Macau Grand Prix

ALEX LYNN ON POLE THE MACAU GRAND PRIX—

Alex Lynn will start the 2013 running of the Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix from pole position after comfortably winning Saturday’s 10-lap Qualification Race.

The Briton started the race from third on the grid, but wasted no time hitting the front, barging into the lead on the way to Lisboa on the first lap. But his time at the front was initially short-lived, the Theodore Racing by Prema driver running wide at Lisboa, surrendering the lead to Felix Rosenqvist. 

The lead changed hands again following an early safety car period – which was caused when Harry Tincknell collected a stalled Tom Blomqvist at the start – with Lynn slip-streaming past Rosenqvist’s GR Asia with Mücke entry on the way down to Lisboa, this time making the move stick.

Once in front, Lynn put the hammer down, a series of quick laps leaving him a comfortable winner, 2.411s clear of Rosenqvist at the finish. 

“I think the main positive is that the car felt really nice,” Lynn said. “I made a pretty good start, my restart was good, and in terms of the qualification race it’s good. The Grand Prix is another thing.” 

Raffaele Marciello, who started the Qualification Race from pole position, was left to rue a poor start, which left him buried in the field. But the Prema Powerteam driver systematically worked his way through the field, finishing the race in touch with Rosenqvist. He will be joined on the second row by Carlin’s Antonio Felix da Costa, who finished fourth ahead of Pipo Derani (Fortec Motorsport) and Alexander Sims (ThreeBond with T-Sport). 

Lynn’s team-mate Lucas Auer was the unluckiest of the front-runners, hitting the barrier hard at San Francisco Bend right after the re-start, retiring from the race immediately.