Stuart Kostera Tops Saturated Afternoon Practice At Mallala
May 16, 2008
Dirk Klynsmith
TORRENTIAL Downpours have made opening practice for the fourth round of the Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship a battle to merely stay on the track itself.
Greasy conditions in first practice and completely saturated conditions in the second have also made the form guide for this weekend even less clearer, several surprise names appearing at the pointy end of the time sheets today.
Piccola Scuderia driver Neil McFadyen topped the first session ahead of Leanne Tander whilst Scud Racing’s Stuart Kostera topped the saturated afternoon practice in his Dallara F307 Mercedes.
Whilst McFadyen’s time of 1m07.29s represented a greasy, yet not completely wet track in P1, Kostera could only manage 1m24.88s in the second session in conditions that turned to the ribbon of Mallala tarmac into a ribbon of water more that looked more like a river, than a racetrack.
Surprises came in the form of National class drivers – and rivals for the 2004 championship fight – Karl Reindler and Chris Gilmour.
Whilst Gilmour was third fastest in the first session, 2004 champion Reindler took his R-Tek F3 Dallara F304 Spiess Opel to second overall in practice two, using his vast experience gained from years in Australian & British F3, and A1GP competition to score the strong result.
Team BRM and F3 rookie John Magro (#3 Rockstar Energy Drink Dallara F307) used that he could also factor if the rain remains – as forecast – this weekend after scoring the third quickest time in P2.
South Australians Nick Percat and Jesse Wakeman both missed todays running; Percat due to existing testing commitments interstate whilst Wakeman – who has more miles at Mallala than any other track – was confident enough after Wednesday’s shakedown of his rebuilt car to save his running for qualifying tomorrow.
Session two fast-man Kostera said that whilst he was pleased to see the #35 car on top of the timesheet, today’s results meant little in the long run.
”I guess we won the Friday Puddle Splashing contest!,” The affable West Aussie said.
