Confirming his pace from the outset at the home of the British Grand Prix by securing his maiden pole position in qualifying on Saturday, 26th September, Leist wasn’t able to capitalise on his grid topping slot in race one, round 25, but everything came good for the youngster in the final contest.
Accruing the biggest points tally of any driver over the course of the weekend, taking away a total of 54 points, Leist remains sixth in the championship but much closer to the top five. His team-mate Tarun Reddy, meanwhile, endured more misfortune with gearbox issues in race one compounded by retirement from race three with damage – he ended the weekend 13th in the standings.
“Matheus has had great pace all weekend, we had some issues with engines and what have you but we’re back where we should be with this win – we needed this”, said Double R team boss Anthony ‘Boyo’ Hieatt, “We’re all really looking forward to Brands Hatch now where we hope to get Tarun back up there too, he’s got the pace but he must be the unluckiest driver in the pitlane I think.”
Lining up on pole position for race one on Saturday afternoon, Leist unfortunately slipped to second off the start but did look set to re-challenge for the lead until running too deep into Becketts and emerging from the turn in fourth. Determined to hit-back, Leist pressured for third in a bid to return to the podium positions but ultimately had to settle for fourth spot.
Indian racer Reddy, who managed to qualify eighth fastest for the opening contest despite being one of several drivers to have lap times deleted for track limits infringements, climbed into seventh on the first lap and ran glued to the rear wing of Daniel Ticktum’s car during the early going. On lap six, though, his car started to develop gear selection problems and resulted in retirement soon after.
Round 26 on Sunday morning began with Leist in sixth position and Reddy, after his unfortunate retirement from race one, in 19th place at the rear of the grid. Although slipping to seventh on the run to Copse, Leist hit back quickly and after taking sixth around the outside at Luffield on lap two, the Brazilian then got really stuck in and moved into fifth at Maggotts on lap three.
Although edged back to sixth over the line into the fourth tour, Leist got a good run out of Copse on lap five to move back into fifth and then claimed fourth two laps later into Becketts with a strong pass. Although edged back to fifth again on lap eight, Leist remained in touch with the lead group and ended the contest fourth on corrected times after a time penalty for Toby Sowery.
Reddy made swift progress from the start and by lap six he had climbed into 14th place. Slipping back a spot after running wide on lap nine, he was then edged back to 16th before recovering back into the top 15 and becoming embroiled in an entertaining see-saw battle with James Pull. Despite an unfortunate time penalty for a track limits infringement, Reddy ended the race in 15th place.
Starting the final race of the weekend, round 27, from second on the grid Leist slipped to third place where he stayed to the end of the lap when the Safety Car was deployed following some drama further back. Reddy, having started in eighth position, made a good getaway but he was one of several spinners at Brooklands and although making it to the pits the Indian retired with damage.
More drama, meanwhile, came courtesy of lead pair Lando Norris and Toby Sowery who tangled at Brooklands at the end of lap two. Leist, therefore, assumed the lead of the race and when the action resumed on lap eight, with just 10 minutes left on the clock, he led away well and opened up a lead of 0.8 seconds on the first racing lap.
Increasing his advantage to around one second into lap 11, having set a series of fastest laps, the Brazilian did come under increasing pressure from Colton Herta during the closing stages but Leist edged away by a few tenths over the last two laps to claim a richly deserved victory for Double R.
Solomon breaks back into top 20 at Nurburgring Double R Racing’s FIA Formula 3 European Championship squad was also back in action this weekend for the penultimate event of its season at Germany’s Nurburgring where Hong Kong’s Matt Solomon made a return to the top 20 results placings.
Back up to its regular two-car entry, with Nicolas Pohler making a welcome return to action on home soil after a lengthy lay-off with a broken arm following a training accident during the summer, race one on Saturday, 26th September, started with Solomon 30th on the grid and Pohler in 32nd spot and both made good starts – although Solomon had to take avoiding action a few corners in.
Leading to a slip back to 32nd place, in contrast Pohler put together an excellent opening lap to climb into 24th position – a gain of no fewer than eight places. He remained there until lap three, when an excursion resulted in a drop to 32nd, but he did gain one place back before the finish. Solomon, meanwhile, worked his way back through to 28th position at the flag.
Both Double R drivers were able to gain a number of places from their grid slots in race two on Saturday afternoon, Solomon moving into 26th position and Pohler into 28th spot. Climbing the order further on the second tour, ending the lap in 24th and 27th positions respectively, Pohler then moved into 26th place on lap three.
Solomon’s race, though, came to an all-too-early conclusion on lap four when he retired to the pits with damage after a tangle while battling with Julio Moreno. Pohler profited from a few dramas for others to leap into 22nd place prior to the appearance of the Safety Car on lap seven and after another Safety Car he climbed as high as 20th place, before being bundled back to 25th in the end.
Both Double R cars lined-up on row 15 for the final race of the weekend on Sunday morning, Solomon in 29th place and Pohler in 30th position, and it was the German who made the best of the first lap by impressively climbing into 24th spot ahead of Solomon in 28th place. However, on lap three, Pohler was involved in a three-car tangle which disappointingly eliminated him from the race.
After no fewer than four separate Safety Car periods, required after a catalogue of incidents, Solomon held 18th position having picked his way through the chaos well. Although edged back to 19th on the final lap, the Dallara-Mercedes driver had still managed to gain 10 places on his grid slot.
Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit in Kent will host the final rounds of the MSA Formula season over the weekend 10th/11th October. The finale of the FIA Formula 3 European Championship campaign, meanwhile, will take place a week later on 17th/18th October at Hockenheim in Germany.
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