Photo: Cupra EKS

Adrien Tambay and Mikel Azcona share Pool Furious quarter final victories

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Cupra EKS driver Adrien Tambay and Hyundai Motorsport N’s Mikel Azcona claimed the Pool Furious quarter final victories as night fell over the Sachsenring.

Tambay, Norbert Michelisz and Bruno Spengler lined up for the quarter final 1.

Tambay blasted ahead at the start, with Michelisz losing ground to the leader and came under attack from Spengler.

The Hungarian managed to ditch the Canadian at the start of lap two, closing the gap to the Cupra driver. Michelisz continued his charge, coming side-by-side with Tambay and briefly overtaking on the last lap.

But the Cupra driver had two seconds of power-up left against none for the Hyundai driver, charging ahead on the final straight to take the victory, with Spengler in third place.

Romeo Ferraris’ Luca Filippi, Cupra EKS’ Jordi Gené and Hyundai Motorsport’s Azcona were up next for the quarter final two.

At the start Filippi took the lead ahead of Gené, with Azcona spinning his wheels. The Hyundai driver came side-by-side with the Cupra driver, overtaking for second place.

The two leaders quickly opened a gap over Gené, with both Filippi and Azcona managing their power-up.

Gené stopped on the track with a right-rear puncture, parking the Cupra e-Racer outside of the racing line.

Azcona entered the last lap with more power-up than Filippi, and looked for a gap to overtake the Italian. The Spaniard upped his attack on the last part of the lap, with both coming side-by-side.

Filippi went wide as he couldn’t hold the speed going into the corner, with Azcona taking the lead and winning at the chequered flag, with Filippi recovering to take the chequered flag in second place.

“Very happy with the race, I was very on the limit and I’m sorry for the touch Filippi, I didn’t have any more space, but we are going for the first group and it’s looking good for the championship,” Azcona said after the race.

“I expect a penalty as I don’t expect him (Azcona) to overtake going off the track,” added Filippi.

After the Saturday action at the Sachsenring, Tambay leads the championship with 470 points, 22 ahead of team-mate Mattias Ekström, now the only two drivers with a shot at the title.

The FIA ETCR returns to action on Sunday morning for the Pool Fast semi final at 08:05 CEST.