Yevan David wins Euroformula thriller at Spa-Francorchamps by 0.07s

Photo: Fotospeedy

Motopark’s Yevan David grew his Euroformula points lead by triumphing in a thrilling first race of the weekend at Spa-Francorchamps.

BVM Racing’s Tymek Kucharczyk narrowly led the way in practice. He topped FP1 by 0.029s, then a 2m10.444s put him 0.344s ahead of Motopark’s Jose Garfias in FP2.

David topped qualifying by 0.488s after posting a 2m08.762s on his penultimate lap, with Garfias second and team-mate Michael Shin 0.624s off pole in third. Diego De la Torre was the only other driver within a second of David.

It did not take long for David to lose the lead in race one, as Garfias and Shin went past him down the Kemmel Straight on the opening lap. Shin then tried to get down the inside of Garfias too as Les Combes but they made contact as they switched direction and David went back past both.

Further back, Nielsen’s Ed Pearson made an impressive move on BVM’s Vladislav Ryabov at Blanchimont.

David and Shin chose the outside down the Kemmel Straight on lap two, and the latter got alongside Garfias before locking up, missing Les Combes entirely and dropping to fourth. As the right side of his front wing scraped against the track, he lost more places before pitting.

Garfias picked the outside on lap three and took the lead at Les Combes. Kucharczyk was now on their tail too, as the field was bunched together by the safety car after Motopark’s Fernando Barrichello crashed out in a spin at turn 11.

Racing resumed on lap six, and Garfias went to the inside while David chose the outside down Kemmel as both defended against Kucharczyk. He decided to take to the grass on the inside to take second place, then David went deep exiting Les Combes and Kucharczyk slipped by into the lead.

Garfias could not get his car turned into Les Combes due to damage and a rear-right puncture, and he hobbled to the pits.

A lap later Kucharczyk hit the dust he had brought onto the track, slowing him down so David was free to reclaim the lead around the outside into Les Combes. Racing was neutralised again on lap eight, as Ryabov crashed out, but the field was free to race again by lap 10.

David covered the inside down the Kemmel Straight, and Kucharczyk flew by on the outside. The roles were reversed on lap 11, then Kucharczyk moved ahead again around the outside at Les Combes on the last lap. David had a bad exit for the second time in a row, but then got in Kucharczyk’s tow and went around his outside into the final chicane.

Despite going deep, David had enough traction on the run to the line to win by 0.07s.

De la Torre was 0.63s behind in third, and Motopark team-mate Everett Stack was fourth until a charging Shin overtook down the Kemmel straight on lap 11. Stack then sent Shin into a half-spin at the final corner, which dropped both behind Pearson.

Race results (12 laps)