Challenge Europe at Spa-Francorchamps - Nielsen, Wohlwend, Weiland and Mattsson win Race-2

Francorchamps, 13 May 2018 – Nicklas Nielsen, Fabienne Wohlwend, James Weiland and Ingvar Mattsson won the Sunday races of the Ferrari Challenge Europe at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, on a day that was marked by rain and fog. Trofeo Pirelli. The Trofeo Pirelli race kicked off in the early afternoon and was immediately marked by a series of crashes with the track soaked after a morning of rain. David Fumanelli, who started from pole, spun, unleashing chaos behind him. Indeed, some drivers went wide to avoid hitting the 488 Challenge of Rossocorsa. One of them was Germany’s Thomas Loefflad (Gohm Motorsport BB) who as his wheels mounted the extraturf lost control of his 488 Challenge and smashed violently into the barriers. The driver was ok but red flag came out and the race only resumed an hour later. At the second start Nielsen (Formula Racing) held onto first ahead of Florian Merckx (Baron Motorsport) and Bjorn Grossmann (Octane 126) who soon moved into second. Nielsen still tops the championship standings a few points ahead of Grossmann. Pirelli Am. Fabienne Wohlwend dominated the Trofeo Pirelli Am race for her second career win and the first in a class to which she was promoted this year. The Octane 126 driver took advantage of Loefflad's exit and the problems of championship leader Chris Froggatt. The Ferrari GB – HR Owen driver damaged his 488 Challenge at the start and lined up last for the second start. His comeback would have brought him to fourth place on the podium, but he was disqualified because the mechanics had worked on his car in the pitlane instead of the garage. The final result are still provisional since the team made an appeal to the decision. Claus Zibrandsen (Formula Racing) and John Sawbridge (Ferrari GB – HR Owen) mounted the second and third steps of the podium behind Wohlwend. Coppa Shell and Shell Am. The Coppa Shell and Coppa Shell Am races were decided in the morning with qualifying. The race officials did their best to get things going despite the fog that had descended on the Kemmel straight. For almost 20 minutes the cars lapped behind the Safety Car in the hope that the fog would lift, but it wasn’t to be. The race was stopped with the red flag and half points were awarded. James Weiland therefore won at the wheel of the 488 Challenge of Rossocorsa, ahead of Christophe Hurni (Team Zenith Sion-Lausanne) and the winner of Race-1, Eric Cheung (Formula Racing). Alex Nussbaumer once again took pole in the Shell Am class but an issue at the end of qualifying forced the Formula Racing driver to start from the back of the grid. Ingvar Mattsson (Scuderia Autoropa) finished first ahead of Agata Smolka (Rossocorsa) and Murat Cuhadaroglu (Kessel Racing). Next race Misano, June 7-9.