(25.10.2003,
asianf3.net)
ROUND
9 QUALIFYING: GOLDENPORT CIRCUIT BEIJING, CHINA
It was an eventful qualifying session for Round 9 of the Asian Formula
3 Challenge today at Beijings 3.3km Goldenport Circuit.
Pepon Marave took pole for the International Class for the start
of tomorrows race with a time of 01:00.671, with Jojo Silverio
clocking the fastest time in the Promotional Class.
Pepon
was thrilled with his performance saying, "The car is handling
really well. Im 8 tenths of a second faster." However,
the cooler temperatures were affecting the Filipino driver. "Its
freezing!" he added. "We Filipinos are not used to these
temperatures."
The
session was red-flagged after Roland Hermoso crashed heavily. There
was a tense moment when the Speedtech Asia driver did not immediately
emerge from his Dallara 398, but fortunately he was unhurt in the
incident and the damage to the car was thankfully not substantial.
"Im
fine, but my pride is hurt," he said after returning to the
pits. The car had been bottoming out the previous lap, and he had
intended to put in one more circuit of the 3.3km track before pitting.
However, he lost control of the car and ended up hitting the tyre
barrier.
Castrol
Team Goddard driver, having suffered from a cracked rib in Japan,
had a disastrous session. "Bang!" said Goddard. "Thats
what I heard going flat out in fifth gear going into the last corner.
The whole engine seized solid. The only lucky part about the whole
incident is that, because it was the last corner, I was able to
freewheel into the pits." However, that could be the last piece
of luck for Goddard. "I think its the end of my race
weekend," said the disappointed driver.
"Smoking"
JP Tuason persevered in his Speedtech Asia Dallara 398. The machine
had been dropping oil and smoking throughout Fridays practice
session, and the problem persisted for the qualifying. However,
he is planning on being on the grid for the start of tomorrows
race. "Ill be there!" he vowed.
Japanese
driver Hideaki Machida is enjoying his first outing in a Formula
3 car, despite the physical demands of the tight, twisty Goldenport
track.
Qualifying
Round 9
Pos. |
No. |
Driver |
Class |
Team |
Time |
1 |
9 |
Pepon
MARAVE (PHI) |
I |
Shell
Casino Filipino Team Toms |
01:00.671 |
2 |
7 |
Richard
JOSON (PHI) |
I |
Denso
Hanjin JF3 |
01:01.164 |
3 |
2 |
Jojo
SILVERIO (PHI) |
P |
Castrol
Team Goddard |
01:01.622 |
4 |
16 |
Roland
HERMOSO (PHI) |
P |
Speedtech
Asia |
01:01.919 |
5 |
36 |
Enzo
PASTOR (PHI) |
P |
Casino
Filipino Fujitsu 10 Team Toms Petron |
01:02.669 |
6 |
25 |
JP
Tuason (PHI) |
P |
Speedtech
Asia |
01:04.510 |
7 |
1 |
Mark
GODDARD (PHI) |
I |
Castrol
Team Goddard |
01:07.149 |
8 |
8 |
Hideaki
MACHIDA (JPN) |
P |
Denso Hanjin JF3 |
01:08.519 |
|
Class:
I International
P
Promotion
|