Taking off from where he left in the practice runs Friday, the 26-year-old Indonesian star racing for Fastron Racing with Threebond, clocked the fastest qualifying time of one minute, 22.410 seconds and took the pole position in today’s first leg of the 2005 Addict Mobile Asian Formula 3 Super Prix, threatening to pull the rug from under the circuit veterans.
Christian Jones of Australia, lead driver of the Christian Jones Motorsport team who is defending the crown he won last year, had the inside track on the No. 1 spot in the starting grid when he clocked 1:22.689 in the third of the 15-lap qualifying session but was relegated to second when Mikola, after learning his previous best time of 1:22.770 in the 10th lap was only good for second, rushed out of the pit anew and logged the fastest lap for the day in the 13th lap.
Pinoy young gun Dado Peña, 17, Jones’ erstwhile teammate now driving for Ambi Pur Team Goddard-Minardi Team Asia, took the No. 3 spot with a third-best time of 1:23.648 posted in the fifth lap at the 3.4-kilometer track, then declared he expects to "be more competitive" in the first of two 15-lap races today, the first stop of the 12-leg circuit backed by Addict Mobile, Yokohama, Boysen, Motolite, PLDT My PAD and Lima City Hotel.
The field, however, will have to contend with Mikola, who dominated the Indonesian legs of last year’s circuit in Sentul, a track built in 1997 that is longer and wider than the BRC and has faster curves.
"I didn’t really expect a 1:22.410 time but after I saw Christian’s result, I told myself this is the time to push. I don’t like the track, it’s so narrow and bumpy. I like long (stretches) and fast curves, like in Sentul," said Mikola, a veteran of the European karting circuit who topped three of five practice runs Friday.
Last year’s runner-up, Irishman John O’Hara of Fujitsu 10 Toyota Team Toms, will start Sunday’s first leg in fourth position after clocking 1:23.651, followed by Filipino Tyson Sy of Speedtech Asia, 17, who timed 1:23.742.
Briton James Winslow and Rodolfo Avila of Macau will occupy the 6th and 7th positions, with Indon Moreno Soeprapto of Denso Hanjin F3, one of seven drivers competing in the promotions class, ahead of 2003 champion Pepon Marave of the Philippines, the lead driver of Shell Helix Kinetic PCSO team in the overall class of the event that has as media partners Jam 88.3, Magic 89.9, 99.5 RT, 103.5 K Lite and Wave 89.1.
Rounding up the starting grid are Irish Greg Murphy of Goddard-Minardi Team Asia in 10th, followed by Filipinos John Marcelo of Christian Jones Motorsport, JP Cariño of Speedtech Asia, JP Tuason of Tuason Racing School, Enzo Pastor of Shell Helix and Renan Morales, the third driver of Toyota Team Toms.
They are all driving in the promotions class featuring cars with chassis built in 1999 and earlier.
The starting grid for the afternoon race will be determined by the drivers’ placings in the morning race. Motor sports enthusiasts can watch the races by logging on to www.pldtmypad.com and www.asianf3.net.
Highlights of the two-leg race will also be featured on Studio 23, AF3’s media partner.
