David Ostella wrapped up his first open wheel championship a week ago as the FBMW Americas schedule came to a close at the F1 Brazilian Grand Prix. After a disappointing Saturday race that ended with a blown engine, the teenager from Maple, Ontario, rebounded on Sunday with a climb from outside the top ten to eighth.
The weekend began with a tenth best time in practice, then Ostella chopped over a full second in qualifying but still went backward, timing eleventh in the field. “It was a little upsetting to know I went that much faster but just not fast enough,” he said upon his return to Canada. “I was hoping to place in the top ten, but missed by one, and then knew it was going to be work to get back toward the front. But I had no worries. We only had one session for practice and I thought it was good. I was a little slow through the corners but was just trying to get used to the track.”
Race one began well on Saturday, as Ostella launched from a standing start and gained positions through turn one and down the hill. “The first race I had a good run around the outside but had to slow down at the apex of two and then had nothing down the straight,” he said. “I got passed and went to right to the back!” If he didn’t have enough work in front of him after qualifying, he certainly did after lap one when the climb forward began. Twelve, eleven, ten, nine, eight... “and with three laps to go I head down the straight and the motor blows and I coasted into the pits.”
That cued the season finale Sunday morning as Ferrari-crazed Brazilians began streaming into the Interlagos circuit. “In race two I had a decent start and with help from Ricardo Favoretto after turn three we drafted forward,” Ostella said. “I then missed my braking point for turn four which let him get by, but I was then up to ninth and got eighth when my teammate Giancarlo Vilarinho blew a tire. I lost the pack in front of me when I messed up a corner, and from there I just stayed eighth.”
David raced at the Brazilian Grand Prix with support from his season-long partners in Global Precast Motorsports, Alpinestars, and RAW Integrated, but it isn’t over yet. Next up will be the Formula BMW World Final December 5-7 at Mexico City. The Autódromo Hermanos Rodriguez will host FBMW racers from around the world with the winner earning a cherished test in a BMW Sauber F1 Team Formula One race car. For more information, please visit www.davidostella.com
From: Jason Holland // Photo Credit: Kathy Kerber
Photo Cutline: Brazil was the final race in the Americas Championship.
<<in car by Kathy Kerber.jpg>>
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