Britain's Saunders earns top spot in Formula Asia

Britain's Saunders earns top spot in Formula Asia

JAKARTA (JP): Britain's Brian Saunders regained top position
in the Formula Asia auto racing championship yesterday at the
Sentul circuit in West Java as strong challengers scrambled with
engine problems.

Saunders reigned in both races of the championship's second
leg, silencing home favorite Roy Haryanto who slid his FA-2000
car off the track just after starting the second race.

The Briton now leads the driver's championship with 67 points,
edging 17-year-old Roy into second place with 55 points. Roy
managed to serve warning to Saunders in the opening round, but
the Briton held on to complete the 14 laps with a 10-second
margin.

The opening race was shortened by one lap after a delay caused
by oil on the track.

Roy's Indonesian rival, Chandra Alim, was able to steal some
of the better known driver's thunder. He drove safely to finish
third and second in the first and second races and advances to
third place with 47 points.

Defending champion Saunders scored his second win of the day
in a incident-packed race which saw Swede Niclas Jonsson's hopes
dashed when he came together with Saunders. A broken drive shaft
also robbed Alexander Yoong of a win.

Yoong produced a blistering start from the fifth grid to go
second behind pole-man and Sonencher teammate Saunders for
several laps before the accident forced him out.

Jonsson, a Formula Asia debutant, sped up to catch the
Sonencher team duo. The Swede attempted a desperate pass in the
11th lap, only to have his car spin out.

"I was defending my inside and he tried to go round the
outside and went over my front wheel," said Saunders.

The championship series, the region's only international
single-seater championship sanctioned by the FIA, will move to
the Shah Alam circuit in Malaysia in July. (amd)