daisuke Nakajima, 63
8 Jazeman Jaafar, 61
9 Carlos Huertas, 60
10 Felipe Nasr, 49
National Class
1 James Cole, 208
2 Menasheh Idafar, 203
3 Luiz Razia, 23
Next round(s): 30 July, Spa-Francorchamps
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Andy Wilkinson
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