Russian driver Sergey Afanasiev claimed his maiden Formula Master race win yesterday in wet weather conditions in Pau, France, after 22 thrilling laps for round three of the Series.
The JD Motorsport rookie started the race in second place behind team-mate Chris van der Drift and was promoted to the lead when van der Drift hit the barriers and retired on lap six.
ADM Motorsport's Norbert Siedler finished the 35-minute race in second place, having had a fairly uneventful race despite the street circuit being extremely slippery. JD Motorsport's Vladimir Arabadzhiev claimed his first podium finish of the season with third place.
Michael Ammermüller, driving for Iris Project, finished fourth with Trident Racing's Alejandro Nüñez in fifth place, having successfully fended off team-mate Harald Schlegelmilch's overtaking attempts during the race.
Despite passing Nüñez on lap nine, Schlegelmilch retired shortly after, following a spin at Turn 14.
Cram Competition's Arturo Llobell claimed sixth place, despite a hard-fought battle with team-mate Pablo Sanchez Lopez in the earlier part of the race, which eventually saw Sanchez Lopez fall out of the leading eight drivers.
Trident Racing's Kasper Andersen made up four places throughout the race to a seventh place finish, having started the race in 11th position, whilst Pro Motorsport's Marcello Puglisi claimed the last point finish in eighth from 17th.
The honours for both best rookie and team-mates were claimed by JD Motorsport in today's race, thanks to Afanasiev's win and a third place finish for Arabadzhiev.
Eurosport's coverage for Formula Master's race weekend in Pau, France, continues tomorrow with race two broadcast live on Eurosport 2 and Asia Pacific at 14:00 (CET).
Sergey Afanasiev, JD Motorsport "The race was interesting, the track was getting drier and drier and Norbert Siedler was making me go faster and faster! Near the end I had to overtake some of the lapped cars on the outside of the fast corner and I scrapped the wall. I think there was a little bit of damage but the result was really good. Really, I need to thank the team, as with two guys on the podium, we're on top form.
"The weather forecast for tomorrow is heavy rain, so my aim is to stay on track and keep rolling. There are less opportunities to pass on this track than in Valencia, so we'll have to see but I think we'll do well."
Norbert Siedler, ADM Motorsport "The car was pushing a bit with understeer, but I set a quick lap time near the end. I practiced in Monte Carlo last week, as I also drive in the Porsche Supercup, which helped me a lot. The team did a great job and tomorrow I hope to be in the running for some points."
Vladimir Arabazhiev, JD Motorsport "In the beginning, I found the track very difficult, but I have been getting faster every time we practice. I'm very glad to be on the podium for the first time. At the start of the race I was having problems, as the weather conditions mean that if there is a car in front, you cannot see the track, especially your breaking point. But I think the result was very good."
Formula Master - Pau Round three result 1. Sergey Afanasiev (RUS), JD Motorsport (#5) 2. Norbert Siedler (AUT), ADM Motorsport (#17) 3. Vladimir Arabadzhiev (BUL), JD Motorsport (#4) 4. Michael Ammermüller (GER), Iris Project (#27) 5. Alejandro Núñez (ESP), Trident Racing (#33) 6. Arturo Llobell (ESP), Cram Competition (#1) 7. Kasper Andersen (DEN), Trident Racing (#32) 8. Marcello Puglisi (ITA), Pro Motorsport (#9) 9. Pablo Sanchez Lopez (MEX), Cram Competition (#2) 10. Tim Sandtler (GER), ISR (#19) 11. Luca Persiani (ITA), Scuderia Famà (#25) 12. Fabrizio Crestani (ITA), Euronova Racing (#14) 13. Matei Mihaescu (ROM), Jenzer Motorsport (#24) 14. Michele Caliendo (ITA), ADM Motorsport (#22) 15. Dominik Schraml (GER), Scuderia Famà (#26) 16. Josef Kral (CZH), Team JVA (#29) 17. Tor Graves (GBR), Team JVA (#30) 18. Frankie Provenzano (ITA), ADM Motorsport (#21) 19. Daniel Mancinelli (ITA), Euronova Racing (#46) Not Classified Carlos Iaconelli (BRA), Pro Motorsport (#10) Harald Schlegelmilch (LAT), Trident Racing (#31) Michael Meadows (GBR), Euronova Racing (#15) Chris van der Drift (NED), JD Motorsport (#6) Fabio Leimer (SUI), Jenzer Motorsport (#23) Yuhi Sekiguchi (JAP), Euronova Racing (#45) Alberto Costa (ITA), Cram Competition (#3) Octavio Freitas (BRA), ADM Motorsport (#16)
Formula Master drivers classification - top eight 1. Chris van der Drift (NED), JD Motorsport (#6), 20 points 2. Sergey Afanasiev (RUS), JD Motorsport (#5), 15 points 3. Michael Ammermüller (GER), Iris Project (#27), 15 points 4. Fabio Leimer (SUI), Jenzer Motorsport (#23), 11 points 5. Kasper Andersen (DEN), Trident Racing (#32), 10 points 6. Harald Schlegelmilch (LAT), Trident Racing (#31), 9 points 7. Norbert Siedler (AUT), ADM Motorsport (#17), 8 points 8. Arturo Llobell (ESP), Cram Competition (#1), 7 points
Formula Master teams classification - top eight1. JD Motorsport, 41 points 2. Trident Racing, 24 points 3. Iris Project, 15 points 4. Cram Competition, 12 points 5. Jenzer Motorsport, 11 points 6. ADM Motorsport, 8 points 7. ISR, 3 points 8. Euronova Racing, 2 points
Formula Master rookies classification - top eight 1. Michael Ammermüller (GER), Iris Project (#27), 21 points 2. Sergey Afanasiev (RUS), JD Motorsport (#5), 18 points 3. Fabio Leimer (SUI), Jenzer Motorsport (#23), 16 points 4. Harald Schlegelmilch (LAT), Trident Racing (#31), 15 points 5. Alejandro Núñez (ESP), Trident Racing (#33), 11 points 6. Vladimir Arabadzhiev (BUL), JD Motorsport (#4), 9 points 7. Yuhi Sekiguchi (JAP), Euronova Racing (#45), 8 points 8. Filip Salaquarda (CZH), ISR (#18), 6 points
Formula Master team-mates classification - top eight 1. Sergey Afanasiev & Chris van der Drift, JD Motorsport, 169 points 2. Sergey Afanasiev & Vladimir Arabadzhiev, JD Motorsport, 141 points 3. Arturo Llobell & Pablo Sanchez Lopez, Cram Competition, 133 points 4. Vladimir Arabadzhiev & Chris van der Drift, JD Motorsport, 132 points 5. Kasper Andersen & Alejandro Núñez, Trident Racing, 130 points 6. Alejandro Núñez & Harald Schlegelmilch, Trident Racing, 129 points 7. Alberto Costa & Arturo Llobell, Cram Competition, 121 points 8. Kasper Andersen & Harald Schlegelmilch, Trident Racing, 117 points
Lap-by-lap analysis Lap 1: race started under safety car conditions Lap 2: Nüñez under pressure from Schlegelmilch / Freitas hits the barriers at Turn 15 - out Lap 5: Costa spins and hits the barriers at Turn 9 - out Lap 6: Contact between Sekiguchi and Leimer on the pit straight - both out / van der Drift hits the barriers - out Lap 9: Schlegelmilch passes Nüñez for fifth place Lap 10: Schlegelmilch stopped at Turn 14 - out / LLobell under pressure from Sanchez Lopez for seventh place Lap 14: Iaconelli hits barriers at Turn 2 - out / Puglisi passes Sanchez Lopez for eighth place
Chequered flag: 13:12
