Canadian karting star Thomas Nepveu made a winning start to his car racing career at Queretaro in NACAM Formula 4.
The teenager missed out on pole, but beat Gil Molina – who made his series debut last time out – comfortably in race one to win by 5.806 seconds. Andres Perez de Lara was the best of the title contenders in third, beating Nico Christodoulou to the podium’s final spot while points leader finished almost 40 seconds behind and outside of the points after starting on pole.
Sidral Aga driver Jorge Garciarce finished a season-best fifth, then took a stride forward in race two to beat Nepveu to victory by 4.401s. Perez de Lara again rounded out the podium, while his brother Pedro is absent, and Jose Garfias Martinez made it a 2-3-4 for RPL Racing.
This time it was Christodoulou languishing further back, as Leon finished sixth.
Leon was on pole again for race three, and kept the lead for 12 minutes from the start as the race as the cars completed laps behind the safety car.
On this occasion he remainder leader of the race under green flag running, gradually pulling away from Christodoulou – who had passed Molina for second place at the start before the pace car came out – and winning by 5.173s.
Nepveu found his way past Perez de Lara for third place not long after the restart and kept the position for the rest of the race; unable to get near the pace of the top two but well clear of those behind.
Perez de Lara failed to hold on to fourth place after being under pressure for most of the race. Molina was sat on his gearbox for 10 laps, before Sidral Aga’s Jesse Garrasquedo found a way past and started attacking Perez de Lara in the closing stages.
It only took him two lap to clear Perez de Lara, who fell back into the clutches of Molina but did at least beat him to fifth. The lost spots means Perez de Lara also falls behind Christodoulou as Leon’s closest rival in points ahead of the title-deciding round at Monterrey between the trio.
Results round-up
Race 1 (27 laps)
1 Thomas Nepveu RPL Racing 26m53.041s
2 Gil Molina MEA Racing +5.806s
3 Andres Perez de Lara RPL Racing +6.305s
4 Nico Christodoulou Scuderia Martiga +7.170s
5 Jorge Garciarce Sidral Aga +15.834s
6 Alejandro Berumen Ram Racing +17.683s
7 Jose Garfias Martinez RPL Racing +19.471s
8 Jesse Garrasquedo Sidral Aga +20.721s
9 David Morales Euromotor Sport +21.306s
10 Daniel Escoto FF&R IBC Group +26.669s
Pole: Leon, 58.448s
Fastest lap: Nepveu, 58.949s
Race 2 (27 laps)
1 Garciarce 27m04.570s
2 Nepveu +4.401s
3 Perez de Lara +14.256s
4 Garfias Martinez +14.536s
5 Berumen +19.559s
6 Noel Leon Ram Racing +25.475s
7 Morales +26.707s
8 Escoto +35.100s
9 Christodoulou +36.081s
10 Molina +44.931s
FL: Nepveu, 59.353s
Race 3
1 Leon 25 laps
2 Christodoulou +5.173s
3 Nepveu +10.301s
4 Garrasquedo +16.054s
5 Perez de Lara +18.691s
6 Molina +18.841s
7 Garciarce +23.835s
8 Escoto +38.044s
9 Berumen +39.913s
10 Chara Mansur Ram Racing +40.079s
P: Leon
FL: Leon, 59.433s
Championship standings
1 Leon 267 2 Christodoulou 222 3 Perez da Lara 221 4 Garfias Martinez 189 5 Pablo Perez de Lara 140 6 Morales 66 7 Molina 65 8 Garciarce 60 9 Nolan Siegel 60 10 Escoto 60