Winslow at the Double
It may have taken three rounds, but British driver James Winslow has finally put his Team Opes Prime Dallara in the place he feels it deserves to be after taking a pair of stunning pole positions at Phillip Island in preparation for round three of the Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship.
After struggling for outright pace and handling balance since he joined the Sydney based Opes Prime / Piccola Scuderia team earlier this year, the 2006 Asian Formula 3 champion showed his title-winning form today to score two pole positions and beat leading local Leanne Tander to the pole each time – finally reaching his high expectations for success in his 2007 Australian sojourn.
Winslow scored pole by a not insignificant four-tenths this morning in qualifying one, and was also able to hold of the flying TanderSport entry to take pole in the afternoon by just .0456s.
Suitably relieved, Winslow cited a pre-event change in suspension package for his newfound performance.
”It’s fantastic, I’m really happy and to be honest there was probably a bit more in it,” he said. ”It was a good day. There was traffic that held us up in places but we have found the problem that we had and it’s made a world of difference.
”We learnt a lot for the races tomorrow and I think that the car will be good. It’s nice to be here and I think that our season starts now.”
Winslow scored two points for his efforts in what was a day of extremes – his race one qualifying margin to second place was the biggest in Australian Formula 3 competition in 20 races, whilst his race two margin was one of the very closest.
Leanne Tander continues to show her pace aboard the Fleetcare TanderSport Dallara, scoring her second and third front-row starting positions of the season. Tander left her run late in the second session after hovering around the top three throughout the 20 minute qualifier, leaping to second by the narrowest of margins with just a few moments to go.
”Unlike other rounds, we haven’t gone too far backwards from where we were on Friday,” she explained. ”You never like to miss pole by such a small margin, but I’m happy. I’m looking forward to some close racing tomorrow because it’s going to be extremely competitive. We have a good car.”
Italian Marco Mapelli utilised some support from Italian public broadcaster today – the station was present at the circuit filming footage of the teenage star for an upcoming show – to jump inside the top three, qualifying third on both occasions today. The Team BRM driver has been in his element this weekend at a circuit that mirrors the fast and flowing characteristics of Europe’s best.
Mat Sofi showed that he is another to continue to improve, leaping up the charts to finish the day in fourth position in the second session. Sofi lead a number of drivers scratching their heads after qualifying in unaccustomed positions today.
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