Battistini takes win number three in final Melbourne race - Mar 18 07

Dillon Battistini completed an almost perfect weekend by taking another easy Asian Formula Three Pacific Class win in race four at the Melbourne GP whilst chaos reigned behind him. Dado Pena finished second in class after starting from the back of the grid whilst Henri Karja lainen hobbled round to third place in a damaged car. No other AF3 Pacific car made the finish! Tim Macrow won the race overall from Hollings, Grubmuller and Mapelli. However it looks like Macrow will lose the win as he took the lead under yellow flags.

The first corner after the start was chaotic with Moreno Soeprapto being forced wide and into the gravel. He was out on the spot. His Team Goddard team mate, Henri Karjalainen, was hit on the run up to the first turn severely damaging this right front suspension. He spent the rest of the race coaxing the car round to the finish, running 20 seconds off the pace with a front wheel that looked likely to depart company with the car at any moment. Philip Forsman was also involved in the first lap chaos and was also out of the race on the spot. His Aran Racing team mate, Edwin Jowsey spun into the wall and retirement at turn three on the third lap. Paul Ip did not make the start when his engine suffered an internal failure in the paddock.

Dado Pena had started from the back of the grid and fought his way up to 11th overall, second in class behind Battistini who won the class and finished 8th overall. Battistini now leads the Asian F3 Pacific Series by 28 points from Karjalainen and Soeprapto.