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Unpredictable rain, a tyre gambles and virile passing moves summed up race two of the weekend for the Formula Renault 3.5 Series at the Nürburgring. Strakka Racing showed the others how it is done with Tio Ellinas notching his second triumph of the season, while rookie team mate Gustav Malja made it a one-two result.

The safety car and rain changed everything

On lap four, Pietro Fantin had a more than 10-second lead. Aurélien Panis was overtaken by Matthieu Vaxiviere, Tio Ellinas and Oliver Rowland – already back with the leaders -, before going straight off the track after the pit stop window had opened. The safety car was called into service, forcing those who had not yet made their stop to build as a big a gap as possible at the re-start.

Despite the window remaining open just until lap 18, their efforts were in vain. First to come in, Tio Ellinas came out with the lead, but then the rain changed things. After the attack of Gustav Malja, the Cypriot re-took the advantage from his team mate to go on for the win. Running in third place for a majority of the race, Egor Orudzhev went wide coming out of a corner and finished behind Nyck de Vries and Alfonso Celis (AVF), Pietro Fantin was penalized for not respecting the pit window and dropped to ninth. Dean Stoneman (DAMS) finished sixth, ahead of Marlon Stockinger (Lotus) and Renè Binder (Pons Racing). Oliver Rowland (Fortec Motorsports), who overtook Matthieu Vaxiviere on the final lap, picked up the one point for tenth place.

Quotes

Tio Ellinas: ““Before the race, we tried to figure out which tyres to start on. As the leaders chose slicks, we just went with the pack. From fifth on the grid, I got a good start, but Roy Nissany broke my wing when I tried to pass him. I had to stop and I lost more time as Gustav came out ahead of me one lap later. At the re-start, I pushed as much as I could and once I had the lead, I no longer had any reference points. Gustav surprised me but I answered back and then I just had to stay in front on the last lap.”

 

See More: http://www.worldseriesbyrenault.com/Strakka-Racing-one-two-at-the-Nurburgring.html