Judice takes first F3 win.

Brazilian driver Ernani Judice converted pole position into a first F3 win at Knockhill yesterday in the Green Flag British F3 Championship with Avon Tyres.

Judice, driving for Parker F3, grabbed pole position for round 19 of the championship and bolted away at the green light to lead at the first corner of the stand-alone Scholarship Class race for drivers in two-year-old cars.

Championship leader Robbie Kerr tucked in behind and Irish driver Michael Keohane grabbed third ahead of Dutchman Robert Doornbos and Matthew Gilmore. However, a spin for Doornbos at McIntyres dropped him to seventh and heralded an impressive early race recovery. As Judice led on a wet road, Kerr closed and was being caught, in turn, by Keohane and Gilmore. Gilmore was charging, setting the fastest lap of the race and inching up on tot he back of Keohane's car as Doornbos had a second spin dropping him to 11th place.

With Kerr mounting an attack on Judice, backmarkers loomed ahead and Judice was delayed avoiding a spinning Bobby Issazadhe at Clarks. As the Swede spun out of the race, Judice found Kerr, Keohane and Gilmore right with him and had to defend strenuously to keep Kerr at bay as the Brit challenged exiting the Hairpin.

A safety car period bunched the cars up and on the resumption of the race Keohane lunged past Kerr for second place at McIntyres only to spin out of the race and hand third place to Gilmore. With Kerr delayed, Matthew found a way past him as well offering Gilmore second place at the flag.

Kerr took third ahead of the recovered Doornbos with Mark Mayall and an impressive Aaron Scott comp0-leting the top ten.

The star drive, though, came from Judice. "I am really pleased. The car was good and the conditions were very bad which made it very hard work, but it is great to win and I hope to do it again alter."

Judice had taken pole for round 20 as well but the race was cancelled after track conditions became too bad for racing. Plans are in hand to run the race at Thruxton on September 1.