Photo: SMP Karting
Yaroslav Shevyrtalov moved to the top of the SMP Formula 4 standings in the absence of former points leader Artem Severiukhin in round three at the NRing.
The first of two qualifying sessions took place in hot conditions and Yaroslav Shevyrtalov set a 1m16.594s to earn race one pole by 0.117 seconds over Ivan Pigaev.
Marko Markozov was a further 0.108s behind in third, and just 0.121s split him and Vladimir Verkholantsev in seventh place. Egor Stepanov-Kim qualified fourth, ahead of Matvey Sonkin and Vladislav Ryabov.
Shevyrtalov doubled up in Q2, a 1m16.868s earning him race two pole ahead of Verkholantsev, Platon Kostin and Pigaev.
Pigaev jumped forward from his grid box then stalled at the start of race one and fell to last, with Shevyrtalov leading Stepanov-Kim and the rest of the field around the twisty circuit.
Ryabov jumped to third, ahead of Sonkin and Markozov. There was almost no overtaking, although on lap eight Markozov went deep into a corner and lost out to Egor Nosov. He was on the defensive against Anatoly Khavalkin for many laps after that but held on.
Shevyrtalov won by 3.73s, with Ryabov a further 1.629s back, and Pigaev recovered to 10th.
Race two was initially similar, with Shevyrtalov leading Verkholantsev and Pigaev. Kostin was fourth before being spun by Khavalkin at turn one on lap two, and Markozov was eighth but coming under attack lots.
Rain arrived arrived on lap nine and Mikhail Yushenkov spun off ahead, then Khavalkin crashed out. Drivers were sliding around on slick tyres, and when Pigaev was handling it best. He overtook Verkholantsev, then when the leader almost went sideways on a kerb he went past him too.
The safety car was soon summoned, and was out until red flags waved due to the rain. Shevyrtalov was among those who pitted for wet-weather tyres, and lost a lot of places while stopped, but as the results were taken from the end of lap 13 he was classified second.
Race three was the next day, and Nosov started on reversed-grid pole ahead of Ryabov, Stepanov-Kim, Verkholantsev, Shevyrtalov and Pigaev.
Stepanov-Kim stalled, and charging up to second and third were Stepanov-Kim and Shevyrtalov.
There were two attempts by Shevyrtalov on lap two to take second place, then the race settled down.
Nosov built a slight lead on lap six, as a train of cars followed Stepanov-Kim, who had to fend off a turn one dive from Shevyrtalov on lap nine.
Khavalkin took seventh place on lap 10 from Mikhail Kaurov, who then crashed into a spinning Sonkin on lap 11. The safety car came out, and once the track was cleared only three laps remained.
Shevyrtalov dived down the inside at turn one on the restart but Stepanov-Kim held on. A few corners later there was another crash, but racing continued.
Going into the hairpin on the final lap, Nosov ran deep and Stepanov-Kim took the lead to win. Shevyrtalov got by too with a few corners remaining.
Results round-up
Race 1 (23 laps)
1 Yaroslav Shevyrtalov Lada Sport 29m43.093s
2 Egor Stepanov-Kim SPM Racing +3.730s
3 Vladislav Ryabov Texol Racing +5.359s
4 Matvey Sonkin TMS Racing +11.540s
5 Egor Nosov SMP Racing +14.922s
6 Marko Markozov SMP Racing +18.794s
7 Anatoly Khavalkin Prima Racing +19.410s
8 Vladimir Verkholantsev SMP Racing +20.084s
9 Platon Kostin NI Racing +20.455s
10 Ivan Pigaev ITeCo Racing +25.100s
Pole: Shevyrtalov, 1m16.594s
Fastest lap: Shevyrtalov, 1m16.723s
Race 2 (13 laps)
1 Pigaev 19m36.596s
2 Shevyrtalov +1.507s
3 Verkholantsev +1.508s
4 Stepanov-Kim +2.230s
5 Ryabov +5.209s
6 Nosov +5.912s
7 Kostin +6.714s
8 Markosov +7.085s
9 Mikhail Kaurov TMS Racing +9.071s
10 Andrey Sizov Lada Sport +10.472s
P: Shevyrtalov, 1m16.868s
FL: Shevyrtalov, 1m17.099s
Race 3 (19 laps)
1 Stepanov-Kim 29m18.113s
2 Shevyrtalov +1.209s
3 Nosov +1.536s
4 Pigaev +1.899s
5 Kostin +2.617s
6 Verkholantsev +4.900s
7 Khavalkin +5.380s
8 Gerasim Skulanov Texol Racing +5.696s
9 Markosov +7.233s
10 Mikhail Yushenkov NI Racing +11.530s
FL: Ryabov, 1m16.650s
Championship standings
1 Shevyrtalov 209 2 Artem Severiukhin 133 3 Stepanov-Kim 123 4 Nosov 118 5 Pigaev 105 6 Kirill Kutskov 103 7 Verkholantsev 93 8 Kostin 85 9 Ryabov 57 10 Markozov 54