Dufek earns his first FRegional win in reversed-grid Kuwait race

Photo: FRMEC

PHM Racing’s Joshua Dufek earned his first Formula Regional win in the Middle East championship’s reversed-grid race at Kuwait Motor Town.

Dufek started eighth, with the pole position being decided a penalty that was handed out after the previous race. His team-mate Taylor Barnard has finished third in race one on Friday, but he was later handed a 10-second penalty for instigating a lap one crash with Joshua Duerksen that also ruined the races of several other drivers.

The penalty dropped him to 14th, and moved R-ace GP’s Levente Revesz up to 10th place and therefore reserved-grid pole.

Revesz led only for two corners, as he and team-mate Matias Zagazeta ran too deep into turn two, went off and Pinnacle VAR’s Rafael Villagomez passed them both before turn three.

Dufek had got himself into third just a lap later as he went between R-ace pair Revesz and Nikhil Bohra at turn three, and the safety car was then called out due to Sebastian Montoya’s car needing to be retrieved.

Race one winner Dino Beganovic used the opportunity to pit for repairs, after damaging his car and falling down the order, then his rival Gabriele Mini also pitted and chose to retire.

There was more drama just as racing resumed at the end of lap four, as points leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli trundled off at the last corner with damage and his stationary car required the safety car to be summoned again.

Before the safety car did come back out, Dufek was able to monentarily take the lead as he dived down the inside of the top two into turn two but then ran too deep with Villagomez and Bohra emerged in front. Revesz then went off in the esses, putting Dufek in second.

The field had to go through the pits twice while Antonelli’s car was recovered, with racing resuming this time on lap nine.

Dufek took the lead a lap later, passing Bohra on the run to turn two, and Barnard – who had started 14th – got into second.

The gaps started to open up at the front, with Dufek cruising away to victory while Villagomez lost fourth to a charging Rafael Camara. He had started 18th after suffering engine misfires in race one, and had passed Revesz and Prema’s Aiden Neate in one move for fifth.

Also coming from the back were Hyderabad Blackbirds powered by MP drivers Sami Meguetounif and Joshua Duerksen, who started 17th and 21st respectively and finished fifth and eighth.

Race result (14 laps)