Hitech Racing will start both Lloyds TSB Insurance British F3 International Series races at Croft from pole position today after a dominant performance by championship leader Marko Asmer yesterday. The Estonian, who also set the early pace in yesterday’s testing, posted the quickest time in each of the two sessions, while his Austrian team-mate Walter Grubmüller will line up 14th and 12th for the two races, his first at the North Yorkshire track.
For the Silverstone-based team that is chasing its first British F3 title, the results were timed to perfection, Asmer twice setting his quickest time early on and then sitting out the remainder of the second session as his time could not be bettered. The David Hayle-led team, which starts tomorrow’s opening race from its ninth pole position of the year could clinch the series with victory and head into the race with the sole aim of winning.
“It’s a great start to the weekend,” said Hayle. “Every race we set out to take two pole and two wins so to get the double today is the perfect beginning, now we just have to reproduce that for tomorrow’s two races. This has been no different to any other weekend, you try to be quickest in every session and so far we have been but the only thing that really matters are the races and now we have to convert the poles to wins.
“I don’t understand why Walter is where he is; I think if we put his best sectors together he could be a whole lot quicker and probably in the top six. I think it’s just a little bit of inconsistency but then Croft is a difficult place with it’s variety of corners and when you see someone like Sam Bird who’s down in tenth it shows just how difficult Croft is.”
Today’s two races, the penultimate rounds of the series, are scheduled to start at 12.50 and 16.05.
Qualifying for Round 19:
1. Marko Asmer Hitech Racing 1:13.232
2. Maro Engel Carlin Motorsport 1:13.351
3. Niall Breen Carlin Motorsport 1:13.356
4. Stephen Jelley Raikkonen Robertson Racing 1:13.481
5. Atte Mustonen Raikkonen Robertson Racing 1:13.542
6. Sam Bird Carlin Motorsport 1:13.552
14. Walter Grubmüller Hitech Racing 1:14 128
Qualifying for Round 20:
1. Marko Asmer Hitech Racing 1:13.699
2. Jonathan Kennard Raikkonen Robertson Racing 1:13.800
3. Niall Breen Carlin Motorsport 1:13.878
4. Atte Mustonen Raikkonen Robertson Racing 1:13.930
5. Maro Engel Carlin Motorsport 1:14.211
6. Alberto Valerio Carlin Motorsport 1:14.224
12. Walter Grubmüller Hitech Racing 1:14.554
Championship points after Round 18:
1 Marko Asmer 250
2 Maro Engel 178
3 Stephen Jelley 154
4 Sam Bird 150
5 Jonathan Kennard 130
6 Niall Breen 122
