Malaysia’s Akash close to historic victory in Formula 3

Malaysian racer Akash Nandy after winning Race 1 of Round 6 in the Formula 3 Remus Championship in Germany during the weekend.

PETALING JAYA: Youngster Akash Nandy is just two races away from making history as the first Malaysian to win an overall Formula 3 championship on European soil.

The 18-year-old will head to the final round of the Formula 3 Remus Championship in Brno, the Czech Republic, from Sept 19-20 with a comfortable cushion of 35 points at the top of the overall standings. 

Former Formula 1 world champions Ayrton Senna of Brazil and German Michael Schumacher were once overall winners of the championships.

Akash experienced a mixed outing in the penultimate round in Lausitzring, Germany, over the weekend.

He won Race 1 comfortably from pole position on Saturday, but a broken drive shaft just before Sunday’s Race 2 forced the Malaysian to watch the proceedings from the pit.

Jordi Weckx of Belgium won the race and the 35-year-old is the only one capable of denying Akash from sealing the overall title in Brno.

“I managed to do the formation lap for Race 2, but I had to skip the race due to a broken drive shaft. It was really frustrating. But these things happen and it’s all part of racing,” said Akash, who is the youngest participant in the championship.

After six rounds, Akash leads with 218 points compared to Weckx’s 183. Akash has eight wins and one second placing in 12 races.   

“If not for the two retirements in the fourth round in Salzburgring (Austria) last month, I would have sealed the championship title by now.

“I just have to finish on the podium for the last two races and the title is mine,” said Akash, a business administration student in the United Kingdom.

He added: “Now I will try to bring glory to the country next month. It feels good listening to the ‘Negaraku’. Some of the fans are not aware of where Malaysia is and I feel proud being a Malaysian standing on top of the podium each time I win a race.”

So far, two Malaysians – Jazeman Jaafar and Nabil Jefri – came close to winning Formula 3 championship titles in Europe. Jazeman was runner-up in the British Formula 3 Championship in 2012 while Nabil was also second overall in the German Formula 3 Championship last year.

ROUND 6 RESULTS

Race 1 (15 laps): 1. Akash Nandy (Mas) Performance Racing 25:03.199, 2. Jordi Weckx (Bel) Rennsport 25:38.872, 3. Jakub Smiechowski (Pol) Inter Europol 25:38.971.

Race 2 (15 laps): 1. Jordi Weckx (Bel) Rennsport 25:46.358, 2. Jakub Smiechowski (Pol) Inter Europol 26:10.027, 3. Kurt Bohlen (Cze) Franz Woss Racing 26:38.978; Selected: Akash Nandy (Mas) Performance Racing did not start.

Leading overall standings: 1. Akash Nandy (Mas) Performance Racing 218 pts, 2. Jordi Weckx (Bel) Rennsport 183, 3. Thomas Amweg (Swi) Jo Zeller Racing 135, 4. Christopher Hoher (Aut) Franz Woss Racing 113, 5. Kurt Bohlen (Swi) Franz Woss Racing 85.