Doohan takes race win in Thailand as Hitech GP prove unstoppable
16-year-old Australian Jack Doohan has taken out Race 5 of the F3 Asian Championship, defeating his championship-leading teammate at Buriram.
Ukyo Sasahara lead from pole into Turn 1 as Doohan battled with Eshan Pieris who had started in fourth. Doohan was able to hold off the Sri Lankan and chase down his teammate, as the two pulled away from the chasing pack.
The Australian Red Bull Junior driver feigned a move to Sasahara’s left into Turn 2, but Doohan pulled back to the inside and stole the lead from his teammate.
Ukyo Sasahara leads Jack Doohan into turn one.
Behind then, Daniel Cao was catching Pieris, and kiwi Brendon Leitch overtook Ayrton Simmons on lap 3 for fifth. Simmons reclaimed the position in the next lap, as Cao caught Pieris for third.
The Simmons/Leitch battle was far from over, with the two drivers running wheel-to-wheel in their five lap battle before a puncture saw Leitch spin off the track and ultimately retire from the race.
Simmons, unleashed from the battle, reeled in fourth-pace Pieris, with the two battling for the final laps of the only for Pieris to take fourth into the final corner and hold the position over the line.
Australian Tommy Smith retired with technical problems for the second race of the weekend.
Jack Doohan on the top step of the podium for Race 5.
F3 Asian Championship - Race 5 @ Buriram
- Jack Doohan (AUS)
- Ukyo Sasahara +9.260s
- Daniel Cao +13.790s
- Eshan Pieris +20.084s
- Ayrton Simmons +20.540s
- Yu Kuai +25.760s
- Tom Beckauser +34.557s
- Miki Koyama +34.565s
- Yu Kanamaru +35.571s
- Akash Gowda +39.832s
- Paul Wong +1 lap
- Thomas Luedi (DNF)
- Brendon Leitch (NZ) (DNF)
- Tommy Smith (AUS) (DNF)
