Battistini first again in Melbourne race three - Mar 17 07

Dillon Battistini took an easy win in the Asian Formula Three Class in today's Melbourne F1 GP support race with Philip Forsman second and a battle scarred Henri Karjalainen third. Tim Macrow won the race overall from Hollings and Mapelli.

Battistini made a storming start to lead the class and slot into sixth overall by the end of the first lap. Moreno Soeprapto was hit by James Winslow on the run up to the first turn and struggled with a damaged front wing for the rest of the race. He still managed to finish the first lap second in class whilst Henri Karjalainen ran off the circuit at the first turn and rejoined in 15th place overall behind third in class Philip Forsman.

Battistini was untroubled and finished the race in 9th overall, first in the Asian F3 Pacific class. Behind him was anything but a quite race. Moreno was struggling with understeer but looked like he would be able to hold off Philip Forsman whilst Karjalainen was on a charge and fought his way past Edwin Jowsey and his team mate, Forsman. However it all went wrong for Team Goddard on the fifth lap when Karjalainen caught Moreno and went for a gap into turn 13. The result was Moreno going airborne and dropping to 15th place, fifth in class, whilst Karjalainen was less delayed and rejoined behind Forsman. That was how they finished with Edwin Jowsey splitting Karjalainen and Soeprapto.

The race overall was won by Macrow who forced his way past race long leader, Charlie Hollings, with a lap to go. Mapelli was third from Grubmuller and James Winslow in fifth.

The final race will be held before the Grand Prix tomorrow, Sunday, at 10.30am local time.