Fraga outduels young Kiwi to triumph at Grand Prix

Igor Fraga came of age yesterday, with the 21-year-old winning the New Zealand Grand Prix and Toyota Racing Series title with a stylish and dominant drive that marked him out as a potential next-in-line to countrymen Emerson Fittipaldi, Nelson Piquet and Ayrton Senna as a Brazilian Formula One champion.

Six Formula One champions have won the New Zealand Grand Prix, including three-time winners Sir Jack Brabham and Sir Jackie Stewart.

One of the great lost talents of Formula One — Brazilian Roberto Moreno — also won it, back in 1982, and was on hand to watch countryman and protege Fraga lead the Grand Prix and pip Red Bull Junior and reigning Kiwi champion Liam Lawson to the title.

“It is an unbelievable feeling to win,” he said on the podium. “I am very, very happy to succeed and it’s something really special.”

Fraga set the standard from the moment the lights went out for the 35-lap race of the challenging, cambered Manfeild track. He made three clean restarts from Safety Car periods and left nothing for his challengers to grasp as an opportunity. Chief among those challengers was 18-year-old Lawson, who piled on the pressure from the start but could not find a way past Fraga.

One massive final effort after the last restart came to nothing and as Fraga pressed home his advantage in the late stages of the race, all hope for Lawson was lost when he hit the rev limiter on the back straight in his chase of the Brazilian.

Finishing 15th was remarkable 78-year-old Kenny Smith. His 49th New Zealand Grand Prix start — and finish — meant he has completed three-quarters of all New Zealand Grand Prix races ever run.

Starting from the pit lane after an awful qualifying session in which he failed to record a time, he stayed in touch throughout, and was within half a lap of the race and championship winner at the flag, receiving a massive cheer from the fans.