The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Weston Hills star Johnathan Hoggard claimed his second win of the BRDC British F3 season at Snetterton over the weekend.
The Fortec Motorsports ace clinched top spot in the first of three races at the Norfolk circuit, before charging from the back of the grid to claim eighth position in round two.
However, he was involved in a three-car collision in the finale and was unable to add to his points tally – meaning he’s 37 points behind series leader Clement Novalak in the overall standings.
The weekend started superbly for Hoggard, who bagged his second consecutive F3 win with an excellent drive in the first race.
His stellar showing included a mid-race pass on early leader and pole sitter Novalak.
Rivals Novalak and Hoggard made good starts from the front row, but with Hoggard on new tyres and Novalak on used rubber, Hoggard was able to keep the pressure on the Carlin driver in the early stages.
He then made a pass stick at the Wilson hairpin on lap six and duly pulled away comfortably to take the win.
“It was a case of putting on the pressure when I was behind Clement,” Hoggard told the official F3 website. “I almost got past him on lap one, he went a bit deep into turn two and I didn’t manage to get the place.
“It was just a case of following him which is really hard to do in these cars, especially around this track as well with the dirty air, and then just wait for a mistake which luckily for me, came quite early on.
“He again went wide at turn two and then I managed to get the place and pull away from there.”
Polesitter Lucas Petersson claimed his first BRDC British F3 win with a lights to flag victory in race two, which Hoggard had to start from 16th following his earlier win.
Still, the South Holland speedster made up an impressive eight places to secure a fine eighth place at the flag. Benjamin Pedersen secured second spot in that one.
The Weston Hills talent started the final race from pole after his exploits in qualifying, but Double R Racing’s Hampus Ericsson made a better start than him and overtook Hoggard around the outside of Riches.
However, Hoggard was then one of three of the frontrunners involved in a first-lap incident that would end their respective races.
Neil Verhagen and Hoggard touched when battling for second spot, with the Double R ace forced onto the grass and cutting up the inside of the hairpin.
He then took out Kiern Jewiss and Hoggard as he re-joined, forcing all three to retire.
Ericsson, the younger brother of ex-F1 racer Marcus, went on to claim his first F3 win after the crash, with series leader Novalak taking second and extending his advantage over second-placed Hoggard.
The next round is at Oulton Park on April 20-22.
