F3 History

There were problems before the start when “Teleco”‘s March refused to start in the paddock as did the Vegantune of pole man Jones, a change of master switch seemed to cure the problem but then the GRD refused to start again on the grid. The rest of the field started leaving Jones to get away well after the others in last place after a push. It was Passadore that took the lead from Kuwashima but at the Hairpin Taylor moved to the front from Passadore, Kuwashima and Rouff although lap 2 saw Rouff drop behind Friedrich and Robarts. Derek Lawrence was now running in sixth ahead of the March 733 of Nick Crossley whilst further back Brise was out with yet another blown engine and Jones was already making his way through the back markers.
Lawrence was gradually being dropped by the leaders and on lap 5 Kuwashima moved up to second and Friedrich and Passadore fought over third place swopping places on a number of occasions. Robarts was next out when a tyre failed at Riches and Lawrence found himself being passed by Jones on lap 6. The same lap saw Kuwashima try for the lead at Riches, for a moment he seemed to have done it but he lost control of his March and spun off the track. Friedrich was now on the move, on lap 11 he demoted Passadore and set off after Taylor. Passadore began to drop back with a puncture and just as he was about to loose a place to Rouff both men found themselves being overtaken by the flying Alan Jones.
Taylor managed to keep his March ahead of Friedrich to the finish helped by the Brazilian being another to suffer a puncture in the closing laps, Jones took an excellent third on the road although his push start penalty dropped him to fourth behind Rouff but ahead of Lawrence.