Adam Carroll the win in the first race of the weekend in the British Formula Three championship after a typically action-packed first lap at the Belgian Grand Prix venue of Spa Francorchamps.
It certainly was a dramatic start to the 21st round of the British Formula Three championship, held at the Belgian circuit of Spa Francorchamps.
Pole-sitter Nelson Piquet undid all his morning’s good work to place himself pole by a moment’s hesitation on the grid and a poor getaway and the Brazilian, watched by his three-time
Formula One world champion father, dropped back down through the field.
The lead was duly accepted by Carlin’s Clivio Piccione who battled Euro series invitee Nicolas Lapierre as the cars barrelled down the Kemmel straight for the first time. Piccione entered Les Combes at the end of the straight, Lapierre entered the gravel after contact between the two.
This now meant Adam Carroll had to take the battle to Piccione, and this he did with barely controlled aggression as the P1 Motorsport man looked for a way past Piccione.
Behind the duelling drivers Piquet was not having a good time of it. He had dropped to the mid-field and then dropped yet further backwards leaving him with all to do. Though the Brazilian’s may have had a bad first lap, it wasn’t as bad as nearest title rival James Rossiter, the Brit ending it in the gravel. Though we would return to the track and the race he was ultimately only to complete eight laps.
It was nearly as bad for Piquet as he came across an incident at La Source hairpin. Scholarship champion Ryan Lewis had opted for the late apex approach to the corner whilst Carroll’s team-mate Fairuz Fauzy was hard on the brakes on the inside. Two into one didn’t go and there was contact. Piquet somehow missed it all and continued on his way. Those behind weren’t quite so fortunate and the race car trap at the chicane was pretty effective.
