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Mawer
results for BRM as Albert Park F3 action heats up.
ALBERT PARK, MELBOURNE (Thursday, 3rd March, 2005.) Team BRM driver
Barton Mawer came to the Albert Park this weekend with only one
aim in mind: to take victory and give his career prospects a boost
before heading overseas again next week.
After
today’s first of three Trading Post Formula 3 battles at the
Australian Grand Prix, the young Sydneysider had achieved part of
his goal, taking out pole position and then backing it up with a
resounding victory in an action packed eight lap encounter late
this afternoon.
Mawer
dropped to second early in the race after carrying too much speed
into the notorious turn one Albert Park chicane. However, Mawer
quickly hunted down leader Aaron Caratti’s Astuti competition
Dallara, taking the lead with a bold outside pass with three laps
to go and eventually winning by just under 1.5 seconds.
The
result instantly etches Mawer into the history books, becoming the
first ever person to win a Formula 3 race on the tough 5.4km Albert
Park circuit. Justifiably, the British F3 scholarship class race
winner was delighted with the outcome of today’s race.
“BRM
must stand for Brilliant Racing Machines!” he joked after today’s
race. “I am very relieved with this result, because I thought
I had thrown it away after going off at turn one at the start, but
I managed to catch the leader and get a run on him to slipstream
my way in front.
“Someone
came up to me after the race and said ‘you have just created
your own little piece of history’. To be the first ever race
winner in an F3 car here is something very special.”
Team
BRM’s other three drivers had something of a mixed day. South
Australian Tim Slade, fresh off a strong opening display at Wakefield
Park a week ago, started third and raced with the leaders for a
majority of the opening race. A slight off at the penultimate turn
with four laps to go cost Slade a potential podium position, but
he has shown that he will be a force to be reckoned with in the
remaining two encounters.
16-year-old
Kiwi Nic Jordan had a solid day, qualifying 6th for his first visit
to Albert Park (both Slade and Mawer have competed there before.).
Jordan ran a solitary race for a majority of today’s opening
eight-lap affair, eventually finishing 7th after a difficult start
and first corner run.
Fellow
Countryman Marc Williams was out to improve in his first ever visit
to a Grand Prix, just four days after making his F3 race debut last
weekend in New South Wales. 10th in qualifying, against a very strong
25 car field, was an excellent result for the Kiwi youngster –
indicating that he is beginning to come to grips with the ‘wings
and slick’s’ Dallara.
Unfortunately
for Williams, he was caught up in the midst of the opening race’s
turn one carnage, running into the sand trap at turn 3 prematurely
ending his first race at the Grand Prix.
Team
BRM’s four car attack will have a further chance to improve
tomorrow, as the massive Trading Post Formula 3 field takes to the
track at 5:40pm (Eastern) for the second of three races on the Australian
Grand Prix card.
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