Joey Alders takes back-to-back F3 Asia victories
Dutch driver Joey Alders has won Race 2 of the F3 Asian Championship, followed by Nikita Mazepin and Daniel Cao.
Devlin DeFranceso started on pole, having set the fastest lap in Race 1. Alders started in P2 with Ukyo Sasahara and Jack Doohan on the second row.
DeFrancesco started well but it was Alders who won the drag race down to Turn 1. On the outside, DeFrancesco was swamped by the chasing pack, dropping to fourth.
Mazepin, who started sixth, was up to second after the first corner complex, with teammate Jake Hughes moving up four spots to fourth.
Alders seemed to be pulling away from the chasing pack, but Mazepin and Cao were able to keep pace in the wet conditions, reeling in the BlackArts Racing driver.
Just as Mazepin looked to be catching the leader, Daniel Cao tucked into his slipstream and prepared to overtake for second. With Mazepin’s attention now firmly in his mirrors, Alders was able to run away to the race victory.
Alders said “I woke up this morning and opened the blinds, and it turned out to be wet which I didn’t expect.”
“I made a good start – tried not to get too much wheelspin. Went side-by-side into Turn 1. Devlin missed his braking point a little bit so I could cross him back, and from there on I just tried to manage to pace and bring it home for the team.”
The Mazepin/Cao battle continued until the chequered flag, but the Russian driver was able to hold onto second place.
Australian Jack Doohan finished P8, with Tommy Smith in P11.
F3 Asian Championship Race 2
- Joey Alders
- Nikita Mazepin
- Daniel Cao
- Tatiana Calderón
- Yu Kanamaru
- Yu Kuai
- Jake Hughes
- Jack Doohan (AUS)
- Devlin DeFrancesco
- Jamie Chadwick
- Tommy Smith (AUS)
- Pietro Fittipaldi
- Alessio Deledda
- Paul Wong
- Ukyo Sasahara DNF
- Thomas Luedi DNS
