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WORLD OF SPORT
42 autosport.com January 31 2013
inteRnational
Races & Results
Toyota Racing
Series
Taupo (NZ)
Rd 3/5
QuicK Results
→ Race 1 Alex Lynn
→ Race 2 Bruno Bonifacio
→ Race 3 Lynn
→ Points leader Nick Cassidy
Race Rating
★★★★✩
ToyoTA RACiNg SeRieS TauPo (NZ), JaNuaRy 26-27, RouNd 3/5
Lynn lifts Hulme trophy after double
ALex Lynn dominAted the
third round of the Toyota
Racing Series at Taupo,
taking two poles and two
victories to launch himself
into title contention.
The 19-year-old Essex
driver, who went to New
Zealand to keep himself
race-sharp ahead of his
European Formula 3 season
with Prema Powerteam, was
a cut above in the opening
race and the flagship Denny
Hulme Trophy that closed
the weekend.
But just as impressive
was his recovery in the
reversed-grid second race.
The M2 Competition driver
was spun down to 17th and
last by Damon Leitch, but
brilliantly recovered to
eighth by the end of
the 15-lap race.
“You can’t get emotional
about being spun off and
I absolutely enjoyed the
rest of the race,” Lynn said.
“The car was fantastic this
weekend, which makes my
job a lot easier. I’m loving
every minute of my time
in New Zealand.”
Lynn’s points haul for the
weekend was matched by
Bonifacio won
second race
Bruno Bonifacio. The Giles
Motorsport-run Brazilian
won the reversed-grid race
from pole and added a
fourth and a third in the
other two encounters.
Austrian Lucas Auer, who
led the series after showing
great speed at the first two
rounds, posted a fifth and a
third in the first two races,
distinguishing himself
by overtaking reigning
champion Nick Cassidy
around the outside at the
end of the main straight.
But at the start of race
three, Auer and Dutchman
Steijn Schothorst tangled,
the resultant puncture
forcing Auer into the pits
for a tyre change.
Auer’s incident allowed
M2-run Cassidy – who has
not won this year – to take
over the championship lead
by six points. The local star
finished second, fourth and
second in the three races.
Felix Serralles dropped
from second to third in the
points after going off the
road in race one and then
scoring ninth and sixthplaced
finishes.
Schothorst had his best
round with third, second
and fourth spots. “The car
is new for me,” he said.
“The car is getting better
and I’m improving too.”
Brit Jann Mardenborough
made the top six for the
first time.
l Bernard carpinter
RESULTS
Race 1 1 Alex Lynn, 15 laps in
21m25.948s; 2 Nick cassidy,
+4.653s; 3 steijn schothorst;
4 Bruno Bonifacio; 5 Lucas Auer;
6 Jann Mardenborough. Race 2
1 Bonifacio, 15 laps in 21m18.832s;
2 schothorst, +1.116s; 3 Auer;
4 cassidy; 5 Tatiana calderon;
6 Akash Nandy. Race 3 1 Lynn,
20 laps in 30m07.926s; 2 cassidy,
+3.040s; 3 Bonifacio; 4 schothorst;
5 Damon Leitch; 6 Felix serralles.
Points 1 cassidy, 517; 2 Auer, 511;
3 serralles, 477; 4 Lynn, 471;
5 schothorst, 451; 6 Bonifacio, 448.
Lynn stars,
racing is superb
and weather
even better
iN BRieF
Lynn produced a
dominant double
ANDRoS TRoPHy
Mini man Jean-philippe Dayraut is
virtually certain of the title thanks
to a win and a second at st Die
des Vosges. Main rival Benjamin
Riviere was fourth in both events,
as Bertrand Balas won race two.
CoNTiNeNTAL SeRieS
Billy Johnson and Jack Roush Jr
won at Daytona in their Roush
Ford Mustang, beating the
porsche of Matt plumb/Nick
Longhi by 1.8s. BTcc ace Andrew
Jordan was seventh in the sT
class in a Honda civic shared
with James colborn.
MiDDLe-eAST RALLy
Nasser Al-Attiyah kicked off his
title defence with a 10th Qatar
Rally win. The Ford Fiesta RRc
driver beat the citroen Ds3 of
Khalid Al-Qassimi, co-driven
by scott Martin, by 55.7s.
Al-Attiyah: 10
wins in Qatar
pics: EUAN cAMERON