Magnussen wins race three as Nasr secures 2011 title
Kevin Magnussen resisted sustained pressure from Pietro Fantin to win a wet final British Formula 3 race at Rockingham this afternoon, as Felipe Nasr clinched the championship with a podium finish
Poleman Fantin (Hitech) defended successfully from Carlin duo Magnussen and Nasr at the start, but was passed by both on the first run out of Deene and through Yentwood.
Magnussen closed out the rest of the race from the front, staying cool through two safety car periods to claim his fifth win of the season.
Nasr held second until after the second re-start, but allowed fellow Brazilian Fantin through to second by running wide at Deene.
The gap between Magnussen and the chasing Fantin fluctuated over the final nine laps, but the Dane held on to win by less than seven tenths of a second.
"It feels a bit strange to win and lose at the same time," said Magnussen. "We lost the championship but won a race. Felipe did a really good job this year. He was really consistent and he deserved to win the championship."
Behind new champion Nasr, Will Buller (Fortec) drove another strong race in difficult conditions to finish fourth.
The Northern Irishman rose to fifth from ninth on the grid on the opening lap, before taking fourth from Jack Harvey (Carlin) following the first re-start.
Jazeman Jaafar took advantage of a chance to follow Buller through into fifth, leaving Harvey to defend from race two winner Scott Pye (Double R), who jumped Fortec's Harry Tincknell at Deene following the second re-start.
T-Sport's Bart Hylkema claimed ninth when Carlin's Carlos Huertas went off at Deene shortly after the second re-start.
So many drivers fell off on the treacherous circuit that Fortec's Fahmi Ilyas was able to take the final point for 10th, despite having to pit for a new nose cone during the first safety car period.
Results - 24 laps: Pos Driver Team/Car Time/Gap 1. Kevin Magnussen Carlin Dallara-VW 40m10.018s 2. Pietro Fantin Hitech Dallara-VW + 0.691s 3. Felipe Nasr Carlin Dallara-VW + 4.579s 4. William Buller Fortec Dallara-Merc + 8.721s 5. Jazeman Jaafar Carlin Dallara-VW + 9.271s 6. Jack Harvey Carlin Dallara-VW + 15.077s 7. Scott Pye Double R Dallara-Merc + 17.325s 8. Harry Tincknell Fortec Dallara-Merc + 29.851s 9. Bart Hylkema T-Sport Dallara-VW + 31.270s 10. Fahmi Ilyas Fortec Dallara-Merc + 33.123s 11. Carlos Huertas Carlin Dallara-VW + 33.826s 12. Lucas Foresti Fortec Dallara-Merc + 47.776s 13. Kotaro Sakurai Hitech Dallara-Mugen + 55.400s 14. Luca Orlandi West-Tec Dallara-Mugen + 1 lap Retirements: Adderly Fong Sino Vision Dallara-Merc 18 laps Yann Cunha T-Sport Dallara-VW 8 laps Pipo Derani Double R Dallara-Merc 5 laps Rupert Svendsen-Cook Carlin Dallara-VW 5 laps Hywel Lloyd Sino Vision Dallara-Merc 0 laps Menasheh Idafar T-Sport Dallara-VW 0 laps
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