Lucas di Grassi turned in a storming performance to win the Macau F3 Grand Prix, twice passing pre-race favourite
Robert Kubica to clinch victory in a dramatic 15-lap finale.
The Brazilian started only third on the grid, based on the results of Saturday's 'qualification' race, but wasted little time in passing Kubica for second at the start of lap two. Both, however, were some way behind poleman and early leader Loic Duval, who ended the opening lap with a two-second gap on the rest of the field, having survived the traditional rush to turn one.
The reason for Duval's advantage quickly became apparent, however, as his number appeared alongside the penalty board, the Frenchman having allegedly jumped the start in his haste to avoid any possible pile-up. Although the ASM driver did not stop for several laps, it made di Grassi's move appear all the more vital.
Kubica wasn't about to settle for second for the second year in a row, however, and hounded the Brazilian for several laps, before eventually spotting a chink in the Manor man's defence and slipping through at Lisboa at the start of lap ten.
That appeared to be that, as the Pole seemed to have the measure of his pursuer, but Macau continued to prove unpredictable, with the usual array of incidents both accounting for midfield runners and causing unforeseen obstacles for the leaders. It should have been no surprise, then, when the pace car appeared to help clear up a three-way tangle between UK series runners Danny Watts, Charlie Kimball and Dan Clarke - the man Watts had helped to tutor earlier in the year.
When all three cars had been cleared away, the race was restarted over two laps, and di Grassi decided that it was all or nothing if he wanted to walk away with the category's blue riband title. As soon as the green flags waved, the Brazilian was alongside Kubica, finally squeezing ahead into the first turn. With the rest of the circuit providing little in the way of overtaking opportunities, Kubica was powerless to respond.
