Sy wants Mikola’s hide in season-ending AF3 at BRC

Filipino Tyson Sy goes for an encore before his countrymen in the last two rounds of the Asian Formula Three Grand Prix Nov. 6 at the Batangas Racing Circuit.

His only wish is for series leader Ananda Mikola of Indonesia to uip a good fight -- that is, go for the title.

"If Ananda wants, he can coast to a fourth, even fifth place finish in both races and still win the overall crown. I hope he goes into the race determined to win, just like I am," said Sy, 18, noting that with 127 points and a 26-point lead the Indon can opt to play it safe and still win the crown.

Each race is worth 20 points, with second place worth 15, third 12, fourth 10 and fifth 8. Even if Sy, who has 101 points, wins both races the most he can garner are 141 points. Mikola, with a pair of fifth place finishes worth a combined 16 points, will end up with 143.

Both races, sponsored by Addict Mobile, PLDT myDSL, Boysen Paints, Yokohama Tires and Lima Hotel, will be seen live on Studio 23, with the first race set at 10:30 a.m. and the second race at 2:30 p.m. Racing enthusiasts can log on to www.asian3.net and www.mypad.net for regular updates.

Mikola, of Fastron Racing with Threebond, has made it clear he wants to race, having called on the support of some 300 Indon students based in the Philippines to give him a boost come race day. He did the same last April when the opening two rounds were also held at the BRC and, cheered by his countrymen, opened the season with two big wins.

Another Pinoy young gun, Dado Pena, 18, intends to finish the season on a high note and is raring to duplicate what Sy recorded at the Sentul International Circuit in Indonesia last Sept. 18.

"I intend to push hard. I know I have the best team and the best crew. My season has been up and down but I want to finish this one on a high note," said Pena, of Team Goddard-Minardi Team Asia, whose best finish this season so far was third place in Zhuhai, China.

He is just glad that Tyson, a fellow Filipino, is in contention for victory.

"He (Tyson) put himself in that situation. If I can do something about it, why not?" said Pena, who is running fifth in the race for the overall crown with 75 points, behind Irishman John O‚Hara of Shell Helix Kinetic PCSO (79) and Briton James Winslow, also of Shell Helix, with 100 points.