Pulcini Scores Second Euroformula Career Win in Season Opener

Leonardo Pulcini´s astonishing run at Estoril included fastest times on Friday, Saturday’s pole position, fastest lap and a race win… so far.The Italian driver clocked the fastest lap time on Friday but was forced to produce an almost perfect lap to beat his rivals in qualifying. His lap of 1:32.394 smashed last year’s pole position time with several other drivers also lapping quicker than the previous record. Jack Aitken (RP Motorsport), Colton Herta (Carlin Motorsport), Ferdinand Habsburg (Drivex) and Diego Menchaca (Campos Racing) rounded out the top five.

The race start and the opening lap were thrilling and, most importantly, played a key role. When the lights went out Pulcini managed to fend off Habsburg. The latter gained two places overtaking both Aitken and Herta. Behind, in the middle of the pack, Tatiana Calderón (Teo Martín Motorsport) and Antoni Ptak (RP Motorsport) tangled and were both forced  to retire. A few moments later Aitken and Herta also made contact and the American driver was sent straight into the wall, although he climbed out unscathed, ruling two more drivers out of contention.

Immediately, Pulcini pulled away from the field while Habsburg also pushed to create a gap over the rest of the pack. Menchaca was now running third ahead of Tanart Sathienthirakul and Damiano Fioravanti in two of the RP Motorsport cars. Another impressive recovery drive was put in by Igor Walilko (Fortec Motorsports), from 13th on the grid to 6th in just a few laps, passing his former teammate at RP Motorsport Thailand’s Kusiri Kantadhee, among others.

At the halfway point Pulcini was setting the fastest laps of the race while his closest rival, Habsburg, was more than four seconds behind. In the same way, the Austrian opened up a solid gap to Menchaca, who was now defending a potential podium finish from Fioravanti. Nothing changed and Pulcini took the chequered flag ahead of Habsburg (who was the Rookie class winner) and Menchaca. Fioravanti finished fourth and Sathienthirakul took fifth.

Walilko, moving through the field, finished sixth. Kusiri, Julio Moreno (Campos Racing), Keyvan Andres (Carlin Motorsport) and Daniele Cazzaniga (DAV Racing) made it into the top ten as