Jack Doohan completes vital F3 Asia hat-trick in Sepang

Jack Doohan has won Race 3 of the F3 Asian Championship at Sepang, ahead of Joey Alders and Yu Kanamaru.

Doohan qualified on pole and got away well, but Ukyo Sasahara was left stranded on the grid in P2. The field was able to avoid the stricken car, although Jamie Chadwick, directly behind Sasahara in P4, lost valuable time.

Championship leader Joey Alders seized on the opportunity, and set off after the Australian race leader. Yu Kanamaru was up to third by Turn 1, followed quickly by Australian Tommy Smith, Yu Kuai, and Jamie Chadwick.

Doohan enjoyed the clear air at the front, while Smith, Kuai, and Chadwick warred over fourth. The group was quickly joined by Nikita Mazepin and Fittipaldi, who both got past Chadwick on their way through the field.

Mazepin and Fittipaldi dispatched Kuai in the same fashion, and Chadwick was quick to follow, dropping the Chinese driver to eighth.

With ten minutes to go, Mazepin had closed the gap to Smith, and despite the Australian driver’s best defenses, was able to pass him for fourth, again quickly followed by Fittipald and Chadwick, leaving Smith in seventh.

Mazepin eagerly closed the gap to Yu Kanamaru, eyeing the final spot on the podium, but he simply ran out of time when faced with the defensive skill from the Japanese driver.

Doohan crossed the line with a four second lead ahead of championship rival Joey Alders, completing his hat-trick of victories for the weekend and reducing his championship deficit to just 15 points. Alders was second, followed by Kanamaru.

“I wasn’t focussing on the championship too much,” said the Australian Red Bull junior driver.

“Obviously, it’s always at the back of my mind – it’s valuable points. It was a long race out by myself. I was just thinking about tire degradation over 15 laps. We didn’t really have a race yet in this type of heat, so it was different circumstances.

“I got a good start and then it was a yo-yo between me and Joey. The pace was varying but, luckily, I still got the win. A perfect weekend – double pole and three wins. We came here to do a job and we did it.”

The F3 Asian Championship returns for its final three races of the 2019-20 series at Buriram International Circuit,  22-23 February. With 75 points on offer,  Alders, Doohan, and Mazepin could all claim the championship victory.

Aussie Tommy Smith finished seventh and currently holds P12 in the championship.