Alex Lynn wins 60th Macau Grand Prix
Englishman takes title for Theodore Racing, famed marque of 'Mr Macau', Teddy Yip
Alex Lynn led from start to finish to win an enthralling 60th Macau Grand Prix on Sunday.
The Englishman, racing for Theodore Racing by Prema Powerteam, started on pole and held off the challenge of last year's winner, Antonio Felix Da Costa, over a gripping 15 laps.
In the event's diamond jubilee, and 30 years after Teddy Yip brought Ayrton Senna to Macau to win for Theodore Racing, it was a fitting triumph for the famous marque, brought back this year by Teddy Yip Jr for the anniversary.
Video: Macau Grand Prix 2013
Pole position is often not the best place to start from in the famous Formula 3 race, but Lynn managed to hold on at the start, then fought off a determined challenge from Portugal's Da Costa (Carlin) over the remainder of the race. Brazilian Pipo Derani (Fortec) was third after the highly-rated Raffaele Marciello (Prema) crashed out on lap 11.
"I can't really put it into words - I've dreamed of winning this race ever since I came here for the first time. Since I finished third last year all I've wanted to do is win it, and I can't believe I've done it," said the 20-year-old Lynn.
"I think I had quite a lot of understeer in the qualification race and Marciello was a lot quicker than me in the last corner in that race. I thought I'd have to battle my way back through after being passed at the start or a restart. The gap between me and Antonio kept coming down and I just thought 'hang on, hang on,' and I did it in the end."
Da Costa, who was a late entry for the event having been surprisingly overlooked for the vacant Formula One seat at Toro Rosso said his lack of recent practice in an F3 had counted against him becoming only the second driver to win back-to-back titles.
"I said the whole weekend it had to be the win and if not at least put up a good fight and that's what we did so I have to be happy with the result," he said. "The last time I drove one of these cars was actually in last year's race so it was always going to be tough. At least we made Alex sweat for it and he drove a magnificent race."
