Haverkort comes from 14th for FREC win in mixed conditions

Photo: Diederik van der Laan / DPPA

Kas Haverkort won Saturday’s Formula Regional European Championship race at the Red Bull Ring in mixed conditions.

A lengthy red flag period due to the poor conditions early on truncated running, and a safety car in the final 10 minutes led to a two-lap dash to the finish.

Haverkort passed long-time race leader Pierre-Louis Chovet on the final restart to take the lead, having climbed up from 14th on the grid.

After a dry morning, an intense rain shower hit while the field was on the grid, postponing the start and prompting a safety car start. Several drivers spun behind the safety car, including Eduardo Barrichello and Tereza Babickova, who came to a stop on track.

The track was red flagged until the weather had improved, and by the time the track turned green after another safety car start, there was a clear dry line and many drivers were already beginning to struggle to keep their grooved tyres cool enough.

Gabriele Bortoleto and Hadrien David pitted for slick tyres, while poleman Paul Aron led the way. Aron had faced little challenge prior to his stop for slicks, and emerged outside the top 20,

Barrichello inherited the race lead from Chovet, and Haverkort had been working his way through the order in the green flag running and was sixth when Aron pitted. He quickly found a way past Gabriele Mini, and left him to battle with Joshua Dufek for position.

As Haverkort continued to pick his way forwards, Chovet made a move on Barrichello at Turn 3 for the lead. It wasn’t long afterwards that Haverkort came up against Barrichello too. He put up a good defence, but Haverkort found a way around the outside at Turn 6.

The safety car was then brought out before Haverkort could close the gap to Chovet.

After pitting, Aron had come out behind team-mate Sebastian Montoya, who had been an early pitter. The two came together as Aron tried to find a way past for 22nd place, and Aron was sent spinning into retirement in the gravel.

The track continued to dry during the safety car period, giving the advantage to those on slicks at the restart. But just before the track turned green again it rained, providing a lifeline to those trying to keep grooved tyres cool.

Haverkort claimed P1 from Chovet, with Dino Beganovic attempting to follow him through. Chovet held him off, but couldn’t stop Dufek, who came through on the final lap to snatch second.

Chovet completed the podium on his single-seater return, and Beganovich extending his points lead in fourth.

Barrichello finished fifth, running in the train of drivers behind Dufek and just ahead of Durksen. Mini picked up seventh, and despite the late rain Montoya was able to charge his way into 10th in the final two laps.

Race results (18 laps)