|
Jonathan Kennard drove the race of his life to take a hard-earned but well-deserved second place in race one of the British Formula 3 National Championship at the Nurburgring this weekend. The 20 year-old Tunbridge Wells-based driver, who set an incredible pace in every outing at the German Grand Prix track last year on his way to the Formula Palmer Audi Championship, headed out to the event in confident mood.
After starting the weekend well with fastest time in free practice, Jonathan was understandably disappointed to qualify third for race one after going the wrong way with changes to the set-up on his Alan Docking Racing Dallara F304 Mugen-Honda. Then a broken gear-linkage on his first ‘flying' lap caused him to coast across the line, but still managed fifth for the second race after having to pull off the track stuck in third gear.
With revisions to his car made in between the two sessions, Jonathan was optimistic of a good first race but at the first corner confusion when a number of cars tangled, dropped him down to sixth. However Jonathan was in determined mood and even before the completion of lap two, had found a way past Josh Fisher at the Mercedes Complex to take fifth before setting about chasing down former series leader Barton Mawer in fourth. By the fifth lap, he had closed down the 3-second gap and as they entered the Vedol Chicane, the BRDC Rising Star made his move, taking the place and chasing down his team-mate Juho Annala, posting his best lap time in the process.
From fourth, he gradually pulled out a lead over Mawer as he closed the gap down to Annala, and on lap seven again at the Vedol Chicane, he forced his way through into third, just over a second behind Charlie Hollings in second place. By lap eight, he'd closed the gap to just 0.1second and got right in the slipstream of Hollings along the straight, and with a breathtaking manoeuvre, which saw him squeezed towards the pit wall, took the place and with race leader Salvador Duran in his sights three and half seconds ahead. But with Hollings close behind, he had to take defensive measures to protect his position and was unable to mount a challenge for the lead.
In race two, he had a better start but when Christian Bakkerud struggled off the line ahead of him, he was forced wide, which allowed several cars through and he dropped to sixth behind the Japanese driver Keiko Ihara. Despite every effort to get by the Championship class car, he was heavily baulked and lost all downforce, and went on to an uneventful sixth place finish.
“The first race was without doubt my finest ever,†said Jonathan at the end. “Every move I attempted worked and overall I'm really happy with the result, although disappointed with the second race and I am satisfied that I drove well throughout the event. The problem we had in first qualifying probably cost me pole and then in the second session, the gear-linkage broke just as I was completing my first lap out on new tyres."
Jonathan's F3 campaign resumes in two weeks time at Mondello Park, nr Dublin in the Republic of Ireland (October 8/9).
Results of race one - 14 laps
1. Salvador Duran Dallara F304 Mugen-Honda 27:05.456
2. JONATHAN KENNARD Dallara F304 Mugen-Honda 27:14.741
3. Charlie Hollings Lola-Dome F106/4 Mugen-Honda 27:15.110
4. Juho Annala Dallara F304 Mugen-Honda 27:15.834
5. Barton Mawer Dallara F304 Mugen-Honda 27:16.102
6. Josh Fisher Dallara F304 Mugen-Honda 27:22.436
Fastest lap: Duran 1:54.436
Results of race two - 14 laps
1. Salvador Duran Dallara F304 Mugen-Honda 26:56.594
2. Josh Fisher Dallara F304 Mugen-Honda 27:04.156
3. Barton Mawer Dallara F304 Mugen-Honda 27:07.055
4. Charlie Hollings Lola-Dome F106/4 Mugen-Honda 27:08.083
5. Juho Annala Dallara F304 Mugen-Honda 27:11.070
6. JONATHAN KENNARD Dallara F304 Mugen-Honda 27:19.434
Fastest lap: Duran 1:53.816
Championship positions after 18 rounds
1. Salvador Duran 255
2. Barton Mawer 224
3. Josh Fisher 183
4. Charlie Hollings 181
5. JONATHAN KENNARD 173
6. Juho Annala 131
Editor's note: The new Jonathan Kennard website is now up-and-running and copyright free images and information can be downloaded from there, or obtained from the details below.
Further media information:
Cathy Metcalfe, MPR Associates
Tel: +44 (0)1327 352199
Fax: +44 (0) 1327 352908
Mob: +44 (0) 7802 332398
E-mail: cathymetcalfe@mpr-associates.co.uk
www.jonathankennard.com
|
Legal
