Race 1: Kerr wins season opener

The Alan Docking Racing driver beat polesitter James Courtney away from the lights and staved off the pre-season favourite to take a well-deserved win.

"I'm lost for words. It's a superb way to start the year," said Kerr. "I think people will start to take us more seriously now. I just hope we don't do what Courtney did last year and win the first race and that's it for the season."

The two drivers ran nose to tail until Courtney's challenge was effectively ended on lap 11 when the Australian made a mistake and ran wide at Sterling. This cost him nine seconds and although he was able to resume in second place and chance of taking his second win in the series disappeared.

"I'm a bit disappointed," said the Jaguar F1 test driver, "but Robbie made a great start. That's the way with F3 - if you lose places at the start it's very difficult to make them up."

Promatecme's Ernani Judice fended off the Manor Motorsport car of Mark Taylor to finish third, while Rob Austin was fifth - Menu Motorsport's best ever result in the category. Highly-rated American Richard Antinucci was seventh, Matt Gilmore in the sole Ralt was 13th.

Billy Asario won the Scholarship class but only after Sweeney Racing team-mate Adam Carroll retired with a snapped throttle cable. Jesper Carlsen was second and Justin Sherwood third.

Michael Keohane had a terrible start to the year, stalling on the dummy grid after his car became stuck in gear. He eventually managed to get going and in his desire to make up places and assume his intended starting slot he took a huge lunge down the inside into Paddock Hill. Unsurprisingly it ended in tears, and he punted the rear of Tom Sisley's car. Keohane was out, but Sisley was able to continue without damage.


Robbie Kerr Dallara-Mugen-Honda 19m56.550s
James Courtney Dallara-Mugen-Honda +7.646s
Ernani Judice Dallara-Mugen-Honda +10.966s
Mark Taylor Dallara-Mugen-Honda +12.082s
Rob Austin Dallara-Opel +13.194s
Bruce Jouanny Dallara-Mugen-Honda +16.054s
Richard Antinucci Dallara-Mugen-Honda +18.111s
Heikki Kovalainen Dallara-Renault +19.910s
Ronnie Bremer Dallara-Mugen-Honda +20.787s
Robert Dahlgren Dallara-Ford +33.824s


Billy Asaro Dallara-Mugen-Honda 20m26.399s
Jesper Carlsen Dallara-Mugen-Honda +10.968s
Justin Sherwood Dallara-Opel +14.095s