Asaro Top Opel Finisher at Knockhill

May 11, 2003 (Toronto, Ontario): In a pair of British Formula 3 Championship races at Knockhill, Scotland, today Canadian Billy Asaro was the highest placed Opel-powered finisher. He finished eighth in the first race then battled on to bring home a wounded car seventeenth in the second race. Although he expected better, the 21-year-old from Unionville, Ontario, was not unhappy with the results as he continues to get up to speed after starting the season late.

Qualifying sessions yesterday saw Asaro place fourteenth and twelfth in class, putting him mid-field for the start of today’s races. In the first of today’s drives, 26 laps around a 2.09-km road course, he got a terrific start and, following some handy passing work throughout the run, was seventh in class as the final lap began. Unfortunately, he slipped back one spot on the final loop, following a train of cars powered by Mugen-Hondas across the finish line.

The second race initially appeared to be going nearly as well as the first. Asaro was moving up steadily and another top-ten was well in hand when a collision on lap fifteen derailed the charge. Although able to continue, nearly 45 seconds had been lost and the car’s suspension was damaged. Asaro went on to finish seventeenth in class. The result, however, is under appeal as two cars passed Asaro while a yellow flag was displayed.

“It was a good weekend all things considered,” Asaro said. “Our practice time on Friday was limited because the session kept getting red flagged and I misread the car sending us the wrong way on set up, but we came away with a decent result. The crew did a great job getting things sorted out and we had a good race car today.

“We’ve got a week off now and I’m hoping to do some testing. A solid day or two in the car would really help me close the gap after missing the beginning of the season.”

Asaro’s next race is at the Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit, May 25-26.