Mikel Azcona wins incident-packed first race at Zandvoort
PCR Sport’s Mikel Azcona has won the first race of the weekend at Zandvoort, in a race which started with a major crash involving Hyundai drivers Reece Barr, Daniel Nagy and Igor Stefanovski, with the Peugeot of Julien Briché also eliminated from the race.
Jaap van Lagen started on pole position in the Team WRT Audi RS 3 LMS, but had a slow getaway which allowed Azcona into the lead into Turn 1 with Attila Tassi launching from third on the grid to second in the KCMG Honda Civic TCR.
Just behind them, Reece Barr in his Target Hyundai moved towards the centre of the track and touched the wheel of Daniel Nagy’s M1RA-run Hyundai, knocking Barr into a spin and into the barriers.
Stefanovski, in a recently repaired Hyundai after heavy damage just two weeks’ ago at Paul Ricard, swerved in avoidance and ran into the JSB Peugeot of Julian Briché, with both cars out with damage.
The safety car was deployed as the three wrecked cars were recovered, with Azcona now leading the race ahead of the two KCMG Hondas of Tassi and Josh Files, Dusan Borkovic’s Target Hyundai and van Lagen’s Audi.
The race restarted on lap four and van Lagen was quick to pass Borkovic’s Hyundai and soon set on Files’ Honda, making his move for third at Tarzan on lap eight.
The Dutchman then closed in on Tassi’s Honda for second position, but was unable to find a way past the young Hungarian and had to settle for third.
Azcona won the race by 1.8 seconds ahead of Tassi, with van Lagen completing the podium.
Files finished fourth with Borkovic maintaining his championship lead with fifth, although it’s now reduced to eight points over Azcona.
Stian Paulsen finished sixth in his Cupra TCR with Daniel Nagy seventh and Danny Kroes eighth in the second of PCR’s Cupra TCRs.
M1RA Hyundai driver Francisco Mora and the Reno Racing Honda of Jens Reno Moller completed the top ten.
Race 2 is scheduled for 14:55 CET on Monday, with Kroes set to start from pole position for the reversed grid race.
