Roy set to win a berth in Formula Three

Roy set to win a berth in Formula Three

JAKARTA (JP): Teenage driver Roy Haryanto is favored to win a promotion to the international Formula Three racing championship in England next year.

The Indonesian Motor Association announced yesterday that it will pick two drivers who performed commendably during the Formula Asia championship this season to take part in the event in England.

"Our main goal is to boost our drivers' performance in the Formula Asia. But we are also poised to see Indonesians join the world-class drivers in the Formula One," the association said.

The F-3 championship is seen as the best training ground for drivers who want to shoot into the prestigious F-1. World best F- 1 racers, including three-time world champion Ayrton Senna, who died last year, David Coulthard, Gerhard Berger, Rubens Barrichello, Mika Hakkinen and Johny Herbert, are famous alumni of the F-3 championship.

Roy, who wears the Humpuss Team racing suit, looks certain to qualify after triumphing in the Formula Asia opening leg at the Sentul circuit last month. He lost his grip in the second leg last week, but remains in contention for the championship title. He finished fourth in the initial season last year.

Other young drivers, Alvin Bahar, Ananda Mikola and Dandy Rukmana, are vying for the other place. The association is likely to sideline seasoned driver Chandra Alim, who finished second behind Brian Saunders on Sunday, in the pursuit of the F-3 appearance.

"It would be better if I give the way to the F-1 race to younger drivers," Chandra said.

The Formula Asia, the region's only international single- seater championship sanctioned by the world auto racing body FIA, will resume at the Shah Alam circuit in Malaysia in July. Organizers are extending the championship series from eight to 16 legs this season. (amd)