Team BRM showed strong speed and continued front-running performances in both classes - despite some mixed luck and small setbacks – during the latest rounds of the Australian F3 championship at Oran Park.
Nathan Caratti enjoyed a competitive run at Oran Park, finishing third and second in the two races contested. After twice qualifying on the front row, Caratti had the quickest car of the meeting and only some tough luck cost him a potential two race wins.
A slow getaway in race one – when the polesitter had stalled – and a minor mistake in race two, where he dropped two wheels of the track to surrender the lead, cost him the top spot.
However, helped by a bonus point for fastest lap in race two, Caratti scored 28 points to consolidate third position in the championship standings.
"I'm pretty disappointed because this is a weekend that we should have come away with two wins," he said. "We had the speed but two mistakes let it down so it's a bit frustrating, to be honest.
"I was too slow away in the first race and dropped a couple of positions. It's so hard to pass here that there wasn't much of a chance to try and get forward again, especially with all the safety cars.
"Race two was a mistake. I was pulling away on the opening lap but I dropped wheels off coming onto the bridge. By the time I got back on Winslow had passed and I was second. I caught him and had a faster car but he didn't make any mistakes and I couldn't get passed.
"Its good we got some really good championship points but a bit frustrating because it could have been a lot better."
Team BRM was also reunited with former driver Nick Percat, who posted an impressive performance in his debut behind the wheel of a Formula 3 car.
After only one day of testing – late last year – Percat, currently third in Formula Ford competition, was on the pace from the outset and qualified fifth for race one before improving further to lock away third on the grid for race two.
Wary of the challenge of getting a Formula 3 car off the line, Percat made a solid start in race one to finish sixth.
In race two he made a better getaway and stayed in touch with the three drivers dicing for the lead of the race to finish a stunning fourth. Percat scored sixteen championship points in his Formula 3 debut and opened the eyes of many in the paddock to his abilities behind the wheel of a substantially quicker car than his current Formula Ford drive.
![Nathan Caratti - Opes Prime Team BRM [Pic credit: Klynsmith]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/405213.jpg)
