Peña wrecks wing, starts 29th in F3

MELBOURNE – A tall order awaits Dado Peña in the final race of the Formula Three support event of the Melbourne F1 Grand Prix after being forced out of Race 3 Saturday at Albert Park here.

The Asian Formula Three star was rear-ended by rookie Daniel Schulz on turn three of the first lap, wrecking his rear wing and taking him out of the race. No other part of the car was damaged, but it cannot run a race without the rear wing, a crucial part in the balance and aerodynamics of the car. Schulz was the same driver who took out Peña in the practice session last Thursday, turning in after the Filipino had won the inside lane of a fast right.

That put Peña, the only Filipino in the field, in 29th spot on the grid for Sunday’s race, leaving him tons of work to do to catch up on the leaders.

Formula 3 Australia series co-leader Tim Macrow, winner of Friday’s Race 3, led from green to checkered flag, finishing the eight-lap race in 15 minutes and nine tenths of a second for his second win in three races in the support event to the season-opening Formula One Australian Grand Prix.

Charlie Hollings of Britain took second place in 15.10.770 while Italy’s Marco Mapelli grabbed third place with a time of 15.14.003.

Peña had shown he can smartly negotiate his way around the 5.303-kilometer street-based circuit when he boldly zoomed past half of the field in just four laps in an abbreviated Race 2 to finish 14th after starting from 28th spot.