Jon Lancaster top Brit in F3 Euroseries opener

Jon Lancaster put the disappointment of qualifying behind him to finish top Briton in today’s Formula 3 Euroseries race at Brands Hatch. The Leeds teenager’s ninth place at the Kent track means he narrowly misses out on pole for Sunday’s race as he bids to repeat his victory of last month.

After qualifying 12th, the Multiflight-backed driver made a superb start from the outside of the sixth row to make up two places as the pack filed into the first corner. However a coming together between his ART Grand Prix team-mate James Jakes and fellow Briton Sam Bird on the entry to paddock halted the 19 year-old’s charge and dropped him back to 12th.

On the third lap Jon had found a way past Kazuya Oshima for 11th but then contact with Niall Breen pushed Jon wide and allowed both Jean Karl Vernay and Breen through dropping him back to 13th.

On lap eight an over-ambitious move by Stefano Colleti to pass Jon at Druids failed as he went into the corner too quickly and hit Oshima, spinning them both out of the race promoting Jon to 11th.

Around the tight 1.2 mile Indy circuit Jon managed to maintain the position while several drivers were served a drive-through penalty for speeding under the yellow flags. Despite being consistently among the quickest drivers on the track in the closing stages, and closing the gap to eighth to under sixth tenths of a second, the teenager had to settle for ninth at the flag.

"I got a fantastic start which was great as that was something we’ve been working on and had got past Breen who was two rows in front. Unfortunately when Sam Bird went off at the first corner he came back across in front of where I was and just stopped there. So I came out of Paddock in 12th which was not good as I could have come out of there in ninth.

"I made a good move on Oshima for 11th and then caught back up to Breen within two laps as I was easily quicker than him. I got right alongside him at the first corner but he just turned in and crashed into me so I dropped back to 13th. At the next corner I had a bit of luck as Stefan Colleti tried to pass me but came into Druids way too fast and crashed into Oshima which is the first bit of good luck I’ve had.

"A few laps later I was looking to get Breen back again at Graham Hill bend but on the exit he suddenly jinked left and got it all out of shape, which allowed Vernay to get alongside and both of them got passed. That cost me a front row start for tomorrow’s race so I’m not too happy about it.

"But I made up three places today, although it could have been six, so I’ll be aiming for another good start in tomorrow’s race and hopefully I can get easily into the top six and secure some more points."

With the grid positions being determined by the finishing positions from race one, with the top eight reversed, Jon will start ninth for race two will take place at 11:20 on Sunday.

1. Nico Hulkenberg ART Grand Prix Dallara F308 Mercedes 40:38.243

2. Koudai Tsukakoshi Manor Motorsport Dallara F308 Mercedes 40:44.209

3. Yann Clairay SG Formula Dallara F308 Mercedes 40:58.961

4. Edoardo Mortara Signature-Plus Dallara F308 Volkswagen 40:59.950

5. Christian Vietoris Mücke Motorsport Dallara F308 Mercedes 41:00.639

6. Renger van der Zande Prema Powerteam Dallara F308 Mercedes 41:02.652

7. Franck Mailleux Signature-Plus Dallara F308 Volkswagen 41:04.445

8. Jean Karl Vernay Signature-Plus Dallara F308 Volkswagen 41:05.349

9. Jon Lancaster ART Grand Prix Dallara F308 Mercedes 41:05.971

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- Cathy Metcalfe-also photo