SEES BRATT END 2008 ON HIGHBritish Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC) Rising Star Will Bratt ended his maiden season of Formula 3 competition in fine style at an incredibly wet Circuit de Catalunya yesterday afternoon, Sunday, 2nd November, by finishing runner-up during the final round of the 2008 FIAT Spanish F3 Championship.Starting round 17 of the campaign second on the grid, the 20-year-old from Banbury did take the lead early on from pole-sitter Stefano Bizzarri, who spun off in the poor conditions, but a charging Roberto Merhi managed to find a way by Will on lap four.Running in a comfortable second place for the remainder of the 17-lap encounter, the EmiliodeVillota.com Motorsport sensation’s result also enabled him to climb into the top six in the driver standings. He ends his first year of Formula 3, and rookie season of international competition, just two points shy of fifth place.“It’s great to end the year with another podium”, said Will, “(Stefano) Bizzarri spun off straight away really and although it was good to lead, we knew (Roberto) Merhi would be very strong as he was on the podium in the Formula Renault WEC races at Barcelona a couple of weeks ago so his knowledge of the track was far greater.“We’re not disappointed with second, it’s a great result and it’s just a shame we’ve not had better luck this year. Our pace has been good all year, with better fortune we could have won several races for sure. The season certainly hasn’t reflected our true ability but, in the end, a top six championship finish isn’t bad.”During today’s race Will posted the second fastest lap with a time of 1m 59.484 seconds and, along with eventual winner Merhi, the pairing were the only two drivers in the entire field to lap under the two minute barrier.Bearing in mind Will only had four laps of practice prior to qualifying on Saturday, to finish fifth during round 16 yesterday and then in second position today is a marker of how well he has performed on his first ever visit to the Circuit de Catalunya.“I want to take the opportunity to say a huge thank you to Emilio, Isabel and everyone else at the team”, added Will, “They’ve all been fantastic and have worked so hard all season. It’s good to take another podium for them.“I’ve learned a lot this year which can only be good for the future. We’ve shown we’re quick in the dry and the wet and, as this weekend proved again, I can learn circuits very quickly and get up to speed rapidly.”Although his season has been beset by misfortune on numerous occasions, the Oxon racer has been determined throughout and his performance in Barcelona this weekend underlines his capability at international level.Securing three podiums over the course of the campaign, he also achieved eight other points finishes and one pole position, the latter coming at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium during the second event of the season.With the FIAT Spanish Formula 3 Championship now concluded, Will’s attention turns to the next rung on the motor racing ladder. Having already debuted in GP2 just over a month ago at the Paul Ricard test facility in the south of France, the young British star is now casting his eye once more to the Formula One ante-chamber.Final 2008 FIAT Spanish F3 Championship Driver Standings:Champion: German Sanchez Flor, 97pts; 2nd Nelson Panciatici, 95pts; 6th Will Bratt, 63pts