12.10.08 QUALIFYING GLITCH ENDS TURVEY'S TITLE BID BUT RUNNER UP KEEPS THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE Sunday, 12 October 2008: Oliver Turvey put on a brave face after narrowly missing out on the British F3 International Championship title in the final race at Donington Park today. The RSF driver finished runner-up to Carlin Motorsport team mate Jaime Alguersuari after a flawed qualifying strategy on Saturday effectively ruled him out the running. Turvey headed into the final two rounds with a 12 point lead over the Spaniard and qualified third for the first race which augured well for the final run in. But the promising start was soon reversed when persistent drizzle in the second session undermined the Briton's strategy and left him down in 14th place for the start of race two. In the first of the races, Alguersuari led from start to finish, team mates Brendon Hartley and Turvey following home to make it a Carlin 1-2-3. The win narrowed Turvey's advantage to just three points heading into the championship decider. The slim lead and the major handicap of a seventh row start left the RSF man with the challenge of having to catch and pass his adversary to be sure of winning the championship unless the Spaniard slipped up. With Alguersuari starting from second on the grid it was a tall to near impossible task which was made doubly difficult when Turvey's Dallara bogged down at the start. The malfunction dropped him from 14th to 20th by the first corner. From there he waged the race of the season scything his way through the field to eighth place, eventually catching seventh-placed man Marcus Ericsson. But the bold challenge for position that followed ended in a coming together at Starkey's Bridge which spun Turvey off the track and out of the race. Race and F3 title winner was Alguersuari, leaving Turvey as the runner-up with Hartley in third place. "The title was ours for the winning but we got it wrong in second qualifying and that cost us dearly," he said. "The guys at the front set their fastest times on slicks early on in the session. I set mine on wets later on. "Clearly it's hugely disappointing to lose the championship but there's no point in dwelling on it. Overall I have to be pleased with a solid season. We've had 13 podium finishes, four of which were wins, and seven front row starts including four pole positions. "Without the misfortune of an engine failure at Spa that could have been five wins and the title. But it didn't turn out that way. "So congratulations to Jaime and congratulations and thanks to Carlin who've done such a fantastic job all season. They've been a brilliant team to drive for and with three Carlin drivers occupying the top three places in the championship they've proved once again that they're by far the best team in F3. "Everyone's put in a huge effort to get me to where I am today and I'm hugely appreciative," he added. "Without the backing of the Racing Steps Foundation, the organisation and resources of Carlin and the dedication of my race engineer Jimmy this would just not have been possible." << back to news