Fenestraz caps crown with last win
SACHA FENESTRAZ SEALED the 2017 Formula Renault Eurocup title with a race to spare as he took second place in the second race of the weekend, comfortably clear of his closest rival, Will Palmer.
Fenestraz, a championship outsider for much of the season, had to wait for race two to be resumed after an enormous Turn 2 crash eliminated 13 cars on the first lap and the event was red flagged. The crash was a knock-on effect of Max Defourny and Gabriel Aubry clashing as they ran through the left-hander, which spun the former to a halt. He was collected by the second half of the field.
After a 20-minute suspension, Fenestraz attacked polesitter Robert Shwartzman on the run to Turn 1 but could not find a way by. But with Palmer, who was second in the opening encounter, finishing down the order – the 2015 BRDC Formula 4 champion had needed to win with Fenestraz finishing ninth or lower to prolong the title fight – the crown went to the Josef Kaufmann Racing driver.
“It just feels amazing,” said Fenestraz after the conclusion of race two. “I think we deserved this championship, so I can’t ask for more than that. I’m over the moon.”
Red Bull junior Richard Verschoor completed the race two podium ahead of Max Fewtrell, Jarno Opmeer and Palmer.
In the final race, Fenestraz reversed the race two result by beating recently announced Ferrari Academy member Shwartzman, who also won race one. Defourny finished third.