Riccardo Agostini and Nicola Marinangeli took their first win of the year and the maiden one in the series in the AF Corse Ferrari 296 in the Sunday race at Red Bull Ring.
The AF Corse pair imposed itself in a closely-fought race, packed with incidents before and after the pit stops. It ended behind the safety car, which had to intervene three times.
Sam De Haan and Chris Fagg were second in the Optimum Motorsport McLaren, making up some of the points lost yesterday, thanks also to the ‘zero points’ incurred by Menchaca- Siebert (Motopark Mercedes). Siebert’ accident with Daan Arrow (Oregon Lambo) prompting the final safety-car.
Third overall was the Eastalent Audi of Simon Reicher-Christopher Haase after Marco Pulcini-Eddie Cheever (AF Corse Ferrari) were demoted to sixth because of a 3-second penalty for an overtaking infringement, relegating them to third in Pro-Am behind Jedlinski- Basz (Olimp Audi) and Rosi-Schirò (Kessel Racing Ferrari).
In Am, there was a first win of the season for Kiki Sak Nana and Adam Osieka (GetSpeed Mercedes), ahead of the AF Corse Ferraris of Cozzi-Sernagiotto and Forgione-Montermini.
Race
Having taken his first pole of the season, Charlie Fagg made a perfect start in the Optimum McLaren ahead of Chovet, who also started from the front row, Barr, L.Proctor, Cheever, Haase, Menchaca, Mettler, Basz and Schirò. The initial laps saw Cheever taking third ahead of Haase and Basz, who has passed Proctor, Mettler and Barr, who was dropping positions with an apparent issue. Walker spun in turn 1, while Grunewald led in Am.
By lap 7, Fagg had a 2.6-second advantage on Chovet and Cheever, while behind them there was a fierce Audi duel between Haase and Basz. Soon the four of them get together and the battle was even fiercer, with Basz and Basz exchanging positions. Eventually, the Pole got through. At the back, there was a contact between Osieka and Perolini.
On lap 11, Cheever and Basz passed Chovet, whose pace dropped and he had to let past Haase and Proctor too.
Fazal-Karim spun in turn 10 and remained stranded on the straight, which prompted the safety-car out on lap 15.
At the restart, the driver change window opened, with numerous cars diving into the pit lane, while Pavlovic spun and got stuck in the gravel trap after being hit. Out come the safety car again!
After the re-start and all driver changes (lap 27), Agostini was in the lead, with De Haan right behind, then Pulcini, Reicher, Jedlinski, Saada, Rosi and Müller, while the fiercest duel was between Arrow, Siebert and Rueda for tenth, while Cipriani was sent into a spin at turn 1 by Neumann.
More drama struck on lap 33 when Siebert hit Arrow between turns 6 and 7. The Lambo sent against the barriers and getting airborne, but luckily landed back on its wheels, with no harm for the Dutch driver. The safety-car was scrambled and stayed out until the checkered.flag
(NB Results are provisional as Team Motopark presented a protest and subsequent appeal concerning the safety car procedure)
