Morgado and Fluid show strong at Snetterton
The Lola-Dome F3 chassis was in action at
Snetterton for the latest rounds of the British Formula
Three Championship this weekend. The chassis, which put
Lola on the F3 map enjoyed more success with Fluid Motorsport,
as South African racer Cristiano Morgado collected two
podium positions to consolidate his second place in the
National Class points standings.
Qualifying saw Morgado place 3rd for race
one, albeit less than three tenths of a second from pole
sitter Rodolfo Gonzalez. However, the 26 year old found
a few extra tenths in the second qualifying session to
grab pole in his Mugen-Hondm m m a powered Lola-Dome.
Race one saw Cristiano make a superb start
and soon started to apply pressure to class leader Gonzalez.
He vaulted in to the lead on lap 8, making a clean pass
on national class points leader. However, on the very
next lap Gonzalez found a way through and despite being
faster, Cristiano was unable to retake the lead before
the end of the race. It meant another 2nd place for the
fighting South African.
Race two saw Morgado lead from pole in the
opening laps ahead of Gonzalez and Annala until the safety
car was deployed on lap 9. At the re-start, with tyre
temperatures having dropped, the Lola-Dome got a wheel
on the grass and dropped down to 3rd. A couple of laps
later he spun at the first corner and rejoined in 4th
place 6 seconds behind the leading pair. Cristiano was
soon back in 2nd place and closing on the race leader
every lap to finish just one second behind Annala and
setting fastest lap with Gonzalez coming in a distant
third.
Morgado’s two podium places means that
he continues to have a comfortable second place in the
National Class standings. Of the ten rounds held so far,
he has scored eight podium positions.
Fluid Motorsport Developments Lindsay Allen
said of the weekend: “Ultimately, we should have won
today because Cristiano was as quick if not quicker than Gonzalez.
He did a superb professional job as always and deserved to
get more from the weekend. He had the pace throughout the
weekend but his time will come for sure. We can’t wait
for the next rounds at the great Spa-Francorchamps track in
Belgium.”
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