Hollings, 24, got the best of the starts and clearly lead by three car lengths heading into the first chicane.
Behind them the 30-car field all made it through the first turns cleanly with Macrow shading Hollings for the first half of the lap.
At the turn eight – nine chicane, however, Macrow got a strong run on the race leader and assumed the point at the following turn, gathering a lead that he wouldn’t abdicate for the remainder of the six laps.
A Safety car was called on the fourth lap for Tim Berryman, who had a high-speed 160kph spin at turn nine after finding his tyres weren’t right up to temperature.
Stranded in the middle of the track at one of the fastest points of the circuit, Berryman’s Delta Agribusiness F301 Dallara avoided any damage, however the spin relegated the leading National Class runner down to the very tail of the field.
â€You can usually take that corner flat, †mused Berryman – from Wagga Wagga in New South Wales – after the race.
â€Unfortunately the tyres weren’t hot enough to do so that lap and I had a pretty wild spin. Fortunately nothing is damaged, but it’s a shame because things were going quite well to that point. â€
Racing resumed on the final lap, Chris Alajajian (Then 5th) Making a bold dive down the inside of Leanne Tander at the first corner – a move that ended with the Sydneysider spinning in front of the field, barely missing Karl Reindler who was following the Jack Hillermans / Team BRM entry.
Tander promptly took avoiding action, the driver of the #42 Fleetcare TanderSport Dallara forced onto the grass and relegated down to 9th at the finish after a strong showing earlier in the six lap race.
Macrow, however, was never troubled to take his first win at Albert Park, with Hollings and Mapelli competing the top three.
Karl Reindler rebounded from a disappointing black flag (for a jumped start) yesterday to finish fourth, barely holding off James Winslow and Walter Grubmuller off at the line.
“It’s frustrating, †Reindler rued this afternoon.
â€It was nice to be on pole yesterday and I know I didn’t jump the start – our data didn’t show that we moved at all.
â€The weekend just hasn’t gone to plan so far but there are still two races left. The car is good so we’ll try and go hard on cold tyres tomorrow. †He said.
Winslow had rebounded from 16th on the grid – the British driver of the #27 Opes Prime Dallara Mugen Honda penalised for missing a black flag in yesterday’s encounter and stripped of his fourth position.
â€The car was the best it has ever been, †the British driver – and reigning Asian F3 champion – said.
â€We have had plenty of dramas throughout this weekend but that race was trouble free and I was able to come through the field.
â€It was very competitive but I know that the car is as quick as – if not faster – than the guys in front so hopefully we can go forward tomorrow. †He said.
In the end, though, it was a delighted Macrow who came through to win on home soil.
â€My start wasn’t so good because I was on the dirty side of the track. †He explained.
â€But the car was good straight out of the gate which is what you have to have in these short six lap races.
“The car was very, very good on cold tyres and I was able to get a run on Charlie. From there the car was brilliant - We made some changes overnight and it made it fantastic to drive.
â€I need to thank my Team BRM and Maher Algadrie for making this happen this weekend. †He said.
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