Sofi was on fire at Symmons Plains.. literally! (Click for Hi-Res download)

SYDNEY DRIVER MATHEW SOFI has ended the points-scoring segment of the 2008 Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 year by scoring six championship-class podium finishes in the final eight races of the year.

23 year old Sofi will now look to the non-championship Nikon Indy 300 races to shoot for his first race win.

After scoring 47 championship points in the first four rounds, Sofi came home with a flourish in his #2 Total Developments Dallara F307 – Mugen Honda, scoring 89 points in the final four and finishing fourth in the championship, with 136 points.

Continual improvement from Sofi and the Astuti Motorsport team was clear to see at Symmons Plains as the team tested new shock absorber packages in pre-round testing.

Strong pace earlier in the races was the aim and after a strong day of testing the team was confident ahead of the race weekend.

”We changed the front of the car from a twin-shock system to a single one,” Sofi explained.

”I think we have learnt that it works better with the Kumho Tyres and helps them come up to temperature quicker, which should help us early in the races. Our car has always taken a few laps longer than anyone to come on strong, so hopefully this is the fix.”

Sofi finished fourth in both Friday practice sessions and was then fifth in qualifying one, a challenging session held on a drying track.

A dry qualifying two showed the improvement in pace from the #2 car, however, Sofi qualifying third just 0.3s from pole position.

A slow start to race one dropped Mat back to eighth place at the end of the first lap, but a recovery drive saw him come though the field to eventually finish the race fourth outright and third of the Championship Class cars.

Race two – the 30 lap Country Club F3 SuperPrix – saw a five car dice for the lead for a majority of the race with Sofi well in contention from the opening lap.

After a high-speed slipstreaming battle Sofi again finished forth outright and was again third of the championship class cars – finishing behind the national class entry of Tim Macrow, the 2007 F3 champion.

”Overall it was a good weekend, and the changes we made to the car have been very, very positive,” Sofi enthused.

”We were in the hunt all weekend and we gave away nothing in car speed to anyone else. The last half of the year has been very strong for us and I have to thank the Astuti Motorsport boys for their hard work. We are getting closer and closer to that first win and hopefully Indy will be where we can get it.”

The non-championship Nikon Indy 300 F3 Challenge will be held on the world famous Surfers Paradise street circuit between October 23 – 26.

For more information head to www.mathewsofi.com

ENDS