R'ham 2: Kerr claims crucial victory

Starting second on the grid alongside Derek Hayes, filling in for James Courtney at Carlin Motorsports, Kerr made a quick getaway to pull ahead of the French F3 star. However, Kovalainen launched himself into the lead after braking late for the hairpin, heading Kerr, Hayes, Ronnie Bremer and Bruce Jouanny.

The leading trio settled into a rhythm, pulling away from Bremer in fourth, Kerr and Hayes seemingly biding their time. Kerr nibbled away at Kovalainen's lead before launching his attack on lap nine, surprising Kovalainen with his late-braking and eking out a comfortable lead by the end of the race.

"Heikki made a brilliant start and got ahead of both myself and Derek," said Kerr. "I just had to get my head down because I knew I could catch him. I was quicker through the chicane, so I managed to get around the outside of him at the hairpin.

"James Courtney and myself have now finished the same number of races this season, so this has evened things up a bit," he added.

Hayes resigned himself to a second third place of the day, while Ronnie Bremer enjoyed a solitary run to fourth after Bruce Jouanny slipped back with a mechanical problem that would eventually end his race.

Michael Keohane triumphed in the battle for sixth place ahead of team-mate Alan van der Merwe and Fabio Carbone, coming close to passing Adam Carroll after a last lap charge.

Surprise first race winner, Shinya Hosokawa, struggled to match his first race form, finishing down in 13th place and never looking like troubling the scorers, while Jeroen Bleekmolen endured a trying race, finishing 23rd after spinning early in race.

Carroll took yet another scholarship class win in fifth place overall, with the buffer of six championship class cars separating him from Robert Dahlgren and Clivio Piccione.



Robbie Kerr, Alan Docking Racing, 23m42.679s
Heikki Kovalainen, Fortec Motorsport, +4.349s
Derek Hayes, Carlin Motorsport, +5.229s
Ronnie Bremer, Manor Motorsport, +11.033s
Adam Carroll, Sweeney Racing, +17.154s*
Michael Keohane, Carlin Motorsport, +17.426s
Alan van der Merwe, Carlin Motorsport, +20.314ss
Fabio Carbone, Fortec Motorsport, +21.015s
Mark Taylor, Manor Motorsport, +21.681s
Richard Antinucci, Manor Motorsports, +22.447s
Matt Gilmore, Promatecme F3, +24.881s
Robert Dahlgren, Sweeney Racing, +26.657s*
Shinya Hosokawa, Carlin Motorsport, +26.780s
Clivio Piccione, T-Sport, +28.910s*
Billy Asaro, Sweeney Racing, +34.943s*
Gavin Smith, Meritus Racing, +35.737s*
Karun Chandhok, T-Sport, +36.091s*
Stefano Fabi, Team Avanti, +36.983s
David Clark, Fred Goddard Racing, +42.334s*
Justin Sherwood, Performance Racing, +46.996s*