The 17-year-old lead driver of Speedtech Asia thrived in slippery conditions at the Zhuhai International Racing Circuit and emerged fastest in the qualifying race for Round 5 of the Asian Formula Three Grand Prix Saturday, moving on the verge of scoring his breakthrough victory in the nation-hopping series.
A morning drizzle rendered the 4.3 track wet and slippery but this failed to slow down Sy who, despite spinning thrice in the third lap, went on to clock the day’s fastest time of 1:47.298, averaging 144 kms per hour. "The goal is to win," declared Sy, who grabbed the top grid position in Round 5 later Saturday. "I really don’t mind kung ako ‘yung naghahabol or hinahabol, basta ang importante, sa finish line, ako ’yung una."
Another Filipino young gun, Dado Peña of Ambi Pur Team Goddard-Minardi Team Asia, was fourth fastest in 1:48.070 and sustained his bid for a first-ever win in the 12-leg series.
"I logged my best time while the track was still wet, which is quite a feat. The others did it when the track was drying up," said Peña, who placed second in Round 3 last month and is currently running fourth in the overall standings with 29 points behind
Indonesian Ananda Mikola (75 points) of Fastron Racing with Threebond, Australian Christian Jones (62) of Christian Jones Motorsport and Irishman John O’Hara (32) of Shell Helix Kinetic PCSO.
"Second place would be disappointing," added Peña, 17, indicating he would go all out to challenge Sy and the two others ahead of him on the starting grid, James Winslow of Britain and Rodolfo Avila of Macau who finished second and third, respectively, in the qualifying session.
Winslow, of Shell Helix Kinetic PCSO, clocked 1:47.462 while Avila, driving the car supposed to be driven by Jones, timed 1:47.974. Avila damaged the Neil Brown Honda engine of Dallara 301 in practice runs Friday and Jones, in what team officials said was a move in the interest of "good customer relations," moved aside, allowing the Macau driver to take the helm of the team’s newest car.
O’Hara, back with Shell Kinetic after a disappointing performance in Rounds 3 and 4 last month, placed fifth in 1:48.230, followed by Mikola (1:48.299), Filipino Pepon Marave of Shell Kinetic (1:51.717), Indon Moreno Soeprapto of Denso Hanjin Joson F3 (1:52.773), Macau’s Jo Rosa Merszei of Fujitsu Ten Toyota Team Tom’s (1:54.162), Irish Greg Murphy of Ambi Pur Team Goddard Minardi Team Asia (1:54.162), Enzo Pastor of Team TEC Pilipinas (1:56.036), Irish Robert Block of Denso Hanjin Joson F3 (2:00.270), Japanese Hideaki Machida of Speedtech Asia (2:04.530) and Irish Lee Farrell of Shell Helix Kinetic PCSO (3:17.089). For more details, race enthusiasts can log on www.asianf3.net <http://www.asianf3.net/.
Mikola struggled with the setup of his car in the absence of his Japanese engineer, Nobuaki Adachi, who is attending another race in Japan, but the rest of the competitors still kept a wary eye on the Indon, aware that he can’t be taken for granted.
Aside from Mikola, the Filipino drivers will also have to contend with Winslow who said: "I did not come all the way from England to settle for second."
Winslow, an AF3 fixture since the opening two legs at the Batangas Racing Circuit, was obviously impressed with the competition, saying: "It doesn’t get the recognition it deserves but I think it’s at par with many British races."
All eyes will be on Sy, however, who didn’t lose his composure when he spun on the third lap.
"May kasama na rin sigurong suwerte, kasi pangatlong pihit ko lang sa makina, umandar na uli. Malakas ‘yung battery ko," added Sy, a Grade 11 student of Inter-Asia School running seventh in the overall standings. "Kailangang maibababa ko pa ‘yung time ko para manalo."