SPIN COSTS MERHI POTENTIAL TOP SIX FINISH IN MACAU
Manor Motorsport's Robert Merhi challenged hard for a top six finish
during the 56th Windsor Arch Macau Formula 3 Grand Prix earlier today,
Sunday, 22nd November, but an unfortunate spin for the Spaniard prevented
him from delivering the result both he and the team deserved.
John Booth's Dinnington-based squad, which won the highly prestigious
annual F3 race in 2005 with Brazilian racer Lucas di Grassi, achieved a
best finish of 12th position during today's encounter on the streets
of the former Portuguese enclave thanks to the sterling efforts of
Columbian Carlos Huertas.
Merhi, who ended the 2009 Formula 3 Euroseries seventh overall, started
ninth on the grid for the Grand Prix itself after a competitive run
during the qualification race on Saturday, 21st November. Huertas would
have to start from 19th position -- his efforts not aided by a grid
penalty due to an engine change -- while Manor's third entry,
Macanese driver Michael Ho, lined up in 26th place.
The main race was halted early on due to a multi-car collision and Ho was
one of the eight drivers who were unable to complete the opening lap. At
the re-start, Merhi and Huertas got away well and as the teenage Spaniard
pressed on in his efforts to edge further into the top six, he posted the
seventh fastest lap of the race with a time of 2m11.836 seconds.
British Formula 3 International Series front-runner Huertas also made
similarly strong progress as he lapped the 6.1 kilometre Guia Circuit and
eventually finished in 12th place just two 10ths of a second
behind Victor Garcia. For luckless Merhi, hopes of a top result ended
following an unfortunate spin at Lisboa Bend. He was classified 17th in
the end, a lap down on the leaders.
Looking back on the weekend, Manor Motorsport team principal John Booth
said: "It's been hard work but the team produced a great effort
and Roberto was unlucky not to finish in the top four or five due to his
spin. He raced strongly and was quick but, ultimately, there was no
reward at the end which sums up our year in Formula 3 really.
"Carlos did a fantastic job. He was on the pace, passed people and
raced very well. He wasn't helped by an unfortunate shunt at the
start of second qualifying. It resulted in a broken engine, so he had to
take a 10 place grid penalty when the engine had to be changed, but he
fought back brilliantly. It's a shame Michael wasn't able to get
further into the main race but, all in all, it's not been too
bad."
-credit: manor-motorsport.com
