2004
Avon Tyres British Formula Three Championship - Round 20,
Thruxton, Hampshire, August 29th/20th
© Stella-Maria Thomas and Lynne Waite
Qualifying
Report:
Weather: Windy. Dry. Damp track.
First fastest was Austin. 1.06.990 - he never got faster!
Rossiter and Fauzy pitted early, as did most of the field.
Carroll fast to start with - up to 2nd but 1.07s. It would
be a while before anyone got close to Austin. Parente 3rd
now. General dash for cover. Jelley fastest on class - in
13th overall after using both feet on the accelerator pedal.
Piccione 3rd on first flying lap, then 2nd. And then the suspension
failed at Church. Rossiter to 3rd. di Grassi now beginning
to fly, 2nd, and 4/100ths off Austin's time.
Piquet 7th and looking to be struggling - not well, had been
in hospital the day before (and having his car towed). General
rush for new tyres continued. Nelson dropped to 8th, then
9th, not looking like a champion right now.
Top 4 Austin, di Grassi, Rossiter, Clivio.
Parente got 4th from Clivio. No one getting the 1.06s,
Asmer into 6th place. Austin in for front suspension alterations.
10 minutes left - Jelley leading Bs by 2 class As. Lewis doesn't
seem to have the answer.
A minute later di Grassi took pole, inside Takuma Sato's lap
record.
Di Grassi, Austin, Rossiter, Parente, Piccione, Asmer.
Watts only done 5 laps. Making adjustments when the session
started. Dirani went out and threw it into the scenery. Calasan
faster than Watts at this point. Piquet 7th.
Jelley still fastest in class, though now only 1 car between
him and Lewis. Piquet gets a personal improvement but no position
change.
Asmer now 8th, Carroll 9th. Not looking good for Carroll.
Jelley pits with 5 minutes left, as does O'Mahony. Piquet
finds a time from somewhere to go 3rd.
Watts to 14th. Not good but top 16 are covered by 1 second.
Di
Grassi, Austin, Piquet, Rossiter, Thompson, Parente, Piccione,
Asmer, Carroll, Fauzy, Watts, Power, Marshall, Walker, Jelley,
Dirani, Lewis, O'Mahony, Calasan
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