Adam Lacko took maximum points after another sensational FIA European Truck Racing Championship event at the Red Bull ring this afternoon.
Adam Lacko took maximum points after another sensational FIA European Truck Racing Championship race at the Red Bull Ring this afternoon.
The Buggyra International Racing System driver led away from pole position and was never headed after delivering a supreme display of wet weather driving. The Czech driver, who revels in wet conditions, took the chequered flag a massive 26.600s ahead of runner-up Anthony Janiec. At stages of the race Lacko was two to three seconds quicker than his rivals and clearly in a different class today.
“I love the wet conditions and have always enjoyed racing in them,” said Lacko after the race. “It is not easy because when you are first off the line you are the first to the wet track and it is not easy to know where the grip is. I just made it consistent in the early laps. I couldn’t see anything in the mirrors because of the spray and I didn’t speak to the team at all on the radio as the concentration had to be very high.”
Jochen Hahn increased his championship point’s lead after finishing in third position. The German resisted great pressure from Gerd Korber for the majority of the race. The two Germans battled but were eventually caught by a flying Anthony Janiec in his Lion Truck MAN. The French ace put in a fine performance to finish to overhaul Korber on lap 14.
“It was very wet conditions today and it is the first time in the new truck for us,” said Hahn. “I had a big fight with Gerhard Korber and Anthony Janiec. Lacko was unbelievable today.”
After clearing Korber, Janiec then went after Hahn, catching and passing him on lap 17 with a decisive move. It was one of Janiec’s best overall performances in the FIA ETRC to date and richly deserved 15-points foir second place.
“Conditions were very difficult, but I like the conditions,” Janiec commented after the race. “The first weekend is very good for me, for my team and partners and I am very happy. It was a good race, lots of attacks and I made the podium.”
Behind Hahn in fourth position came Korber, and in fifth place Rene Reinert, who had a tremendous battle with Ryan Smith in the second phase of the race. Smith had initially battled and taken with the Buggyra ‘Fat Fox’ of Jiri Forman before homing in on Reinert. However, the British racer fell back in the later stages and was classified eighth behind Norbert Kiss (Tankpool24 Racing Mercedes-Benz) and young Forman after a last lap shuffle.
There were many entertaining battles throughout the field with Frankie Vojtisek and Markus Altenstrasser taking the final points scoring positions in ninth and tenth places.
The Teams points went to Buggyra International Racing System with its Lacko/Forman combination, ahead of the Hahn/Reinert partnership under Team Reinert Adventure. The Janiec/Lenz pairing took third placed points.
The fourth and final race of the weekend is scheduled to take place at 15.55 local time.
Follow the action on the Live Timing and Truck Tracker page here