Fairclough takes maiden GB3 victory in wild race two at Monza

Photo: MSV TV

Hitech GP’s Deagen Fairclough emerged from a highly eventful second contest of the weekend at Monza as a GB3 race-winner.

A chaotic early part of the race resulted in the safety car being required three times.

Having been challenged off the line by JHR Development’s Noah Lisle and Fairclough, Rodin Motorsport’s polesitter Ninovic locked up approaching turn one, forcing all three drivers to miss the corner. Lisle emerged with the lead from Fairclough and Ninovic upon rejoining the circuit, while there was a separate incident directly behind them.

Xcel Motorsport’s Patrick Heuzenroeder was the leading car to negotiate the first chicane, but he bounced over a kerb and made contact with Reza Seewooruthun and retired almost immediately with a broken front-right suspension. Seewooruthun also appeared to suffer damage and speared across the road into the path of Newman Chi, was spun into retirement with a broken rear ring.

Racing resumed on lap three, but again there was turn one drama. Ninovic made a great restart and immediately swept by Fairclough before challenging Lisle for the lead. Lisle locked up under braking, with Ninovic taking avoiding action by cutting the corner and Lisle also missing the second part of the opening chicane. Fairclough powered past the pair into the lead, and Ninovic rejoined back in third.

But again, the safety car was required as JHR’s Bart Harrison retired after tangling with Isaac Phelps, and there was a separate incident further round the lap: Kabir Anurag ran through the gravel on the exit of the della Roggia chicane and then, as he rejoined, forced Maxim Rehm completely off the road and into the barriers.

The track returned to green on lap five, with Fairclough breaking clear and Ninovic reclaiming second from Lisle, who also lost a further place to Gianmarco Pradel. As the cars came round to complete the lap, Argenti with Prema’s August Raber slid off into the barriers at Parabolica, and the contest was neutralised once more.

The safety car peeled into the pitlane at the end of lap seven, and Fairclough locked up into the first chicane as he defended from Ninovic and cut the corner, and his rival slightly missed the corner as well. Ninovic swept by into the lead as Fairclough rejoined the circuit, with Pradel and Lisle close behind them.

Rodin’s Pradel snatched second from Fairclough on the outside into Parabolica, with the latter drawing back alongside and reclaiming the position at turn one.

Fairclough then got a run at Ninovic, and he was back into the lead at della Roggia. Ninovic was forced to defend from Pradel later around lap at Parabolica, while an incident ensued directly behind them, as Lisle was rear-ended into a spin by Hillspeed’s Lucas Fluxa and limped into the pitlane to retire.

Ninovic challenged Fairclough as the pair started the penultimate lap but was not able to get by. The pair went side by side again into della Roggia on the final tour, and Fairclough held on before leading Ninovic and Pradel home for his first win.

Hitech’s Keanu Al Azhari negotiated all the chaos in the race to climb from 20th on the grid to fourth, with Abbi Pulling taking fifth ahead of Kai Daryanani, Jack Sherwood and Anurag.

Race results (12 laps)