Round 9 Race Report – Snetterton, Norfolk

Michael Devaney made British Formula 3 history by scoring the first ever win for a Mygale and the first victory for himself and his Ultimate Motorsport team.  The Irishman led from the start holding off a very determined Jaime Alguersuari for the entire 28-lap race.  It was a double podium for Red Bull as Brendon Hartley took his third podium of the season.  Jay Bridger took a well deserved victory in the National Class well ahead of a resurgent Andy Meyrick and Columbian Steven Guerrero.

The 27 car field formed up on the grid in perfect summer sunshine behind the Mygales of Michael Devaney and Nick Tandy.  The lights went out to begin the race and Devaney got the perfect start to lead into the first corner at Riches with Brendon Hartley getting the jump on his Red Bull teammate Jaime Alguersuari to move into 3rd place as they headed down the Revett Straight.  Devaney pulled away from the rest of the chasing pack as Tandy defended his second place in vain.  The three cars went into the Esses three abreast with Alguersuari regaining the place from Hartley and both Red Bull cars passing the JTR Mygale of Tandy.

Behind the leaders Max Chilton stalled his Hitech Dallara on the grid and was delayed by half a lap before he fired up his Mercedes engine and joined in the race.

At the end of the opening lap Devaney had a 2.3 second lead but Alguersuari was closing up on the Irishman and by lap 5 was the lead was cut to just 0.5 seconds.  However the Spaniard couldn't get much closer on the high speed circuit due to the dirty air behind the Ultimate Mygale causing the Carlin Dallara to lose downforce.  Alguersuari would close up to the back of the Mygale at Russells but Devaney would then pull away on the start-finish straight.

Nick Tandy continued to slide down the order being passed by Oliver Turvey, Sebastian Hohenthal, Sergio Perez and Marcus Ericsson before finding some speed to keep Atte Mustonen behind him from lap 6 onwards.

Sergio Perez's race came to an abrupt end on lap 9 when his T Sport Dallara pulled off the track in a cloud of oil smoke, a cambelt problem stopping the championship leaders Mugen Honda powerplant.

Things then settled down as Devaney, Alguersuari and Hartley circulated at the head of the field, each driver trying to apply pressure that would force an error and allow them to overtake. Further back Marcus Ericsson was battling with Oliver Turvey and Sebastian Hohenthal for 4th place, the young Swede setting the fastest lap of the race on lap 14, a new British F3 lap record for Snetterton.

In the National Class Jay Bridger held a comfortable lead over Columbian Steven Guerrero but it was Andy Meyrick who was moving steadily up through the field from his lowly 22nd on the grid passing Salman Al Khalifa and Stefan Wilson on the opening lap and then getting on terms and passing Guerrero on lap 17.  The Columbian then came under pressure from Stefan Wilson for the final podium position and the British driver got alongside the T Sport Dallara going into the Esses but couldn't make the corner and went across the grass, dropping Wilson down the order.

Back at the front Devaney was circulating without making any errors and Alguersuari wasn't able to get close enough to the leader to challenge.  At the chequered flag Devaney punched the air as the Ultimate Motorsport team lined the pitwall to welcome their driver home. 

CLICK HERE to listen to the post race press conference

CLICK HERE to listen to an interview with Ultimate Team Principle Barry Walsh

ROUND 9 - Result

1 - 16 - Int - Michael DEVANEY - IRL - Ultimate Motorsport - 29:15.236 - 28laps

2 - 4 - Int - Jaime ALGUERSUARI - ESP - Carlin Motorsport - 29:15.900 - +0.664

3 - 3 - Int - Brendon HARTLEY - NZL - Carlin Motorsport - 29:17.236 - +2.000

4 - 17 - Int - Oliver TURVEY - GBR - Carlin Motorsport - 29:20.150 -  +4.914

5 - 7 - Int - Sebastian HOHENTHAL - SWE - Fortec Motorsport - 29:22.376 - +7.140

6 - 8 - Int - Marcus ERICSSON - SWE - Fortec Motorsport - 29:22.635 - +7.399

7 - 28 - Int - Nick TANDY - GBR - JTR Marshall Westland - 29:36.520 - +21.284

8 - 26 - Int - Atte MUSTONEN - FIN - Raikkonen Robertson Racing - 29:37.137 - +21.901

9 - 2 - Int - Walter GRUBMULLER - AUT - Hitech Racing - 29:37.770 - +22.534

10 - 18 - Int - Sam ABAY - AUS - Carlin Motorsport - 29:38.246 - +23.010

11 - 50 - Nat - Jay BRIDGER - GBR - Fluid Motorsport Development - 29:44.348 +29.112

12 - 24 - Int - John MARTIN - AUS - Raikkonen Robertson Racing - 29:46.484 - +31.248

13 - 11 - Int - Alistair JACKSON - GBR - Ultimate Motorsport - 29:55.303 - +40.067

14 - 56 - Nat - Andrew MEYRICK - GBR - Carlin Motorsport - 29:59.669 - +44.433

15 - 53 - Nat - Steven GUERRERO - COL - T-Sport - 30:03.159 - +47.923

16 - 1 - Int - Max CHILTON - GBR - Hitech Racing - 30:03.494 - +48.258

17 - 51 - Nat - Stefan WILSON - GBR - Fluid Motorsport Development - 30:03.923 - +48.687

18 - 57 - Nat - Salman AL KHALIFA - BHR - T-Sport - 30:10.508 - +55.272

19 - 14 - Int - Philip MAJOR - CAN - Fortec Motorsport - 30:11.105 - +55.869

20 - 5 - Int - Viktor JENSEN - ISL - Nexa Racing - 30:18.846 - +01:03.610

21 - 54 - Nat - Kristjan EINAR - ISL - Carlin Motorsport - 29:24.795 - +1 lap

22 - 60 - Nat - Callum MACLEOD - GBR - Litespeed F3 - 30:17.793 - +4 laps

Not Classified

DNF - 6 - Int - Henry ARUNDEL - GBR - Raikkonen Robertson Racing - +9 laps

DNF - 9 - Int - Sergio PEREZ - MEX - T-Sport - +18 laps

DNF - 12 - Int - Ricardo TEIXEIRA - ANG - Ultimate Motorsport - +22 laps

DNC - 52 - Nat - Hywel LLOYD - GBR - C F Racing - 30:01.518 - +9 laps

DNF - 59 - Nat - Jordan WILLIAMS - GBR - Team Loctite - +12 laps

Fastest Laps

8 - Int - Marcus ERICSSON  - SWE - Fortec Motorsport - 1:01.893 - 113.53mph - 182.71kph (NEW LAP RECORD)

50 - Nat - Jay BRIDGER  - GBR - Fluid Motorsport Development - 1:02.784 - 111.92mph - 180.12kph