Antonio Albacete took a highly popular second victory of the weekend at Jarama this afternoon after another accomplished performance in the final FIA ETRC race of the 2017 season.
Antonio Albacete took a highly popular second victory of the weekend at Jarama this afternoon after another accomplished performance in the final FIA ETRC race of the 2017 season.
The local hero, driving his Truck Sport Lutz Bernau MAN, started from pole position and was never headed during the 12-lap encounter. It was the perfect way to sign off the season for the experienced Spaniard as he secured his third race win.
It was his second win of the weekend and he did it in style by taking the chequered flag with a huge 6.6 second margin over second placed Jochen Hahn.
Hahn’s fighting second position came after a fine late race move on stablemate Gerd Korber.
In his final ever FIA ETRC race, Team Schwabentruck Iveco’s Korber took a hugely popular final podium place. It was a perfect way to round out a 30 year career in the world’s leading truck racing series.
There were set to be two German drivers on the race four podium in the early running as Sascha Lenz looked comfortable, but the SL Trucksport MAN driver was unable to resist mid-race pressure from Jochen Hahn.
There was misfortune for race two winner David Vrsecky who was forced to retire with damage after contact earlier in the race. The Czech retired on lap three missing a good portion of his front bodywork after apparent accidental contact with Steffi Halm.
The Reinert Racing entered Halm continued without issue but was caught by a flying Jochen Hahn, who put a smart move on her at the first turn before he we on to hunt down Lenz.
Halm also later moved ahead of Lenz to grab fourth position to underline an excellent season in her blue MAN.
Race three winner Norbert Kiss was unable to find a way by Lenz and had to settle for sixth position in his Tankpool24 Racing Mercedes-Benz truck.
It was a relatively low key race for new champion Adam Lacko who cruised home in seventh place in his Buggyra International Racing System Freightliner.
Jose Rodrigues took a third victory of the weekend in the Promoter’s Cup to complete an ultra-successful first full season. He dominated proceedings and headed home Andre Kursim (Tankpool24 Racing) and Frankie Vojtisek (Czech Truck Team). The three also finished 8th, 9th and 10th overall.
The final Teams race went to the Die Bullen von IVECO Magirus squad of Hahn and Korber. The experienced duo headed home the Truck Sport Lutz Bernau pairing of Antonio Albacete and Jose Rodrigues.
Buggyra Racing 1969 had already wrapped up the 2017 FIA ETRC Teams title as Adam Lacko and David Vrsecky won another trophy.
Details on the 2018 FIA European Truck Racing Championship calendar will be announced very shortly.
RACE FOUR RESULT 