NEWS

DONINGTON PARK 24 SEPTEMBER 2011: Rupert Svendsen-Cook claimed his second victory of the Cooper Tires British Formula 3 International Series season at Donington Park this afternoon, keeping the British driver in the hunt for championship second.

The Suffolk-based Carlin man led round 25 of the championship from pole position to chequered flag after an immaculate start and strong first-lap run which saw him pull a second’s lead over his closest pursuer, his team-mate Carlos Huertas. By the end of the 21-lap race Rupert had eased away from the Colombian to the tune of 3.2s.

Said Rupert: “I got a fantastic start, the car had a really good feel throughout the race. I wasn’t so happy with the balance of the car in qualifying, but we made a few changes and the car was bang-on for the race. Everything was under control and I’m happy to get another victory to add to the one I scored at Monza at the start of the year.

“I definitely think that there is more to come from me this weekend. It’s going to be difficult starting race two from eighth, but I think that from third in race three we can get a podium.”

Huertas led home another Carlin man, Jack Harvey, to claim second; Carlos made the better getaway from the grid to slot in from of the Lincolnshire driver on the opening lap. Harvey chased him hard but had to settle for third place and his fourth podium of the year.

Though Carlin locked out the podium, only one of the team’s remaining drivers, Jazeman Jaafar, made the top 10. Newly crowned champion Felipe Nasr and Kevin Magnussen clashed at the hairpin on the second lap while disputing fourth place and both were forced to the pits with punctures. Magnussen salvaged a point for fastest lap before calling it a day.

Nasr finished the day with the consolation of having scooped the Sunoco Rolex 24 at Daytona Challenge prize – a drive in January’s Daytona 24 Hours – thanks to his stellar form in qualifying.

With Magnussen and Nasr out of the hunt, fourth place went to Double R’s Scott Pye, who led home Jaafar and Double R’s new recruit, GP3 Champion Valtteri Bottas. Pipo Derani was on course to make it three Double R cars in the top 10 until an 18th lap clash with Menasheh Idafar saw him lose four places. T-Sport’s Idafar finished seventh on the road but was later penalised 3.5s by race stewards for his part in the incident, dropping him to 11th.

Fortec men Harry Tincknell and Will Buller were therefore classified seventh and eighth respectively, with Hitech’s Russian racer Max Snegirev collecting his first points of the year with ninth and Derani credited with 10th.

PODIUM AUDIO INTERVIEWS

Cooper Tires British Formula 3 International Series

Round 25, Donington Park GP 24/9/2011

21 laps / 52.23 miles

Provisional results Championship class

1  Rupert SVENDSEN-COOK / GBR,  Carlin Dallara-VW  29m 29.797s / 106.25mph

2  Carlos HUERTAS / COL,  Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen  +3.196s

3  Jack HARVEY / GBR,  Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen  +3.646s

4  Scott PYE / AUS,  Double R Dallara-Mercedes  +4.027s

5  Jazeman JAAFAR / MAS,  Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen  +4.717s

6  Valtteri BOTTAS / FIN,  Double R Dallara-Mercedes  +5.200s

7  Harry TINCKNELL / GBR,  Fortec Dallara-Mercedes  +16.220s

8  William BULLER /GBR,  Fortec Dallara-Mercedes  +16.836s

9  Max SNEGIREV / RUS,  Hitech Dallara-Volkswagen  +18.050s

10  Pipo DERANI / BRA,  Double R Dallara-Mercedes  +18.614s etc

Rookie class

1  Kotaro SAKURAI / JPN,  Hitech Dallara-Mugen Honda  +1m 07.015s

Fastest lap Kevin MAGNUSSEN / DEN  1m 23.042s / 107.83mph Est Rec

Full TSL timesheets http://bit.ly/pO5G5O

Provisional championship standings

1 Felipe Nasr 297 points; 2 Huertas 181; 3 Magnussen 175; 4 Buller 174; 5 Jaafar 167; 6 Svendsen-Cook 164 etc

Rookie class

1 Sakurai 321 etc