Photo: Mat Sofi in the wet conditions at Phillip Island. Image: By Dirk Klynsmith / F3A - Click to download hi-res for media use
	Photo: The AmPro tools team have raised the bar in presentation this year and have now twice won the Meguiar's Best presented award. Image: By Dirk Klynsmith / F3A - Click to download hi-res for media use

SOMETIMES, things just don’t go to plan.

Mat Sofi and his AmPro Tools / Errea / Transwest Dallara Formula 3 car were looking good after the first two days of last weekends’ third round of the 2009 Formula 3 Australian Drivers’ Championship.

The #2 car had paced both Practice sessions and had then gone on to qualify second for both races after a competitive few sessions on Saturday. With proven speed at Phillip Island and the buildup of momentum over the past two rounds reaching its peak, the team had every right to be confident ahead of Sunday’s two 14-lap races.

So for the team to express disappointment after the Sunday they experienced is only natural.

In race one rain prior to the start made car setup and strategy a gamble. With typical Phillip Island unpredictability, no-one knew if the rain would hold or if it would dry out as the race progressed, as has often been the case there in the past.

Gambling for the latter, when instead it remained wet, Mat managed to keep the car on the Island – literally – and finish a comfortable third.

A dry surface for race two gave the team confidence that a return to Friday’s performance would be on the cars – however as it turned out the race only really lasted about 20-seconds for the AmPro Dallara.

After a slow start, Sofi was hit from behind in turn two on the opening lap and from there his day was pretty much done – though he did manage to bring the car home to score third-placed points to come away from the first Victorian round of the year with a solid points haul.

As a result the Astuti team sits third in the championship, though the gap to the leader has closed significantly.

“The weekend started off perfectly topping the first two sessions, then from then on little things started to go against us,” Sofi said.

“Race one was a big struggle, we set the car with the thinking that the track would dry like years prior, this wasn’t to be and I struggled all race so 3rd was a relief. As for race two, well, it was a disaster. My start wasn’t the best but I was confident that I could get to the front as the car had plenty of pace, however that all changed at turn two when Joey Foster made a mistake and drove straight in the back of me.”

“All in all the weekend could have been worse, but very disappointing to not follow through with a win when we had the pace to do so… bring on Winton!”

Mat Sofi now has 78 championship points and sits third in the standings, five behind Tim Macrow and 23 behind the series leader.

The next round will be at Winton, Between June 26 - 28

BEST PRESENTED… AGAIN

For the second time in two rounds, the AmPro Tools / Errea / Transwest Astuti Motorsport-run team has won the Meguiar’s best presented award, designed to encourage and support competitors within the Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship who raise the level of professionalism within the series.

In round two the team won the award thanks to the stunning livery on the car, whilst at the weekend they were again given the prize pack thanks to the installation of brand-new pit walling – lifting the team to the absolute pinnacle of presentation within the series.

The team is the first to win it on more than one occasion.

TV ALERT

All the action from Phillip Island will be broadcast on SBS Speedweek, this Sunday (May 24th) from 1:00pm.

ENDS