Jochen Hahn took another race victory at Misano in Race Three of the opening round of the 2018 FIA European Truck Racing Championship.
The German, who extended his advantage to 19-points in the standings, mirrored his win from yesterday’s Race One to take another maximum 20-points as he led home Steffi Halm from pole position.
In what was a fantastic race for IVECO on their home ground, Halm shadowed Hahn after clearing front-row starter Norbert Kiss on the opening lap with an impressive overtaking move.
Halm completed her third race in succession in the points to claim the runners-up spot, while Kiss took his first podium of the season in third position. It was some redemption for the Hungarian who saw his third place in yesterday’s opening round chalked off for a technical infringement.
Rene Reinert soaked up major pressure from the Trucksport Lutz Bernau entry of Antonio Albacete to just beat the Spaniard to fourth position after a race long duel.
Behind this warring pair came another head-to-head, this time an all-German affair as Andre Kursim’s Don’t Touch Racing IVECO defended for most of the 12-lap encounter from Race Two victor Sascha Lenz in his SL Trucksport entry.
Ryan Smith took eighth position in his OXXO Hungary Truck Racing Team. It was a result that claimed the reverse grid pole spot for the final race later this afternoon
Adam Lacko had a subdued race in his Buggyra Racing International System Freightliner and took ninth.
The Czech had contact early in the race and suffered a damaged tyre which severely compromised his pace and ensured he dropped back through the field from his sixth placed starting position to end the race in a lowly ninth. The reigning champion also had to contend with a throttle sensor issue in the race.
In the GRAMMER TRUCK CUP it was Thomas Robineau who took the chequered flag first on the road but it was Jamie Anderson who claimed the silverware for the second time in three races after the Frenchman was penalised and given a 30-second penalty.
It was British driver Shane Brereton led the majority of the race but came under significant pressure in the closing stages before he ran wide due to a missed gear shift and was adjudged
But when Robineau had his penalty added and Brereton faded in the closing laps it was Anderson in his Anderson Racing-run MAN who claimed a second maximum GRAMMER TRUCK CUP points score so far this weekend. Robineau was eventually classified in 13th overall and third in the GRAMMER TRUCK CUP.
Ray Coleman completed the race in 14th and fourth in the GRAMMER TRUCK CUP ahead of Eduardo Rodrigues (Reboconort MAN) in 15th, Steffen Faas (Tankpool24 Racing Mercedes-Benz) 16th and Frans Smits’s Scania in 17th.
The final classified finisher was Luis Recuenco who again had his race compromised with a succession of penalties.
In the Team’s result it was Die Bullen von IVECO Magirus Jochen Hahn and Steffi Halm that claimed the win ahead of Team Reinert Adventure’s duo of Rene Reinert and Sascha Lenz.
Oly Janes had more ill luck when he parked his Buggyra International Racing System midway through the race with a suspected electrica problem.
Sadly, Anthony Janiec was unable to take part in the race due to a damaged front-axle on his Lion Truck MAN.
Race Three
Jochen Hahn took another race victory at Misano in Race Three of the opening round of the 2018 FIA European Truck Racing Championship.
The German, who extended his advantage to 19-points in the standings, mirrored his win from yesterday’s Race One to take another maximum 20-points as he led home Steffi Halm from pole position.
In what was a fantastic race for IVECO on their home ground, Halm shadowed Hahn after clearing front-row starter Norbert Kiss on the opening lap with an impressive overtaking move.
Halm completed her third race in succession in the points to claim the runners-up spot, while Kiss took his first podium of the season in third position. It was some redemption for the Hungarian who saw his third place in yesterday’s opening round chalked off for a technical infringement.
Rene Reinert soaked up major pressure from the Trucksport Lutz Bernau entry of Antonio Albacete to just beat the Spaniard to fourth position after a race long duel.
Race Four
Ryan Smith took the third win of his FIA European Truck Racing Championship career with a well-judged lights-to-flag victory this afternoon.
The British racer ended the first weekend of the 2018 FIA ETRC on a high after a difficult Saturday which saw him penalised and retire from the first two races.
However, a dominant display in the final 12-lap races of the weekend ensured the OXXO Hungary Truck Racing Team took the chequered flag 7.134 seconds ahead of second placed Sascha Lenz.
Lenz was able to cap a successful weekend which saw him clinch his first FIA ETRC victory in Race Three with a runners-up position in the final encounter.
The SL Trucksport MAN driver held off Antonio Albacete who tailed the German throughout the race in his Trucksport Lutz Bernau MAN and scooped as second third place from the Misano weekend.
Behind the top three a fierce battle raged as Andre Kursim’s Don’t Touch Racing IVECO jousted with the Tankpool24 Racing Mercedes-Benz of Norbert Kiss.
