Defending champion Ananda Mikola will be back to defend his crown, although the daring Indonesian rider may not be able to see action in all of the six legs comprising this year’s series, including the inaugural three rounds to be held on May 6-7 at the Batangas Racing Circuit.
The same is true for Irishman John O’Hara, last year’s runner-up, and 2004 champion Christian Jones of Australia, leaving Sy, Peña, the British pair of Dillon Battistini and James Winslow and the rest of the cast right on track to challenge for the championship.
"Tyson and Dado are just one of five to six drivers who can win this year. This one’s going to be much, much more competitive than the one we had last season," said AF3 Corp. chairman Jose Eduardo Peña in yesterday’s PSA Forum where the only Formula 3 series in Asia outside of Japan was formally launched.
Peña was joined in the public sports program sponsored by Pagcor and Manila Mayor Lito Atienza at the main function room of the Pantalan Restaurant in Manila by Sy, Battistini, Winslow, JP Tuason, 2003 AF3 champion Pepon Marave and lady driver Gaby dela Merced.
The only local to post breakthrough victories last year when he completed a golden double in Indonesia, all eyes are expectedly on the 18-year-old Sy who will be the lead driver anew of Speedtech Asia.
"It’s expected that he’s the target of everyone else," Peña said of the young Filipino rider whose real name is Christian Rome. (He was born at the height of heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson’s reign, thus his nickname.)
"Let’s see how he and the rest of the Filipinos will perform this time," Peña added.
Marave, a veteran of local and international races, went one step further, saying Sy, barring any major mechanical breakdown, could cop his breakthrough AF3 title this year.
"If no major technical problems will occur, I see Tyson going to the podium all of the time," Marave said.
Nine teams will compete in the 18-leg series that will also visit China and Indonesia. Making up this year’s roster, aside from Speedtech Asia, are Team Goddard of Dado Peña and another debuting lady driver in Michelle Bumgarner, Marave’s Shell Kinetic PCSO, JA Motorsports of Battistini and Winslow, Aran Racing of O’Hara and Ali Jackson, Tuason Racing School, Denson Hanjin Joson F3, Christian Jones Motorsport and the R&W Team Indonesia led by the brother tandem of Bagoes and Satrio Hermanto.
New cars and an expanded circuit, wherein the competitors battle it out for three races per leg, guarantee a tight chase for the overall title in the event sponsored by PLDT myDSL, PLDT myPAD, Yokohama tires, Lima City hotel, Denso Spark Plugs, Big Shot Billiards, Suzuki, Oxy Enhanced Water, Tuason Racing School, Ford and Mossimo.