Bacheta scores maiden Auto GP win at Marrakech

Photo: Auto GP

F2 champion Luciano Bacheta took his first win in Auto GP in the reverse-grid race at Marrakech, finishing ahead of Vittorio Ghirelli and Kimiya Sato, the same two drivers that shared the podium with him at the previous reverse-grid race at Monza

Bacheta was due to start ninth but was promoted to eighth in race one (and reverse-grid pole) after Ghirelli was penalized for overtaking under yellows. The British driver managed to keep his lead on lap one, while behind him there was mayhem that saw five cars retire on lap one – among them race one winner Sergio Campana.

With lots of people diving into the pits under the subsequent safety car, the race order got a little mashed-up and saw Antonio Spavone take the lead, but the Italian was soon ruled out of the race after compatriot Andrea Roda collided with him when attempting an overtake.

As such, Bacheta emerged from the pits in third and soon took the lead, proceeding as race leader until the chequered flag. Ghirelli, despite the penalty, managed to get up to second, taking the fastest lap points as well, while Sato finished in third. Romanian Robert Visoiu recovered from his race one retirement to take fourth, ahead of Max Snegirev and Meindert van Buuren.

Roda, who was forced to serve a drive through for his collision with Spavone, ended up seventh. Despite not making it to the flag, Yoshitaka Kuroda, Spavone and Michele La Rosa bagged the remaining points.

With Campana’s retirement, Sato retook the lead in the series, with 66 points against the Italian’s 62. The other podium finishers from today, Bacheta and Ghirelli, find themselves in third and fourth, 43 and 42 points respectively.

Race results

Fastest lap: Vittorio Ghirelli (Super Nova International) – 1:29.528