Wharton converts pole into second FREC victory after late Giltaire attack

Photo: Dutch Photo Agency

Prema’s James Wharton converted pole into his second Formula Regional European Championship win in race one at the Red Bull Ring.

A slippy track surface contributed to Race Performance Motorsport’ Edgar Pierre crashing out before even making it to the grid, then Prema’s Ugo Ugochukwu spun out at the same corner on the formation lap but was able to rejoin.

Poleman Wharton led into turn one on the opening lap, as Van Amersfoort Racing’s Brando Badoer had a very slow start from third. ART Grand Prix’s Alessandro Giusti got to the inside of Wharton at turn two but ran out of room at turn three.

Trident’s Roman Bilinski took third from Sainteloc Racing’s Theophile Nael at the next corner, with the latter briefly going off and losing another spot as a three-wide fight for sixth formed behind. VAR’s Pedro Clerot but then had an off that cost him places. The safety car was out before the end of the lap due to R-ace GP’s Zachary David and Trident’s Ruiqi Liu being in the gravel.

ART GP’s Evan Giltaire was now fifth, ahead of Badoer, MP Motorsport’s Nikitra Bedrin, Ugochukwu, R-P-M’s Noah Stromsted and Sainteloc’s Enzo Peugeot.

Giltaire flew off at turn one on the lap four restart, but was still able to pass Nael at tun two. Nael was back ahead at turn three, but made another turn four error and also went off at turn five. Further back, R-P-M’s Giovanni Maschio lost his front wing and ART GP’s Yaroslav Veselaho had his race end in the gravel, prompting the safety car to return.

The next restart was on lap seven, and the top two pulled away. Giltaire passed Bilinski, who then came under attack from several others on lap eight. Stromsted and Badoer ended the lap as his closest rivals, but on the lap after Peugeot cleared both in a double move.

Giltaire meanwhile rapidly closed in on the top two, and took second place with a move around the outside of turn one with a few laps to go. He began the last lap on Wharton’s tail, but a sliding moment at turn three cost him a chance of attacking the leader.

There was a big gap to third and fourth, and an even larger one to Peugeot who came under late pressure from Valerio Rinicella. The MP driver scored his first points having only got into the top 10 at the race’s midway point, but he was charging past people thereon.

Stromsted faded to ninth behind Badoer and Ugochukwu, and title contenders Rafael Camara (Prema) and Tuukka Taponen (R-ace) finished 11th and 12th. Trident’s Niko Lacorte set the fastest lap in 22nd by switching to slick tyres.

Race result (18 laps)