Photo: MRF Racing
Mick Schumacher and?Joey Mawson?shared the victories on the first day of racing in MRF Challenge round three at the Buddh?grand prix circuit in India.
Schumacher qualified on pole position and covered off?Harrison Newey at the start on his way to race one victory.
Felipe Drugovich swept around the outside of Newey at the first corner to get second, and Schumacher had the Brazilian for close company for much of the race before finishing 1.7 seconds clear.
The top four broke away from the pack, with Newey completing the podium while?Mawson recovered from a terrible getaway that briefly left him eighth.
He had gained fourth by the exit of Turn 3 through after?Rinus van Kalmthout?forced himself and Estonian duo?Ralf Aron and?Juri Vips wide.
Vips would later have a curious tangle with?Pedro Cardoso, swerving into the Brazilian as he tried to pass him into the final corner, ripping the left-rear corner from his car and going off into the gravel, with the damage ruling him out of race two.
Mawson came from fifth on the reverse grid to win the second race, despite a sideways?moment when he clashed with third-placed Aron attempting to rejoin the track after the first corner.
Japanese Formula 3 national class champion?Yoshiaki Katayama held the lead from reverse-grid pole on the first lap and through a safety car period, required after Drugovich was spun around by?Pavan Ravishanker at Turn 3.
Katayama fell back after the restart, with?Kim-Luis Schramm taking up the lead, but Mawson was able to overtake him?on the following lap.
The Australian could then pull away as the rest of the field tried to clear the German, and he finished eight seconds clear as he extended his points lead.
Aron took second, but only after a frantic battle with Schramm. He got ahead at Turn 3 on lap five but then had to go defensive down the back straight, and he got considerable air off a huge bump off the racing line.
Schramm managed to get the place back on the inside, and both drivers would fly over the bump once more on the following lap as Aron this time secured second.
Schumacher and Newey would also get past Schramm before the end for third and fourth respectively.