Borkovic wins as Fulín and Pfister crash out in Austria

NIS Petrol Racing Team’s Dusan Borkovic has won the first race at the Salzburgring in wet conditions, whilst S2000 points leader Petr Fulín crashed out on lap four in a four car incident which also eliminated Andreas Pfister’s SEAT.

Fulín led into the first corner despite a visible nudge from Jordi Oriola’s Tuenti Racing SEAT at the start, whilst Igor Skuz slotted into second place in his Campos Racing SEAT León TFSI. The Ukrainian would soon be handed a drive through however as it was deemed he began accelerating before the lights went out at the rolling start.

The two SEAT Supercopas of Oriola and Pfister moved up to second and third ahead of Skuz, with Pfister then passing Oriola on the second lap, with Borkovic also making his way forward, passing Oriola for third at Turn 5.

On lap three Andreas Pfister overtook race leader Petr Fulín’s BMW as the rain began to fall at the Austrian circuit. The Czech driver was able to repass Pfister’s SEAT down the back straight, whilst all the drama would occur on lap four.

Pfister tried to pass Fulín again at Turn 5, this time around the outside, which allowed Dusan Borkovic up into the lead passing both cars down the inside. The three cars were then lined up three-wide heading up the back straight, with Fulín on the right and Pfister on the left sandwiching Borkovic’s car heading into Turn 7 when Oriola joined the trio, tapping the rear of Fulín’s BMW and knocking him across the nose of Borkovic’s car and into Pfister, with both cars eliminated from the race and the safety car called.

Oriola now led during the five lap safety car period before the red flag was brought out with Pfister’s car still requiring recovery and the rain now falling heavily, with all cars changing tyres. When the race restarted, though Oriola was able to build a gap, the Spaniard was handed a drive through penalty for his part in the incident on lap four. Borkovic took the lead on the final lap and went on to take victory, just half a second ahead of the Galaxy Racing SEAT of Aurelíen Comte.

Anton Ladygin finished third ahead of the Target Competition SEAT of Mario Dablander, with Jordi Oriola in fifth position.

Mat’o Homola was the second highest of the S2000 class finishers in sixth and closes the gap in the drivers’ standings after Petr Fulín’s retirement. Fulín’s team-mate Michal Matejovsky finished seventh ahead of the Zengõ SEAT of Norbert Nagy, with Peter Rikli’s Honda in ninth and Nicolas Hamilton’s Baporo SEAT Supercopa completing the top ten.

Race two is scheduled to start at 16:35 CET but will likely be delayed due to the red flag stoppage.