Japanese GP2 driver Nobuharu Matsushita beat the heat and stiff challenge from closest contenders Jake Dennis and Tatiana Calderon to record his second win by clinching Race 3 of the MRF Challenge 2015 at the Yas Marina Circuit here on Saturday.
Matsushita was in a class of his own crossing the finish line nearly six seconds ahead of Formula 3 driver Jake and Tatiana.
Pietro Fittipaldi served a reminder that he is a force to reckon with, after losing Race 3, to take his first win ahead of ahead of Calderon and India’s Tarun Reddy in Race 4.
Calderon was the cynosure of all eyes as she pulled off two brilliant moves on the last lap of both races to get on the podium.
Matsushita currently leads the championship with 80 points followed by Fittipaldi (68) and Calderon (61).
In Race 3, pole-sitter Matsushita was off to a near perfect start and easily led from the first corner.
Close race
It was a close race as second-placed Dennis had a better start today and managed to hold off Fittipaldi into the first corner. Following them were Calderon slotted into fourth place ahead of a fast starting Tarun Reddy, who jumped from eighth on the grid to fifth.
The battle for second place was very close with Dennis, Fittipaladi, Calderon and Tarun within two seconds of each other.
In Race 4, Fittipaldi and Tarun jumped pole sitter Nikita Troitckii to lead 1-2 after the first corner. Calderon also passed the Russian to go third.
Fittipaldi won the race comfortably with the drivers behind him embroiled in an intense battle.
On the last lap, Calderon made her move once again into the final corner which saw both drivers crossing the finish line side-by-side. It was an exciting finish by Calderon as she had beaten Tarun by just 0.013secs.
Interestingly, this was also the first time three women drivers had finished in the top 10 in the championship.
Matsushita later remarked, “I had a clean start and managed to pull away. I am very impressed with the whole set-up,” he said.
The results:
MRF Challenge Race 3: 1. Nobuharu Matsushita; 2. Jake Dennis; 3. Tatiana Calderon; 4. Tarun Reddy; 5. Pietro Fittipaldi; 6. Nikita Troitckii.
MRF Challenge Race 4: 1. Fittipaldi; 2. Calderon; 3. Tarun; 4. Matsushita; 5. Dennis; 6. Troitckii.
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