GREAT DUNMOW driver Alex Lynn enjoyed a fine start to the FIA Formula Three Championship by finishing third in the final race at a wet Monza.
The 19-year-old, a race winner in British F3 last season, started from third on the grid and kept his head on a streaming wet track. Conditions were almost impossible to race in and, after a spate of mid-race accidents, the safety car appeared.
With the rain increasing in intensity, it was stopped because conditions were too dangerous.
"My team-mate Raffaele Marciello, who was leading, had the advantage of being able to see. Pascal Wehrlein behind him, was pushing hard because it was his last F3 race before he goes to race in the DTM," said Lynn.
"I was trying my best just to keep on the track and not take any stupid risks. It's nice to get on the podium after a race like that."
Qualifying on Friday was dry, and Lynn was able to take seventh on the grid for race one, fifth for race two and third for race three, in his Mercedes powered Prema Powerteam Dallara.
"We had a bit of bad luck with traffic in the first qualifying session, which sets the grid for races one and two," he said, "and that's a shame because we've been on the pace since we got here for testing. But in the second session, I got a reasonable slipstream from someone.
"I did an even better lap but didn't get a tow. If I'd been able to benefit from that I reckon I'd have got pole."
Unfortunately, Lynn had nowhere to go at the first chicane on the opening lap of Saturday's race.
He finished the first lap down in 14th place, but a charging drive brought him back into the top ten, points paying positions, and he made further progress to finish eighth with some great overtaking manoeuvres.
In the first of Sunday's wet races, Lynn moved up to fourth place but dropped to seventh after going straight on at a chicane. He made it back up to sixth when Will Buller made a mistake, but the race finished under the safety car, preventing him from making any more progress.
"I scored points and it was just a case of survival," he said. "I would like to have finished higher but there wasn't much more that I could do."
Nevertheless, Lynn was one of the few drivers to score points in all three races of the opening round, giving him a good start to the season. I've picked up points in every race and, although I would have preferred the results to be even better, I can't complain. It was really difficult to drive in those two races on Sunday; the amount of water was incredible."
Lynn is now looking forward to the second round, which takes place at Silverstone, scene of his British F3 win last season, in support of the World Endurance Championship on April 12-14.
"At Silverstone we should have strong pace," he said. "Prema's car is really good and I can't wait to get out there."
