MRF Challenge: Drugovich wins hat-trick of titles

ABU DHABI:

Felipe Drugovich

still can't apply for a regular driving license in his home country, Brazil. It will take another year for him to do so. But the 17-year-old lad is not only making news in the MRF Challenge, but he has now emerged as the hot favourite to claim the title in the sixth edition of the championship by winning three back-toback races here at the

Yas Marina Circuit

.

The hat-trick has put the teenager firmly on top, increasing the gap to his rivals. But, those victories didn't come easily. During the practice races, his car's body parts were coming out. But he and his support staff overcame the problems, and the champion racer was quick to thank the maintenance personnel for a wonderful job.

Out of the three wins here, Drugovich performed at his best after starting off at sixth spot on the grid in the first race of the morning on Friday (as per the reverse grid rule for the top six finishers in the 1st race) and left the rest gasping to grab the lead after just the second lap, overtaking the first five front-racers. From then on, there was no looking back.

Top results

Race 11. Felipe Drugovich (Bra) 25:50.742;
2. Presley Martono (Idn) 25:53.085;
3. Julien Falchero (Fra) 25:53.606;
4. Louis Gachot (Fra) 25:54.448;
5. Alex Karkosik (Pol) 25:54.885.

Race 21. Felipe Drugovich (Bra) 25:52.221;
2. Julien Falchero (Fra) 25:54.098;
3. Alex Karkosik (Pol) 25:556.089;
4. Presley Martono (Idn) 25:57.277;
5. Nazim Azman (Mas) 26:00.283.

Race 3
1. Felipe Drugovich (Bra) 21:58.696;
2. Julien Falchero (Fra) 22:12.174;
3. Rinus

Van Kalmthout

(Ned) 22:13.195;
4. Michelangelo

Amendola

(Bel) 22:26.080;
5. Manuel

Maldonado

(Ven) 22:31.418.