Javier Sagrera (MP Motorsport) claims the first race win of the 2024 Eurocup-3 season after a crazy race under the rain.
He took advantage from the no presence of his teammate Owen Tangavelou, who was starting from Pole Position after the race direction decided to set the starting grid – in the absence of representative times both in practice and qualifying, which were canceled due to bad weather – based on the timing references set in Thursday’s test sessions.
The twenty-year-old Spaniard, with three podiums in 2023, skillfully managed all phases of the race that started under a safety car due to the poor weather conditions. The race resumed with 18 minutes (and a lap) remaining and Sagrera remained composed despite the attacks from Sainteloc’s Alexander Abkhazava, who ultimately finished second after attempting everything on the final lap. Taking the third step on the podium was Kirill Smal (Palou Motorsport) ahead of a resilients Emerson Fittipaldi Jr. (MP Motorsport) and Suleiman Zanfari (Campos Racing).
Team Campos, with Valentin Kluss in seventh, secured the first rookie to cross the finish line. The fifth place that would have likely gone to Singaporean Christian Ho was forfeited due to a problem that forced his retirement, while another safety car was deployed. In fact, after the initial laps, the safety car made its second appearance at Spa due to retirements from Noah Lisle (Campos Racing) and Nikola Tsolov (GRS Team).
Just when it seemed the race would end as it began – especially as the rain intensity had increased once again – the new green flag waved, and chaos ensued, with fierce battles for both first and third place. However, those further back were not idle, with the final lap becoming a genuine and perilous rollerball, with four cars, one after another, involved in spinouts uphill toward the Kemmel straight.
The red flag, with the final standings referencing the penultimate completed lap, was the logical outcome of the race.
Round 2 of 2024 Eurocup-3 season will be held at the Red Bull Ring (Austria) on the weekend of May 17-19.
