The Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine delivered another exciting race at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, culminating in a remarkable performance by Tim Tramnitz. The German driver, representing R-ace GP, achieved a flawless victory in Race 2, making it a perfect weekend for him in Barcelona after obtaining the best possible result also yesterday in Race 1.
From the start, the race showcased intense battles and strategic maneuvers. Tramnitz, starting from pole position, faced a close challenge from Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Prema Racing, but skillfully maintained his position at the head of the group. The early stages of the race also witnessed impressive performances from Sami Meguetounif MP Motorsport, who had to fight to conquer a well-deserved third position.
A safety car period was triggered by an incident involving Lucas Medina of Sainteloc Racing, who found himself in the gravel trap. Also, Enzo Scionti, Monolite, and Oleksander Partyshev, KIC Motorsport, faced troubles in the early stages and retired from Race 2. During the restart, the battle for positions intensified, with notable clashes between Roman Bilinski, Trident, and Laurens Van Hoepen, ART Grand Prix, as well as intense fights between various drivers throughout the race. Fierce action also by Santiago Ramos, RPM, Joshua Dufek, Van Amersfoort Racing, and Maceo Capietto, RPM, who took part in an intense battle on the track.
Tramnitz displayed exceptional racecraft and gradually built a commanding lead, while Antonelli relentlessly tried to close the gap, preparing for a potential move in the closing stages. Particularly thrilling were the last laps in which the Italian were getting closer to the rival. Antonelli then faced a momentary excursion off the track, jeopardizing his chances of challenging Tramnitz for the lead. Nonetheless, Antonelli gave proof of his tenacity and staged a nice comeback in the final, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats.
In the end, Tramnitz’s impeccable defense proved insurmountable, as he crossed the finish line to claim the second victory of round 2. Antonelli, despite his valiant efforts, settled for a strong second-place finish, demonstrating his exceptional speed and determination. His weekend was in the end extremely positive with two P2 in Spain and great points added to his scoreboard. Sami Meguetounif closed the weekend celebrating on the third step of the podium, showcasing his skill and consistency throughout a certainly not-easy race.
The Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine once again delivered an exciting race filled with intense battles and captivating moments.
Santiago Ramos successfully defended his fourth position from the relentless attacks of Joshua Dufek throughout the race, ultimately securing his position under the checkered flag. Dufek, with great determination, crossed the finish line in fifth, showing his great competitiveness on the Spanish track.
Rafael Camara, the Brazilian driver representing PREMA Racing, delivered an impressive performance, clinching the sixth position. Camara exhibited a strong pace and obtained his position in the intense battles that unfolded within the pack.
Maceo Capietto, after an intense and hard-fought battle, crossed the checkered flag in seventh position, proving once again his driving abilities. Roman Bilinski followed closely behind, securing the eighth position and earning valuable points.
Laurens Van Hoepen of ART Grand Prix and Michael Belov, G4 Racing, engaged in a fierce battle for the final points-paying positions. Van Hoepen, determined to maintain his position, withstood the relentless assaults of Belov, who was eager to make progress through his solid side-by-side maneuvers. Martinius Stenshorne, R-ace GP, finishing in P12, is for the second time this weekend the best Rookie of the race.
The standings and the result of Race 2 will remain provisional, subject to technical checks on parts of car number 12 (Andrea Kimi Antonelli), due to the impossibility of completing the required technical checks on the competition field.
After the round, the provisional results see Tim Tramnitz as the new leader of the series with 58 points, followed in second by Andrea Kimi Antonelli with 54 points and Kas Haverkort with 50 points.
Now the series heads to the next round in Hungary, the competition is set to further intensify, promising more thrilling action for motorsport enthusiasts around the world. The appointment with Round 3 is next month, June 17-18.
Tim Tramnitz: “The race was a bit calmer for me today than yesterday. I think our pace was just a bit better. I still was under pressure the whole race from Kimi, but I think I managed the tyres quite well. In the end, it is all about tyres’ saving and doing a good start. I think we really did a good job there.”
Andrea Kimi Antonelli: “It was another difficult race. The pace was really strong during the race, but starting behind is really hard to get the jump to make the move. The track was a bit more slippery, so it was harder to manage the tyres. [Tramnitz] He started to drop a bit more compared to me, so I pushed a bit more and I got closer. Unluckily the second-to-last lap I made a mistake in turn 9. I went off and I lost my chance. I tried my best, but I couldn’t make the move today.”
Sami Meguetounif: “It was a tough race for me. I was fighting quite a lot with the cars, compared with the two drivers in front. At mid-race I just decided to fight for the third place, I just accepted my situation. It was tough, but then it is still a good result to get on the podium. I’ve been quite unlucky with the races before, so I hope from now that I will be more on the podium during the season.”