BFF: Thruxton round 16 race notes

Donnelly takes win number three at Thruxton

Charlie Donnelly took his third win of the season in round 16 of the UK Formula Ford Championship at Thruxton this afternoon.

The Mygale driver snatched the lead from American racer Joe D'Agostino at the chicane on the penultimate lap. D'Agostino followed him across the line in second place as championship leader Valle Makela was shown the black flag on the last lap and then disqualified for failing to comply with the orders of the Clerk of the Course.

A five car battle for the lead at the start of the race became four as Makela picked up a slow puncture. The Finn dropped down the order and pitted towards the end of the race to change the wheel. He rejoined the field in the thick of the lead battle, albeit a lap down.

Despite being shown blue flags he stayed with the leaders. His closest championship rival Charlie Kimball spun in the middle of the front-running battle, dropping him down the order. Makela was finally given the black flag as the field crossed the line. The offence was enough to make the officials disqualify him from the result.

And overjoyed Donnelly was pleased to have returned to the top step of the podium after a hard battle at the front of the field.

"This is brilliant," said Donnelly. "It feels good to be back on the top of the podium again. It was a hard race but I saw a gap and had to have a go at Joe at the Chicane," he added.

Daniel Clarke crossed the line in third place with Sebastian Hohenthal coming in fourth after starting the race from pole-position. Race one winner Yuya Sakamoto took fifth place ahead of Neil Doran.

<pre> UK Formula Ford Championship -- Round 16 -- Thruxton

Race Results: 1 Charlie Donnelly Mygale SJ04 18m32.089s 2 Joe D'Agostino Van Diemen RF03 18m32.435s 3 Daniel Clarke Van Diemen RF04 18m32.766s 4 Sebastian Hohenthal Van Diemen RF03 18m34.203s 5 Yuya Sakamoto Van Diemen RF03 18m36.660s 6 Neil Doran Van Diemen RF03 18m37.399s

-bf3/gt-