Silverstone – Race 1

Having started from pole position, Valtteri Bottas (Motopark Academy) kept his cool admirably, maintaining his lead for the duration of the race, to notch up his first race win in Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0. In contrast, second-placed Andrea Caldarelli (SG Formula) had his work cut out from start to finish to hold off Roberto Merhi (Epsilon Euskadi), Daniel Ricciardo (SG Formula) and Mathieu Arzeno (Epsilon Sport).

After post-qualifying scrutineering, Dean Smith (Fortec Motorsport) saw all his times cancelled due to a non-compliant rear diffuser on his Formula Renault 2.0. He therefore started from the back of the grid.

From pole position, Valtteri Bottas got the best start, with Andrea Caldarelli and Roberto Merhi just behind him. Things went less smoothly for Jean-Éric Vergne (SG Formula), who crashed off, handing fourth place to his teammate Daniel Ricciardo in the process. Bottas was in front at the end of lap 1, ahead of Andrea Caldarelli, Roberto Mehri, Daniel Ricciardo and Michel Faccin (Jenzer Motorsport).

The Finnish driver then set about building an unassailable lead over the chasing pack, where his rivals were locked in a fierce battle for position. Andrea Caldarelli came under pressure from Merhi and Ricciardo, while Mathieu Arzeno (Epsilon Sport) won his tussle for fifth place with Michel Faccin.

With five laps gone, Bottas had extended his lead over Caldarelli, Merhi and Ricciardo to more than five seconds. Arzeno soon joined this chasing pack. None of the four drivers was giving an inch, each waiting for a mistake from their rivals.

The battle for seventh position was equally fierce, as Alex Morgan (Fortec Motorsport) did his best to hold off the rampant Albert Costa (Epsilon Euskadi) and Gabriel Dias (Fortec Motorsport).

Valtteri Bottas was quite simply in a different class. He wasn't troubled for a second on the way to his first Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 race win. The contest for the other podium places went right down to the wire, however. In the end, Andrea Caldarelli held on to second place despite incessant pressure from the men on his tail. Daniel Ricciardo's sustained push on the final lap would ultimately come to nothing, meaning Roberto Merhi also maintained his third place. Ricciardo does, however, have the consolation of first place in the Championship standings, ahead of Andrea Caldarelli.

Valtteri Bottas: I've been the quickest driver all weekend. This win is just reward for the work done by the whole of the Motopark team. We will be looking to keep on improving and pick up another win tomorrow."

Andrea Caldarelli: Valtteri was too quick today and I soon realised I'd have to settle for second. It's a pleasing result after a difficult start to the weekend. The championship is still wide open.

Roberto Mehri: I've been desperate to get my first podium finish in the Eurocup! Andrea drove a great race and I couldn't find a way past him. And Daniel Ricciardo kept up the pressure right till the end.

Pos Number Driver  Team  Laps Time GapFirst KPH 

1 11 Valtteri BOTTAS MOTOPARK ACADEMY 15 27:03.617 - 172.4   2 14 Andrea CALDARELLI SG FORMULA 15 27:16.291 +12.674 171.5   3 8 Roberto MERHI EPSILON EUSKADI 2 15 27:18.056 +14.439 171.5   4 12 Daniel RICCIARDO SG FORMULA 15 27:18.250 +14.633 171.6   5 34 Mathieu ARZENO EPSILON SPORT 15 27:18.682 +15.065 172.6   6 27 Michele FACCIN JENZER MOTORSPORT 15 27:20.972 +17.355 171.5   7 44 Alex MORGAN FORTEC COMPETITION 15 27:23.992 +20.375 171.1   8 7 Albert COSTA EPSILON EUSKADI 2 15 27:25.322 +21.705 171.3   9 43 Gabriel DIAS FORTEC COMPETITION 15 27:26.441 +22.824 170.6   10 10 Tobias HEGEWALD MOTOPARK ACADEMY 15 27:27.494 +23.877 171.0   11 26 Adrian QUAIFE-HOBBS BVM MINARDI TEAM 15 27:29.563 +25.946 171.2   12 29 Siso CUNILL JENZER MOTORSPORT 15 27:34.985 +31.368 171.1   13 28 Pal VARHAUG JENZER MOTORSPORT 15 27:35.435 +31.818 170.7   14 24 Daniel ZAMPIERI BVM MINARDI TEAM 15 27:38.192 +34.575 170.6   15 31 Himar ACOSTA IQUICK 15 27:39.482 +35.865 170.5   16 5 Â Anton NEBILITSKYI SG DRIVERS PROJECT 15 27:40.974 +37.357 169.4   17 4 Ramez AZZAM SG DRIVERS PROJECT 15 27:41.924 +38.307 170.5   18 41 Dean SMITH FORTEC MOTORSPORT 15 27:42.051 +38.434 170.5   19 42 Daniel MCKENZIE FORTEC MOTORSPORT 15 27:44.888 +41.271 169.4   20 3 Richard CAMPOLLO EPSILON EUSKADI 1 15 27:49.118 +45.501 169.7   21 17 Sergio CAMPANA PREMA POWERTEAM 15 27:49.777 +46.160 169.7   22 19 Adam KOUT KRENEK MOTORSPORT 15 27:49.921 +46.304 169.7   23 36 Richard SINGLETON HITECH JUNIOR TEAM 15 27:50.204 +46.587 169.1   24 25 Cesar RAMOS BVM MINARDI TEAM 15 27:50.454 +46.837 170.4   25 22 Kuba GIERMAZIAK TEAM MOTOPARK 15 27:52.509 +48.892 169.8   26 78 Benajmin LARICHE POLE SERVICES 15 27:53.999 +50.382 170.8   27 21 Nathanaël BERTHON BOUTSEN ENERGY RACING 15 27:54.621 +51.004 169.3   28 45 Nicolas MARROC TCS RACING 15 27:54.977 +51.360 169.7   29 9 Carlos MUÑOZ EPSILON EUSKADI 2 15 27:57.374 +53.757 168.2   30 37 Miki MONRAS HITECH JUNIOR TEAM 15 27:58.870 +55.253 169.1   31 18 Patrick REITERER PREMA POWERTEAM 15 27:59.135 +55.518 168.7   32 2 Pablo MONTILLA EPSILON EUSKADI 1 15 27:59.790 +56.173 169.7   33 30 Miguel OTEGUI IQUICK 15 28:00.230 +56.613 169.5   34 39 Juan JACOBO HITECH JUNIOR RACING 15 28:02.367 +58.750 168.8   35 38 Luciano BACHETA HITECH JUNIOR RACING 15 28:02.635 +59.018 168.8   36 23 Juan Pablo GARCIA TEAM MOTOPARK 15 28:06.551 +1:02.934 169.0   37 1 Jake ROSENZWEIG EPSILON EUSKADI 1 15 28:18.567 +1:14.950 169.6   38 6 Jean Eric VERGNE SG DRIVERS PROJECT 14 26:44.146 1 Lap 169.9   39 35 Stephane RICHELMI EPSILON SPORT 14 26:46.336 1 Lap 169.6   40 32 Marcelo CONCHADO AMITER GALUPPO SPORT 14 27:05.498 1 Lap 166.3   41 40 Dino BUTORAC RB RACING TEAM 14 27:28.568 1 Lap 166.1     15 Nelson LUKES SG FORMULA 4 8:23.303   171.6