Bohra awarded win in first race of Euro 4 finale after Wharton penalised

Photo: ACI Sport

Ashkay Bohra has been awarded his first single-seater win after James Wharton was penalised following the first race of the Euro 4 decider at Barcelona.

Emerging from the shadow of US Racing team-mate Kacper Sztuka, who is not taking part this weekend, Bohra topped both qualifying sessions on Saturday morning.

Ferrarri junior James Wharton started alongside on the front row and immediately pulled alongside Bohra off the line, but they were joined on the inside by a fast-starting Arvid Lindblad and on the outside by Tuukka Taponen as the four lead cars entered the first corner.

Team-mates Wharton and Taponen took the run-off on the outside and the former rejoined with the lead into Turn 3 ahead of Bohra, with Taponen slotting into third in front of Lindblad.

The positions remained the same over the remainder of the 19 laps, Wharton eking out an advantage of 2.174s over Bohra as he clinched his first race win since the opening Euro 4 round at Mugello in July.

The first corner situation was placed under investigation, and although no action was taken during the race, both Wharton and Taponen were later given five-second penalties.

Bohra therefore gained the win in front of Lindblad, with Wharton demoted to third and Taponen to fifth, behind Ugo Ugochukwu.

With double points on offer for all three races this weekend, Lindblad now leads Bohra by just one point.

Ugochukwu is 15 points from the lead – but is due to start the third and final race from pole courtesy of a best second-fastest time across qualifying – while Wharton is now a further 12 back.

Brando Badoer did manage to pass Freddie Slater with a lap to go to finish sixth.

Race result (19 laps)