Ed Jones takes win in first F3 Open Nurburgring race

Photo: F3 Open/Fotospeedy

Ed Jones scored his second successive win in the F3 Open in the first race of the Nurburgring weekend.

The West-Tec driver claimed pole position in a qualifying session delayed by thick fog on Saturday morning. He was beaten off the line by fellow front-row starter Sandy Stuvik, but the championship leader ran wide at the first corner. That allowed both Jones and fourth-place starter Hector Hurst through, with Jones taking the race lead.

UAE driver Jones quickly opened up a lead of five seconds within a few laps, only easing off slightly before taking the chequered flag after 16 laps.

Jones benefited in the early stages from a frantic battle for second place. Stuvik claimed the place back from Hurst at the start of the second lap but could not pull away, the gap remaining at under a second for the majority of the race. After momentarily falling to fifth behind?Santiago Urrutia at the start, Nelson Mason spent the rest of the race up behind Hurst, but was unable to pull off a move.

Urrutia fell into the clutches of Alexander Toril, his RP Motorsport team-mate producing a fine manoeuvre around the outside of the chicane on lap nine. Mario Marasca held seventh throughout the race, although he was chased down by BVM team-mate Vicky Piria in the closing laps, but the female racer was passed by Alexandre Cougnaud on the final lap.

Andres Saravia took tenth, just ahead of the Copa class winner Tommaso Menchini. Richard Gonda had led the category from pole until he ran wide at the final corner as he was passed by Saravia, allowing Menchini and Roberto La Rocca through.

Race results