Invercargill racer Brendon Leitch has just three more chances left to grab an Asian Formula 3 race victory as the series comes to a close in China this coming weekend.
Leitch has shown plenty of speed during the season and has stepped onto the podium on several occasions, but that first win in the series has eluded him and left him a little frustrated, but determined to go out fighting at the final round. He currently sits fourth in the championship, just ten points away from third.
“It’ll be tough,” explained the Dayle ITM supported racer. “But we’ll just have to knuckle down and see what we can come up with. Qualifying is still where we need to find some pace! It’s not bad but there is still room for improvement and it will make a big difference in the races where we do seem to have excellent pace. So it’s really just a question of stringing it all together.”
That moment could come this weekend for the BlackArts racer. It’s the second round for the Asian Formula 3 Championship in a row at the Shanghai circuit and although everyone in the field will have a known starting point in terms of set-up, Leitch is hoping that will help him hit front running pace nice and early during the weekend. It will be the first time he has raced the F3 car during the season on a circuit he has prior knowledge of.
“I was pretty happy with the set-up of the car last time out and the conditions should be similar, so it’s just going to be a question of getting in, going for it and sending it,” he added. “I think my confidence in the car has gone up from the positive results at the last race and I’ll be hoping to carry that forward and build on it.”
The battle for the 2019 F3 Asian Championship will go down to the wire at the 5.451km Shanghai International Circuit with the title scrap between Hitech GP duo of Ukyo Sasahara and Red Bull Junior driver Jack Doohan set to be decided over three races during the weekend.
Track action begins Thursday, a day earlier than normal due to China’s National Day holiday on October 1. It’s a busy weekend for Kiwi racers in China this weekend with Chris van Der Drift and Shane van Gisbergen both in action in the Blancpain GT series at the meeting.
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