Brands Hatch: Race two summary

Piquet ends season with victory as Carroll takes second

Nelson Piquet Jr overcame a mid-race collision with Clivio Piccione to take a commanding victory in the final round of the 2004 Avon Tyres British Formula Three Championship. Adam Carroll took the runner-up spot in the championship when he crossed the line in fourth place, behind James Rossiter and Lucas Di Grassi.

Piccione got a great start and led Piquet and Rossiter through Paddock Hill Bend. Piquet tracked the Carlin Motorsport driver and on lap 10 pressured him into a mistake as they headed into Surtees. The newly crowned champion was gifted the lead. However, as Piccione had tried to defend he had damaged the right front wing on Piquet's Dallara.

The damage did not seem to hinder the Brazilian's performance though. A string of fast laps meant that he pulled out a lead over Rossiter, who was coming under pressure in the closing laps from Di Grassi and Carroll.

A controlled drive gave Piquet his sixth win of the year and a fantastic end to his championship season.

"I'm so happy to finish with a win," he said. "It was the best way to finish the season," he added.

Carroll's fourth place was enough for him to lead Rossiter by five points for the runner-up place in the championship. Alvaro Parente crossed the line in fifth pace as Danny Watts brought the Lola-Dome home in sixth place. The Promatecme driver was under pressure for the entire race from Andrew Thompson who eventually had to settle for seventh.

Ryan Lewis rounded off his title winning season with race win number 17 in the Scholarship Class. An ill-handling car meant that he was unable to try and challenge some of the championship class cars as he wanted to. However, he was quick enough to finish 10 seconds clear of Stephen Jelley, who had to work hard to pass Ronayne O'Mahony for second place.

"I was struggling for grip everywhere," said Lewis. "I really wanted to try and get in amongst the championship cars, especially as this was the last race, but I just wasn't quick enough with the amount of grip I had," he added.

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