Deligny wins rain-affected second FREC race at Hockenheim

Photo: ACI Sport

R-ace GP’s Enzo Deligny survived tricky weather conditions to take victory in a truncated second Formula Regional Europe race of the weekend at Hockenheim.

Starting from pole, Deligny was never challenged in the limited green flag running, while Trident’s Matteo De Palo took second to close the gap on fourth-placed Freddie Slater at the top of the championship to four points with two races remaining.

The drama started before the lights went green, as the decision was made to delay the start by ten minutes as the cars lined up after their formation lap.

A light drizzle had begun to fall but ultimately only two drivers, Giovanni Maschio and Edouard Borgna opted for wet tyres, although the stewards decided to inactivate push-to-pass.

Deligny made a strong start to lead into the first corner but behind him Sainteloc Racing’s Nikita Bedrin clipped Trident’s Nandhavud Bhirombhakdi, pitching him across the track. Bedrin speared into the Trident of Ruiqi Liu.

With Liu’s car perched on Bedrin’s both were out on the spot and the safety car made its first appearance.

The track was dry when it pulled in at the end of lap five. Deligny maintained his lead from De Palo, while ART Grand Prix’s Evan Giltaire made a move on his team-mate Taito Kato though Turn 2.

As the pair duelled, Slater tried to take advantage but could find no way through. He continued his attack, running side-by-side with Kato through Turn 7 but had to cede the position as Kato forcefully defended the inside line into Turn 8.

Van Amersfoort Racing’s Hiyu Yamakoshi was a spinner on the exit of Turn 1 as he lost control on the kerbs. Fortunately, the rest of the field avoided his sideways car and he managed to rejoin.

Slater finally found a way through into fourth just as the safety car was deployed again as G4 Racing’s Saqer Al Maosherji spun into the Turn 1 gravel, his front tyre worn to the canvas.

As the field formed up behind the safety car, the rain began to fall much more heavily, prompting a number of cars into the pits for wet tyres, led by Prema’s wildcard entry, Mercedes-AMG F1 junior Yuanpu Cui.

The strategy always looked risky as with just over five minutes remaining and the leaders remaining on slicks, a red flag looked highly probable. And so it proved, as the race was brought to an early conclusion on lap 12. With a busy programme at the DTM finale, the decision was immediately taken not to resume racing.

Giltaire took a deserved podium – his first since winning at the Misano season opener – after a strong weekend, from Slater with Kato in fifth.

VAR’s Dion Gowda held onto sixth from R-ace GP’s Akshay Bohra while VAR’s Pedro Clerot dropped out of title contention, despite making up four places to finish eighth.

Race results (10 laps)