Jochen Hahn took the first FIA European Truck Racing Championship race of the season at Red Bull Ring this afternoon after a commanding display.
Jochen Hahn took the first FIA European Truck Racing Championship rce of the season at Red Bull Ring this afternoon after a commanding display.
Claiming his first win for IVECO, the reigning champion converted pole position in to a maximum points score after holding off Steffi Halm throughout the 20-lap race.
For Hahn it was the perfect way to start the season with his new manufacturer, as he set the pace, pulled away and was able to lead a hard charging Steffi Halm home to win by 2.213 seconds.
Halm was able to pull clear of a frantic battle for third position which involved Sascha Lenz (SL Trucksport), Gerd Körber (Team Schwaben-Truck IVECO), Adam Lacko (Buggyra International Racing System) and Ryan Smith (Team OXXO MAN).
This battle was resolved in Körber’s favour as he managed to overtake Lenz to take the final rung of the podium.
Körber had to manage his pace in the closing stages as he started to experience some water pressure brake issues but he held on to begin his campaign with a fine podium.
Lenz made it four German’s in the top four places as he was able to hold off Smith early in the race, who despite some determined efforts was unable to make a move on the German.
Things took a turn for the worse for Smith after he ran wide at the final corner and was also issued with a drive-through penalty for track limits violations. The British driver eventually finished in ninth position.
All this action allowed Lacko through in to fourth position after he had also taken Lenz and several others in a spectacular race through the field from ninth position on the grid.
Norbert Kiss was also in the hunt with this battle but ultimately had to settle for sixth position in his Tankpool24 Racing Mercedes-Benz.
Jose Rodrigues had a fine 2017 opening race as he took seventh position and the Promoters Cup silverware in his Reboconorte MAN.
Local hero Markus Altenstrasser brought his Team Schwaben-Truck home in eighth place after he lost some momentum after an early race incident with Erwin Kleinnagelvoort’s Scania. The incident was placed under investigation by the stewards. The Austrian will start from pole position for race two via the reverse grid format.
The Portuguese defended an initial attack from a fast starting Andre Kursim (Tankpool24 Racing Mercedes-Benz) to take the first ever Promoters Cup prize.
Antonio Albacete did not have the hoped for glorious return to the FIA ETRC after he was issued with a penalty early in the race for crossing the white line of the start-finish straight as the race began. The Truck Sport Lutz Bernau driver eventually finished in 10th position after a typically spirited fightback through the field.
Just outside the points scoring positions were Eduardo Rodrigues in 11th place, Andre Kursim 12th, Erwin Kleinnagelvoort 13th, Alen Draganovic 14th and Terry Gibbon who overcame qualifying issued with his throttle to take the final position.
The Die Bullen Von IVECO Magirus team of Hahn and Körber claimed the FIA Teams' win ahead of the Steffi Halm and Sascha Lenz alliance.