Podium for Collard in mixed emotions race for Carlin

Carlin’s Ricky Collard has taken a fantastic second position in race one following the first BRDC British Formula 3 Championship race of the weekend in difficult conditions this afternoon. The British driver, who had qualified on the front row, drove a strong race to hold his position despite rain falling in the final stages. Team mate Colton Herta had an impressive race from the back of the grid to finish tenth overall after gaining multiple positions on the opening lap. Meanwhile it was heartbreak for Ameya Vaidyanathan who had been having a great race in sixth position before the heavy rain began catching multiple drivers out, including himself, on the last lap; sadly leaving him in the gravel trap at Clearways.

The start of the race got underway with dry conditions all around however dark skies looked to threaten above – an imminent sign of what was to come. Off the line, Matheus Leist and Collard launched well and maintained their starting positions as they continued around for the first racing lap of the weekend. In seventh, Vaidyanathan had enjoyed a solid start and was also running well as the cars streamed around the Brands Hatch GP Circuit.

Herta meanwhile seemed to be on a mission. The American hadn’t been able to set a lap time in qualifying due to an off, hence he was forced to start from the back of the grid. By the end of lap one, he had already gained multiple positions and was running in 17th – making his intentions clear to the field.

The positions in the top ten remained relatively unchanged as Herta continued to make progress; soon enough the Carlin driver was knocking on the door of the top ten and aiming for the reverse grid pole position. However everything was soon to change as rain began to fall in the final three laps.

By this point Vaidyanathan was in sixth however the heavy rain caught many of the field out as the track conditions dramatically changed. Unfortunately for the Carlin man, the weather would bite back and he was unfortunate to end up in the gravel trap on the last lap. Many drivers around him also suffered a similar fate including Herta who luckily managed to re-join the track without losing too many positions to finish the race in an impressive tenth position – gaining 11 places from where he started.

However at the front, Collard and Leist had continued to run close together with Collard unable to make a move for the lead in the wet conditions. The Carlin man happily took the flag in second place seeing him take his first podium of the season.

Collard said of his race, “I had a good start and held my position in turn one so from there on I was able to let the race come to me. It was a case of managing the gap to Leist ahead and soon enough I was able to pull him in a little. I managed to get alongside him at the back of the circuit but just couldn’t get around him – soon after that, the rain fell and there was no chance to overtake. I had a few slides in the conditions but managed to keep it on the road to get my first podium in the championship which is pretty cool. Big thanks to the team for the car and to my sponsors – really pleased with the race.”

Herta added, “The first lap was pretty good for me and I was able to make up quite a few positions and was already 17th by the end of it. After that it was just keeping my head down and making up for the time we lost in qualifying earlier today. At the end of the race when the rain was falling, I was closing in on eighth however went off at turn four with a group of others and lost a position. I couldn’t recover from that with just the last few corners left and come home in sixth. Happy with that recovery though and I think we can have two good races tomorrow.”

The second race of the weekend will get underway tomorrow at 10.50 and will be followed by the third and final race at 16.30.