Peter Rikli has taken the lead of the Super 2000 European Touring Car Cup standings, despite not having finished on the podium in the first four races of the season.
SUNRED Engineering driver Fernando Monje, who dominated at Monza with pole and wins in both races had a nightmare weekend at the Slovakiaring. Although the 19-year-old secured pole position with ease, picking up three points in the process, a puncture in race one and a crash in race two saw the Spaniard take no points on race day, but instead will take a ten place grid penalty to the next round of the championship at the Salzburgring.
Instead, the top S2000 drivers on Sunday were Monje’s SUNRED team-mate Michal Matĕjovský and Krenek Motorsport BMW driver Petr Fulín. Fulín had a terrible opening round at Monza, excluded from race one and not allowed to start race two. Things looked to be going the same way at Slovakia after being excluded from qualifying for failing to declare his gear ratios before the session, but the Czech driver drove from last to third in race one and took advantage of the top eight reverse grid to win race two and leap into joint-third in the standings alongside Matĕjovský.
Matĕjovský was a new entry this weekend, and with a win and third today now sits in third, just eight points behind points leader Peter Rikli and seven behind SUNRED team-mate Monje.
Hungarian driver Ferenc Ficza also shares third place in the standings with Fulín and Matĕjovský in the XFX Unicorse Team Alfa Romeo 156.
There are two rounds remaining in the ETC Cup, sharing the calendar with the World Touring Car Championship at Salzburgring next month and finishing at the end of June at a standalone event in Imola.
Since this article, the series organisers have revised the points for Slovakia, which now confirms that Rikli and Monje are now tied for the lead on 27 points
FIA European Touring Car Cup – S2000 Points
