De Oliveira closes on Japanese title
The Lola-Dome Mugen-Honda of M-Tec Racing's Joao Paulo De Oliveira took a double win at Sendai over the weekend to close to within 10 points of longtime series leader Ronnie Quintarelli.
The Brazilian took a stunning pole position for the first race and simply drove away from his persuers to take a dominant victory over Quintarelli who was over 12 seconds behind De Oliveira.
With just four rounds remaining, two each at Mine and Motegi, De Oliveira has put himself in prime position to become the first non Dallara Formula 3 Champion since 1993. Joao first drove the Lola-Dome at Donington in September 2003 and was instantly smitten with the car saying: "It is very responsive and a pleasure to drive. There is so much grip in the high speed corners and it has very high potential."
That potential was further filled in the second race when Joao burst through from 4th place on the grid to take another crushing victory by over 11 seconds. Furthermore, title points leader Quintarelli came in a delayed 13th, doubling the M-Tec teams joy. De Oliveira also took fastest laps in both races.
De Oliveira's team mate at M-Tec, Hideki Muto finished 9th and 7th whilst the Now Motorsport pair of Wataru Kobayakawa and Daisuke Ikeda showed well with Ikeda scoring a fine 3rd place.
Points after 16 rounds
1. Ronnie Quintarelli 201
2. Joao Paulo de Oliveira 191
3. Richard Antinucci 159
4=. Kazuki Nakajima 104
4=. Taku Bamba 104
RESULTS FROM SENDAI
QUALIFYING 1 - SENDAI Pos. - No. - Driver - Tyre - Chassis - Engine - Laps - Time1 19 Hiroyoshi Shibata BS Dallara F302 Toyota 3 1:56.3502 10 Joao Paulo de Oliveira BS Lola Dome F106/03 Mugen 6 1:56.5353 33 Daisuke Ikeda BS Lola Dome F106/03 Toyota 4 1:56.7054 3 Naoki Yokomizo BS Dallara F303 Toyota 5 1:57.1565 2 Hideki Muto BS Lola Dome F106/03 Mugen 6 1:57.3326 32 Wataru Kobayakawa BS Lola Dome F106/03 Toyota 5 1:57.6597 4 Ronnie Quintarelli BS Dallara F302/3 Toyota 6 1:58.1498 8 Kazuki Nakajima BS Dallara F304 Toyota 4 1:59.2949 50 Motohiko Isozaki BS Dallara F302 Toyota 5 1:59.32310 1 Richard Antinucci BS Dallara F304 Toyota 3 1:59.32911 14 Masataka Yanagida BS Dallara F302 Nissan 4 1:59.92712 7 Sakon Yamamoto BS Dallara F304 Toyota 4 2:00.87213 36 Taku Banba BS Dallara F304 Toyota 6 2:00.91714 12 Fabio Carbone BS Dallara F303 Nissan 4 2:01.003
RACE RESULT – RACE 1 – SENDAI
Pos. - No. - Driver - Tyre - Chassis - Engine - Laps - Time1 10 Joao Paulo de Oliveira BS Lola Dome F106/03 Mugen 17 32:57.0312 4 Ronnie Quintarelli BS Dallara F302 Toyota 17 33:09.6783 1 Richard Antinucci BS Dallara F304 Toyota 17 33:11.6334 36 Taku Banba BS Dallara F304 Toyota 17 33:42.7405 8 Kazuki Nakajima BS Dallara F304 Toyota 17 33:45.3226 32 Wataru Kobayakawa BS Lola Dome F106/03 Toyota 17 33:47.7457 14 Masataka Yanagida BS Dallara F302 Nissan 17 33:48.3438 12 Fabio Carbone BS Dallara F303 Nissan 17 33:48.7279 2 Hideki Muto BS Lola Dome F106/03 Mugen 17 33:49.39310 3 Naoki Yokomizo BS Dallara F303 Toyota 17 34:24.15011 50 Motohiko Isozaki BS Dallara F302 Toyota 17 34:53.7507 Sakon Yamamoto BS Dallara F304 Toyota 1 DNF19 Hiroyoshi Shibata BS Dallara F302 Toyota 0 DNF33 Daisuke Ikeda BS Lola Dome F106/03 Toyota 0 DNF
Pole Position: Hiroyoshi Shibata Dallara F302/Toyota 1:56.350 Fastest Lap: Joao Paulo de Oliveira Lola Dome F106/03/Mugen 1:55259 126.904km/h 15lap
RACE 2 QUALIFYING – SENDAI
Pos.- No. - Driver - Tyre - Chassis - Engine - Laps - Time1 33 Daisuke Ikeda BS Lola Dome F106/03 Toyota 6 1:50.4202 3 Naoki Yokomizo BS Dallara F303 Toyota 5 1:50.5353 8 Kazuki Nakajima BS Dallara F304 Toyota 5 1:50.6154 10 Joao Paulo de Oliveira BS Lola Dome F106/03 Mugen 6 1:51.4315 1 Richard Antinucci BS Dallara F304 Toyota 6 1:51.4356 2 Hideki Muto BS Lola Dome F106/03 Mugen 7 1:51.5247 36 Taku Banba BS Dallara F304 Toyota 6 1:51.6268 7 Sakon Yamamoto BS Dallara F304 Toyota 6 1:52.1959 14 Masataka Yanagida BS Dallara F302 Nissan 6 1:52.50310 32 Wataru Kobayakawa BSLola Dome F106/03 Toyota 6 1:52.55811 4 Ronnie Quintarelli BS Dallara F302/3 Toyota 7 1:53.31012 12 Fabio Carbone BS Dallara F303 Nissan 4 1:53.78713 19 Hiroyoshi Shibata BS Dallara F302 Toyota 2 1:56.28314 50 Motohiko Isozaki BS Dallara F302 Toyota 7 1:57.607
RACE 2 RACE RESULTS - SENDAI
Pos. - No. - Driver - Tyre - Chassis - Engine = Laps - Time1 10 Joao Paulo de Oliveira BS Lola Dome F106/03 Mugen 24 41:03.0422 1 Richard Antinucci BS Dallara F304 Toyota 24 41:14.6903 33 Daisuke Ikeda BS Lola Dome F106/03 Toyota 24 41:24.6274 3 Naoki Yokomizo BS Dallara F303 Toyota 24 41:25.5715 8 Kazuki Nakajima BS Dallara F304 Toyota 24 41:26.1226 36 Taku Banba BS Dallara F304 Toyota 24 41:27.1787 2 Hideki Muto BS Lola Dome F106/03 Mugen 24 41:27.8028 7 Sakon Yamamoto BS Dallara F304 Toyota 24 41:28.2859 12 Fabio Carbone BS Dallara F303 Nissan 24 41:38.25710 32 Wataru Kobayakawa BS Lola Dome F106/03 Toyota 24 41:51.27511 19 Hiroyoshi Shibata BS Dallara F302 Toyota 24 41:51.70412 50 Motohiko Isozaki BS Dallara F302 Toyota 24 42:27.98513 4 Ronnie Quintarelli BS Dallara F302 Toyota 21 37:04.91414Masataka Yanagida BS Dallara F302 Nissan 20 DNF
Pole Position: Daisuke Ikeda Lola Dome F106/03/Toyota 1:50.420 Fastest Lap: Joao Paulo de Oliveira Lola Dome F106/03/Mugen 1:41.763 143.734km/h 9lap
