Peña crashes out; Sy takes 4th in AF3

BOGOR, Indonesia – Dado Peña smashed into a concrete wall in qualifying session Thursday, effectively knocking him out of Rounds 10 and 11 in the Asian Formula 3 Grand Prix series Thursday at the sun-baked Sentul International Circuit here.

The 19-year-old Team Goddard driver came out of the accident unhurt, but was nevertheless brought to a hospital where he was given a clean bill of health.

At about the same time Peña was checking out of the hospital, James Winslow of England was cruising to an easy victory, his second this season. Circuit leader Ali Jackson of Ireland salvaged second, followed by Moreno Soeprapto of Indonesia.

"I’m sorry for Dado (Peña). I hope he’s okay," said Winslow, who trimmed Jackson’s lead to 15 with eight rounds left.

How soon Peña can return to the track depends on how quick his team can repair his 04 Dallara whose transmission, suspension and wings were smashed by the 150-kilometer per hour impact.

"I was running okay. I had a great feel of the car and I was really pushing for it," Peña described his qualifying run. "I really felt that I can have a good place in qualifying until I ran wide in turn 2 and hit the wall rear first. But I’m okay, I just need to rest."

Tyson Sy of Speedtech Asia caused a mild stir when he opted to use his old car, a decision reached late Wednesday night.

"After much deliberation, the team decided to dispense with our regular car and bring back our old car to action," said Sy who finished fourth, just eight-tenths of a second behind Soeprapto.

Gabby dela Merced skidded out of the race after lap six and returned to the pit on foot while Michelle Bumgarner of Team Goddard finished last.