Giovanni Venturini comes good
Putting his mediocre start to the season behind him, Epsilon Euskadi’s Giovanni Venturini repaid the faith placed in him by winning the first race of his Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 career today. Leader from start to finish following a perfect start, the Italian finished ahead of Interwetten’s Luciano Bacheta and Korainen Bros Motorsport’s Kevin Korjus. It also marks the first Epsilon Euskadi win of the season.
For the seventh in eight races so far this season, Tech 1 Racing's Arthur Pic was in pole position. The Frenchman lined up in front of Giovanni Venturini and Luciano Bacheta on a dry track, although the skies overhead looked angry. Cram Competition’s André Negrao, who should have been 4th on the grid, started from the pits.
Arthur Pic's reactions were off when the lights changed, allowing Venturini and Bacheta to get past. The Italian finished the first lap ahead of the British and French drivers. The safety car came out shortly after the start, following a collision between Tech 1 Racing’s Aaro Vainio, Krenek Motorsport’s Jakub Knoll and Epsilon Euskadi’s Alex Riberas at Château d'Eau.
The track was cleared after three laps. Venturini and Bacheta managed to keep control of the race, while Arthur Pic span at Adelaide, slipping to 7th place. Korainen Bros Motorsport’s Jukka Honkavuori moved up to third, but Epsilon Euskadi’s Miguel Otegui broke down on the track, causing the race to be put on hold for a second time.
With only ten minutes of the race left, the green flag flew once more. Venturini made the most of the restart, unlike Bacheta, who struggled to hold off Honkavuori and Korjus. The championship leader wasted no time trying to find an opening. Moving into third, within a few corners he was snapping at Bacheta’s heels. Arthur Pic also began something of a comeback, passing Genis Olivé to claim sixth.
Undisputed leader, Giovanni Venturini was holding court over the race. But Luciano Bacheta caught up with him having shaken off Kevin Korjus. The fight for 4th continued in earnest between Jukka Hunkavuori, MP Motorsport’s Daniel de Jong, Arthur Pic and Genis Olivé. The end of the race was upset by rain and Jonkavuori, de Jong and Pic all ended up in the gravel. Olivé was now 4th ahead of Korainen Bros Motorsport's Bart Hykelma and André Negrao.
Under a downpour, the drivers did everything they could to stay on the track despite their slicks. Finally the race management red-flagged the race. The result was Giovanni Venturini claimed his first Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 victory ahead of Luciano Bacheta and Kevin Korjus. The Estonian retains first place in the championship with thirty points lead over Luciano Bacheta, who finds himself back in second place.
Giovanni Venturini: “It was terrific race, but a difficult one. The security car destroyed my lead, but in the end I managed to hold off Bacheta. The end of the race was a nightmare. On slicks, in the rain, it was very complicated. We have changed out a lot of different things on the car since Brno. This is new start for me.”
Official Renault Sport Press Release