Jose Rodrigues scored his first ever FIA European Truck Racing Championship victory after an fantastic drive in race two at Red Bull Ring this afternoon.
Jose Rodrigues scored his first ever FIA European Truck Racing Championship victory after an fantastic drive in race two at the Red Bull Ring this afternoon.
The Portuguese driver took the lead in to the first corner after starting from second place and then was able to build a large gap to his competitors. It was the first ever win for a Portuguese driver since the beginning of the FIA ETRC in 2006.
In a surprise but richly merited victory, Rodrigues took the chequered flag 3.87s ahead of second-placed Norbert Kiss in his Tankpool24 Racing Mercedes-Benz.
From the start, pole sitter Markus Altenstrasser (Team Schwaben-Truck IVECO) was outgunned by fellow front-row starter Rodrigues. The Portuguese slipped through at turn one despite a hefty touch between them as they exited the corner as the new leader.
From there the Reboconorte MAN pulled an impressive lead over the chasing pack and at one stage enjoyed a five second gap to his rivals.
Behind Rodrigues there was action all the way as Norbert Kiss put a move on Sascha Lenz (SL TruckSport MAN) and then started to apply pressure on second-placed Altenstrasser.
The Austrian drove an excellent defensive race and held the pack at bay until lap 12 when Kiss made a bold move exiting the Jochen Rindt Curve.
This manoeuvre released the Hungarian and he soon started to eat in to Rodrigues’ lead but it was too late to mount a challenge for the victory. Despite reducing the gap Kiss was unable to get suffciently close to Rodrigues, who was ecstatic to claim his maiden victory.
Behind there were battles developing everywhere with a group of seven trucks fighting for every inch of tarmac.
Gerd Korber scored his second podium position of the day as he made progress through the field and was able to make a pass on Markus Altenstrasser, despite the two teammates touching briefly.
Adam Lacko lost a sizeable piece of bodywork from the front of his Buggyra International Racing System Freightliner. However this didn’t stop the Czech driver completing another accomplished raced to bag fourth position (his second of the day).
Among those in the fights for position were race one winner and runner-up Jochen Hahn and Steffi Halm who rose up the field together and eventually crossed the line placed fifth and sixth.
Antonio Albacete took seventh place in his Truck Sport Lutz Bernau MAN. The triple FIA ETRC enjoyed a ferocious fight with Team OXXO driver Ryan Smith throughout the majority of the race.
The battle got a little too hot in the closing stages when the two collided and Smith was spun back down the order. The British racer eventually finished a furious 14th.
Completing the points finishers were Sascha Lenz, the delayed Altenstrasser and Andre Kursim (Tankpool24 Racing Mercedes-Benz).
Erwin Kleinnagelvoort just missed out on a point in 11th position but he finished ahead of Eduardo Rodrigues in 12th and Alen Draganovic.
It was a tough day for newcomer Terry Gibbon who retired his T-Sport MAN with mechanical problems after seven laps.
As well as taking the overall win, Jose Rodrigues also claimed his second consecutive Promoters Cup trophy, capping an ultra-successful first day for the Reboconorte driver.
Races three and four will take place at 13.20 and 15.55 local time tomorrow afternoon.