Formula V8 3.5 at Hungaroring: Cecotto wins after Dillmann's off-road picnic
Johnny Cecotto Jr (RP Motorsport) wins the first race of the Formula V8 3.5 Series at the Hungaroring. The Venezuelan driver, son of the former F1 star Johnny Cecotto, took the victory after the poleman Tom Dillmann made a mistake in Turn 13 on Lap 13. Cecotto passed by Dillmann, said ‘Thank You’, and remained in the lead until the chequered flag.
Cecotto started the race from fourth place on the grid. Between him and Dillmann were Louis Deletraz and Aurelien Panis, the winners of two races in the first round a week ago at Aragon. Panis felt to fourth in the opening laps and in Lap 4 Cecotto overtook Deletraz for second place.
Tom Dillmann again took pole position and again finished second
Dillmann was in the comfortable lead but Safety car intervention on Lap 9 spoiled his race. The Safety Car was out after Egor Orudzhev and Alfonso Celis Jr collided and both stucked in a gravel.
After the restart onLap 13, Dillmann was too fast in Turn 13 and he went wide. Dillmann’s off-road moment promoted Cecotto to first place. An experienced 26-year old driver didn’t miss a chance and he took his first season’s victory. Tom Dillmann was second for third time in a row, although he showed speed and started two times from pole.
Deletraz finished third at Hungaroring, ahead of Panis and Matthieu Vaxiviere. Roy Nissany, Beitske Visser, Pietro Fittipaldi, Yu Kanamaru and Vitor Baptista completed the top 10.
