Rivera back into Eurocup-3 points lead by winning chaotic Monza race

Photo: Red Bull

Campos Racing’s Ernesto Rivera moved into the Eurocup-3 points lead with victory in a crash-filled first race at Monza.

The safety car was out for the majority of the delayed race’s runtime, beginning on lap one due to multiple crashes.

Rivera started from pole and had MP Motorsport’s Valerio Rinicella alongside him on the front. On the run to the opening corner, Campos’s Enzo Tarnvanichkul found just enough room on the inside to pass several cars actually managed to get his car slowed down and turned in.

But when he kit the corner’s inside kerbs it sent his car straight again and he went off, with Rinicella doing the same after he had a big lock-up. MP’s Mattia Colnaghi and Maciej Gladysz also failed to take turns one and two, Palou Motorsport’s James Egozi went off and further down the field Drivex School’s Preston Lambert and Wiktor Dobrzanski had a crash under braking that also eliminated Palou’s Alceu Feldmann Neto.

Others picked up damage, and several drivers went off at the della Roggia chicane before racing was neutralised by the safety car’s summoning.

Tarnvanichkul and Drviex’s Cristian Cantu pitted at the end of the lap, with Cantu not rejoining the race.

Rivera led Andres Cardenas (MP), Rinicella, Egozi, Gladysz, Emmo Fittipaldi (MP), Colnaghi and Jesse Carrasquedo Jr (Campos). Pre-race points leader Kacper Sztuka, who had qualified 11th, began lap two in 14th.

Racing resumed on lap four and everyone safely navigated the first few corners. But at Parabolica there was a big crash for Sainteloc Racing’s Garrett Berry and the safety car appeared on lap five shortly after Egozi took third place at turn one.

Sztuka had made his way up to ninth, but did had a worse time following the next restart on lap seven.

Egozi sought to pass Cardenas around the outside at turn one but when his rival locked up he cut the first chicane to avoid a clash and rejoined in the lead. He quickly got himself back into third, but then Rinicella demoted him to fourth before the Ascari chicane.

Sztuka’s race ended exiting della Roggia as he collided with team-mate Carrasquedo and the safety car was required again.

The final restart was on lap 10, and Rinicella went wheel-to-wheel with Cardenas at several corners after he made some mistakes but could not get ahead. Rivera quickly pulled away, and Egozi led the pack fighting for fourth but was down to eighth when he reached Parabolica.

Zack Scoular (Palou) and Lorenzo Castillo (Sainteloc) crashed there, while Oscar Wurz (Drivex) hobbled to the pits with a damaged car, and the safety car led the remaining laps as Rivera won.

Race results (12 laps)