Piastri and Doohan lead the way at Albert Park
Sunday, 2 April 2023
Aussie drivers salvage top 10 finishes at the Grand Prix™.
The sun shone on the record crowd at the FORMULA 1 ROLEX AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX 2023 on Sunday, but on the track, the five Australian drivers competing in the open-wheeler events found the going tough.
In the Grand Prix, Oscar Piastri drove a mature race in his McLaren, involved for most of the race in a battle for the last points on offer in the top 10. The Melbourne driver battled away with Yuki Tsunoda and Esteban Ocon, but then when the Red Flag stopped the race with two laps to go before the cars trailed around behind the Safety Car, the 21-year-old was able to move into the points and take eighth place.
To
make things even better for his team, his McLaren teammate Lando Norris ran
ahead of Piastri for the whole race and when the flag fell, he was in sixth
place, giving the team’s orange army two reasons to celebrate.
Queenslander Jack Doohan started from 15th on the grid in the Formula 2® Feature race and quickly made ground, moving to 12th on the opening lap and was soon challenging American Jak Crawford for 10th. When the two clashed on Lap 8, officials summoned the Safety Car for the first time, he lost ground, but pitted with the main bunch later in the race.
At the final restart, Doohan hung onto the lead pack and picked up places when there was a clash ahead of him, taking eighth at the chequered flag. After retiring from Saturday’s Sprint race, means he leaves Australia 11th in the Formula 2® points, heading to the next race in Azerbaijan.
In the Formula 3® Feature race the three Aussie drivers had a difficult 22 laps. Christian Mansell made a strong start and was soon battling with Sebastian Montoya just outside the top 10, before the two clashed and the Colombian fell down the order. He pressed on for the remained of the race and crossed the line in 11th place.
Two spots behind him was Tommy Smith, who earlier in the race clashed with Montoya as well. Smith recovered his pace, and his Van Amersfoort Racing car crossed the line in 13th place.
In his Rodin Campos entry, Hugh Barter finished behind in 15th place.
Two rounds into the series Mansell is now 15th in the points with 3 points, while Smith and Barter are yet to open their accounts.
The Formula 3® teams will head back to Europe for Round 3 in Imola, Italy, on May 19-21.
