Photo: Formula Regional Americas
Linus Lundqvist tightened his grip on the Formula Regional Americas Championship as he added two more wins to his name at Sebring.
Rain on Friday night delayed qualifying, but that wasn’t enough to stop championship leader, and rookie, Lundqvist from taking his fourth consecutive pole position.
But it wasn’t plain sailing for the Swede in the first race of the weekend.
Lundqvist led early on, but it was Danial Frost and David Malukas who soon took over at the front.
Lundqvist soon lost more positions to reigning US Formula 4 champion Joshua Car and Victor Franzoni.
Malukas and Frost had built a lead of eight seconds over Car, but this was wiped out due to a full-course yellow. Malukas held on to take his maiden win, with Franzoni nicking third place from Car.
Lundqvist’s run of eight consecutive wins was brought to an end thanks to his engine cover departing his Global Racing Group entered Ligier JS F3, as he was classified in sixth.
More rain on Saturday night caused more standing water, and the remaining two races were also delayed.
Malukas initially led the second race from pole, but was hunted down by Lundqvist.
An accident at Turn 7 involving Frost, Jordan Missig and championship debutant Kyffin Simpson brought out the red flag.
The race resumed with Malukas holding the lead as Lundqvist battled with Franzoni for second, with Jacob Abel not far behind.
Malukas then spun out of the lead, rejoining 13 seconds down to Lundqvist.
The 2018 BRDC British Formula 3 champion went unchallenged to claim his ninth race win, with Franzoni in second and Abel taking his first podium of the season in third place after Car fell down the order.
After their accident in the second race, Frost and Missing did not take the start for the third race.
Lundqvist led from the start once again, but the race was soon under a full-course Yellow after Car stopped with a broken left-rear suspension at Turn 7 after making contact with Abel. Abel pitted to have his car checked, but rejoined without losing a lap.
Lundqvist soon pulled a gap of two seconds over Franzoni and a further second on Malukas.
Once again Lundqvist went unchallenged by his rivals and he took his 10th win of the season by 2.5 seconds ahead of Franzoni and Malukas taking another podium despite being over seven seconds behind the winner.
James Roe took his best result of the season in fourth, and Abel recovered to finish fifth.
Lundqvist will have his first chance to secure the title at Homestead-Miami next month.
Results round-up
Race 1 (16 laps)
1 David Malukas HMD Motorsports 35m45.218s
2 Danial Frost Andretti Autosport +0.809s
3 Victor Franzoni Newman Wachs Racing +4.412s
4 Joshua Car Crosslink/Kiwi Motorsport +5.351s
5 Jacob Abel Abel Motorsports +9.510s
6 Linus Lundqvist Global Racing Group +10.686s
7 Kyffin Simpson HMD Motorsports +11.047s
8 Logan Cusson HMD Motorsports +11.825s
9 Dario Cangialosi Global Racing Group +12.108s
10 Nicky Hays Global Racing Group +12.665s
Pole: Lundqvist, 2m00.967s
Fastest lap: Malukas, 2m01.908s
Race 2 (18 laps)
1 Lundqvist 35m41.762s
2 Franzoni +3.392s
3 Abel +9.640s
4 Cusson +15.705s
5 Malukas +18.636s
6 Hays +27.764s
7 James Roe Jr Global Racing Group +28.372s
8 Matt Round-Garrido Velocity Racing Development +30.292s
9 Cangialosi +30.840s
Ret Car
FL: Lundqvist, 2m01.683s
Race 3 (16 laps)
1 Lundqvist
2 Franzoni +2.515s
3 Malukas +7.203s
4 Roe +14.347s
5 Abel +15.639s
6 Round-Garrido +18.784s
7 Hays +19.849s
8 Cusson +20.086s
9 Simpson +21.240s
10 Cangialosi +25.130s
FL: Franzoni, 2m02.590s
Championship standings
1 Lundqvist 258 2 Malukas 174 3 Franzoni 144 4 Car 95 5 Hays 87 6 Abel 77 7 Frost 62 8 Roe 44 9 Jordan Missig 41 10 Benjamin Pederseon 30