Elsewhere in Racing
Updates from the Rest of the Racing World By Mark Alan Jones and David Wright, Australia
Atlas F1 Magazine Writers
Advice: The points tables for most series covered by Elsewhere In Racing are available here. Individual series are linked to their corresponding points table after each report.
Hamilton High-Tails It
British racer Lewis Hamilton overcame a disappointing season in Formula 3 to record a breathtaking victory in the Bahrain Super Prix. After delays in practice, Hamilton stormed through two grids to win the Super Prix by seven tenths of a second from second generation racer, Nico Rosberg. Formula 3 Euroseries champion Jamie Green was third.
Hamilton had to push hard - after qualifying incidents he would start only 21st in the preliminary race but fought hard to climb into 11th.
The eight lap preliminary race was won by Green with Fabio Carbone second ahead of Rosberg and Marko Asmer to set up the first two race of the main event. Green made the best of the start to lead the field around at the end of the first lap ahead of Rosberg, Carbone, and a flying Hamilton who passed seven cars on the opening lap, before a full course safety car brought an end to the Manor Motorsport driver's charge.
A three car collision between Ross Zwolsman, Danilo Dirani, Daisuke Idea and Macau champion Alex Premat caused a yellow which lasted only a lap. The field largely settled until the second full yellow appeared with only a few laps to go.
With only two laps to go the safety car made a very late call to retreat to the pits without the customary lights out lap. This caught out Green who was immediately attacked by Rosberg. Hamilton, now third after disposing of Carbone, saw an opportunity when the two leaders got too involved with each other and jumped into an instant lead. From there Hamilton had to push on tyres already destroyed by the punishment given to them by Hamilton earlier, but Rosberg made little impression on the remaining laps.
Hamilton, Rosberg and Green raced on after the chequer was slow in appearing, waving at James Rossiter who pinched fourth from Carbone at the final restart, though the top three results stood, leaving Euroseries drivers filling the podium. Asmer would finish sixth ahead of new Japanese racer Kazuki Nakajima and Loic Duval with the accident-damaged Premat in ninth.
Result of Bahrain Formula 3 Super Prix, Manama, Bahrain:
Sarrazin Lands Subaru Drive
France's Stephane Sarrazin will drive for Subaru in next year's World Rally Championship, the team announced on Friday. The contract caps a remarkable year for the 29-year-old, who turned to rallying after five seasons as a Formula One test driver with now-defunct Prost and Toyota.
"We've been very impressed by what Sarrazin has done this year," said Subaru team boss David Lapworth in a statement. "It's remarkable that someone who has done 11 rallies and only three at WRC (World Rally Championship) level can run at the pace he has.
"We've signed Stephane for one year but the intention of our development programme is to find a future World Champion. We've selected him because we think he's got what it takes."
Sarrazin will team up with 2003 World Champion Petter Solberg of Norway at a British-based team that won the manufacturers' title from 1995 to 1997. Subaru said Sarrazin would do at least half of the 16 championship events next year, starting with Monte Carlo in January, to broaden his experience.
The Frenchman won this year's French national rally championship at the first attempt and competed in some rounds of the world series after securing funding from the French motorsport association and Subaru France.
Sarrazin made his mark when he drove his privately-entered Subaru to fourth place in the Rally of Catalunya in October, beating Solberg.
"It's really a very big chance for me. After one year in rallying it's a great opportunity," said the Frenchman, a former national karting champion who has also twice entered the Le Mans 24 Hours sportscar race.
"This year I pushed a lot to improve myself... and now it's just incredible to be in the official team."
"I will push the same as this year to improve, I will give the maximum I can -- they give me a big chance, and because this team is the top team in the World Championship it's exceptional."
Report provided by Reuters
Chinese Carmaker Steps Onto World Stage
Brilliance will become the first Chinese carmaker to compete at a world level in motor sport next year with an entry in the inaugural FIA World Touring Car Championship.
Max Mosley, president of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) world governing body, said on Friday that Brilliance would be one of eight manufacturers in what was formerly a European championship.
The others are Alfa Romeo, BMW, Chevrolet, Ford, Seat, Honda and Peugeot.
"I very much look forward to the first season of what I am convinced will be a very exciting new championship which will include 10 events across three continents," he said.
Titles will be awarded for drivers and manufacturers.
Hong Kong-listed Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Ltd is a partner of Germany's BMW and also the mainland's biggest maker of minibuses.
China hosted its first Formula One Grand Prix at the new Shanghai circuit in September and will also have a MotoGP round in 2005.
Report provided by Reuters
Dakar Approaches
The world's biggest automotive torture test is almost upon us as the Dakar Rally is about to begin.
An abbreviated format has been put forward for this year's event, forgoing the traditional Paris roll-out and Special Stage beginning. Leaving the possibility of snow behind, the rally will begin this year in Barcelona.
As with last year, the two strongest teams look to be those fielded by Mitsubishi Motors and the South African based Nissan team.
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