Race 2: Davies takes first F3 win

The Team Avanti Dallara-Opel driver, who isn't even sure he has enough money to make it to the third meeting, led Gianmaria Bruni home in a tense chase from start to finish.

The Italian's Fortec Motorsport Dallara-Renault kept Davies under race-long pressure, but there was never an opportunity to make a move, even when the two men encountered a pair of slower runners in the complex on the final lap. It was very close, but Davies held on.

"I thought if I could get the lead at the first corner I should win, because I think I can drive!" said Davies. "After that it got a bit lonely - I'm not used to having no one in front of me. Bruni always kept me under pressure. If I went a couple of tenths faster it was still the gap. But the car was pretty good and I drove OK I suppose." Bruni was disappointed not to be able to mount a challenge, feeling that something had broken on the car with a few laps left.

Derek Hayes took his second podium finish of the day with another third place in his Manor Motorsport Dallara-Mugen. The Northern Irishman found it tricky in the slippery conditions after the preceding TVR Tuscan race had liberally coated the circuit with oil, but he kept the same pace as Davies and Bruni to finish the race as top rookie.

Takuma Sato kept his nose clean this time with a steady drive to fourth, though the Carlin Motorsport team failed to find a suitable balance all weekend. The Japanese had to fend off an early challenge from Andy Priaulx, who shadowed Sato from fifth.

Surprise returnee Martin O'Connell drove a typically aggressive race to finish sixth in the second Avanti car. The Brummie forced first-race winner James Courtney wide at Becketts on the first lap, the Aussie thereafter recovering to take eighth ahead of team-mate Andre Lotterer and behind Nicolas Kiesa.

Meanwhile, first race polesitter Jamie Spence collided with Menu Renault Sport driver Rob Austin on the opening lap, and was then deposited in the gravel due to a puncture.

Irishman Michael Keohane looked all set to win the Scholarship Class, but he went off on suspected debris at the Abbey hairpin, gifting a second victory of the day to Matt Gilmore.


Silverstone, April 1, 16 laps

Matt Davies (Team Avanti Dallara-Opel) 16 laps in 20m44.467s
Gianmaria Bruni (Fortec Motorsport Dallara-Renault) +0.146s
Derek Hayes (Manor Motorsport Dallara-Mugen) +1.797s
Takuma Sato (Carlin Motorsport Dallara-Mugen) +6.464s
Andy Priaulx (Alan Docking Racing Dallara-Mugen) +7.443s
Martin O'Connell (Team Avanti Dallara-Opel) +10.848s
Nicolas Kiesa (RC Motorsport Dallara-Opel) +11.127s
James Courtney (Jaguar Racing Dallara-Mugen) +11.441s
Andre Lotterer (Jaguar Racing Dallara-Mugen) +12.111s
Mark Taylor (Manor Motorsport Dallara-Mugen) +12.777s
Matt Gilmore (Performance Racing Dallara-Opel)
Bruni 1:16.885

1 Davies 26pts; 2= Courtney, Bruni & Hayes 24; 5 Priaulx 23; 6= Edwards & Sato 10.