Invercargill driver Brendon Leitch continues to hold the lead in the 2013 New Zealand Formula Ford Championship after the penultimate round at Manfeild Park in Feilding this weekend.

However Christchurch driver James Munro has narrowed the margin to just 3 points and the two will go head to head at the Taupo Motorsport Park next month to decide the championship.

This weekends round began well for the 17-year-old Southlander as he took the EH Ball / ITM Stealth to the fastest time in an ultra close qualifying session. However the three races proved a struggle for the championship leader as he battled handling issues with the car. However despite that he was still very much in the thick of the action, placing third in Saturday afternoons opening race before taking second place on Sunday morning after what he himself called a “terrible start.”

In the third and final race Leitch led for the first part of the race in a torrid battle before taking third place at the chequered flag.

Brendon finished third overall for the round, just one point behind Tom Alexander of Christchurch who was second.

After taking a share of overall victory at the opening round of the championship and then winning the second, a lack of straightline speed at Hampton Downs last weekend and handling issues at Manfeild have eroded the young drivers healthy lead.

“We just couldn’t get the car and tyres working together,” said Leitch at the conclusion of the round. “We will be working on the handling before the final round.”

The EH Ball / ITM Stealth will now be taken back to Invercargill for testing before the championship finale at Taupo over the weekend of 9/10 March.