British Formula 3 Championship 2002 Round 3 and 4 review: Donington. Story by Andrew Frampton.
Michael Keohane emerged victorious in both rounds of the British Formula Three championship at Donington Park - the Carlin Motorsport driver holding off James Courtney in each race.
Courtney was on pole for the first race, with the victor of the second race at Brands, Bruce Jouanny alongside. Keohane lined up third, ahead of Rob Austin, Heikki Kovalainen and Shinya Hosokawa - all of which were within half a second of the pole position time. Courtney got away well to retain his lead, with Keohane, Jouanny and Austin leading the chase. Despite set-up problems, Courtney held his lead until lap 15, when the Australian misjudged Goddards, allowing Keohane to slip through. Half a lap later, Courtney was down to third as Jouanny made a brilliant move down the Craner Curves to take second. And that's how it remained, Keohane taking his first win of the season from Jouanny, as Courtney extended his championship lead with third.
Rob Austin was demoted to fifth by the Scholarship Class runner Adam Carroll who took a superb fourth overall. Robbie Kerr, who won the first race at Brands Hatch, took sixth, ahead of the Fortec pair of Heikki Kovalainen and Fabio Carbone. Ronnie Bremer and Alan Van Der Merve completed the top ten.
Courtney took his second pole position of the meeting for the later race - this time lining up over half a second ahead of Keohane. Austin took an excellent third, ahead of Kerr, Van Der Merve and Kovalainen. The race saw more success for Keohane, this time taking the lead as the lights turned to green, out-pacing the slow-starting Courtney. Courtney pressed his team-mate but could not make a challenge for the lead and finished two seconds behind. Kerr jumped Austin at the start, and retained the position to the flag, while Carroll took another superb result with fifth overall. He was aided by Van Der Merve's demise following a clash with Jouanny. Kovalainen took sixth from Carbone, Mark Taylor, the second-placed Scholarship runner Clivio Piccione, and Tom Sisley.
Courtney's two second positions extend his championship lead as the series moves to Silverstone on May 3/4/5.
Race One Result:
1. Michael Keohane
2. Bruce Jouanny +0.684s
3. James Courtney +0.827s
4. Adam Carroll +4.048s
5. Rob Austin +4.831s
6. Robbie Kerr +5.146s
Scholarship Class Winner: Carroll
Race Two Result:
1. Michael Keohane
2. James Courtney +2.445s
3. Robbie Kerr +2.578s
4. Rob Austin +7.545s
5. Adam Carroll +10.752s
6. Heikki Kovalainen +13.054s
Scholarship Class Winner: Carroll
Championship Standings:
1. James Courtney 61pts
2. Robbie Kerr 52pts
3. Bruce Jouanny 41pts
4. Michael Keohane 40pts
5. Rob Austin 34pts
6. Ernani Judice 22pts
7. Mark Taylor 22pts
8. Heikki Kovalainen 18pts
9. Ronnie Bremer 11pts
10. Richard Antinucci 7pts
2002 British F3 season calendar
01/04 - Brands Hatch GP by AF
14/04 - Donington Park Nat by AF
05/05 - Silverstone GP by AF
12/05 - Knockhill by AF
26/05 - Croft by AF
03/06 - Silverstone Int by AF.
23/06 - Castle Combe by AF
30/06 - Brands Hatch Indy by AF
21/07 - Rockingham
18/08 - Oulton Park
01/09 - Snetterton
15/09 - Thruxton
22/09 - Donington Park GP
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