Race 1: Kovalainen wins chaotic race
Heikki Kovalainen took another British F3 victory in race one at Thruxton after an impressive first lap pass on pole-man Bruce Jouanny. The Finn dived around the outside of the leader at the complex to take a lead he would never lose
Jouanny held second ahead of battling title rivals Robbie Kerr and James Courtney, and the race was relatively quiet until the safety car was deployed to allow Stefano Fabi's abandoned car to be recovered.
At the restart, Kovalainen continued to lead from Jouanny, but two laps later the Frenchman flew into a lurid spin at village, picking up a puncture and retiring.
The real drama unfolded at the same point on the following lap, as Carlin Motorsports' Shinya Hosokawa was launched into a massive barrel role. The race was promptly stopped, but although the Japanese was taken to hospital, he escaped with nothing more than concussion. He remembers nothing of the accident.
The race was restarted with the positions from the earlier segment deciding the grid, and at the lights fourth-placed Michael Keohane leaped into second behind Kovalainen.
Courtney failed to get the jump on Kerr at the restart, but soon launched his attack and dived down the inside of his rival. Although Kerr managed to re-pass the Australian on the exit of the corner, Stefan de Groot jumped both and assumed third place.
Courtney's troubles were not over, and at Turn 1 on the following lap his attempt to pass Fabio Carbone, who had also slipped ahead of him, spun him into the barriers and removed three corners from his car.
The incident brought out another safety car, setting up a one lap sprint finish in which Kovalainen comfortably held off Keohane for victory.
Kerr now has a 31 point lead in the championship and could seal the title in race two.
Heikki Kovalainen (Fortec Motorsport)
Michael Keohane (Carlin Motorsport)
Stefan de Groot (Menu Motorsport)
Robbie Kerr (Alan Docking Racing)
Rob Austin (Menu Motorsport)
Stefan Hodgetts (Motaworld Racing)
Ronnie Bremer (Manor Motorsport)
Robert Dahlgren (Sweeney Racing)*
Adam Carroll (Sweeney Racing)*
Stephen Colbert (Meritus Racing)*
*Scholarship Class
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