Ricky Collard makes the best possible recovery by winning the second race of the weekend at Rockingham. The MSA Formula driver drove a comfortable race after taking the lead early on and was rarely challenged.
Collard had started second by virtue of being eighth in race one, making a clean start and slotting quickly into second behind Sandy Mitchell. There he stayed for a lap before making a brave move while racing around the infield to take the lead.
A safety car was soon called as to recover Rafael Martins who’d crashed out on the first lap, with a few others also taking damage as the field calmed down while under full course yellows.
Having made an excellent restart, Collard set about establishing a good lead. This was made slightly easier as his TRS Arden team mate Mitchell, lost out to Sennan Fielding who was hoping to recover after a mediocre race one.
While Fielding caught up in the second half of the race, Collard managed to maintain at least a one second gap ensuring he took the 25 points from Fielding and rookie class winner, Mitchell.
Matheus Leist had come home in fourth, after making a good start. He broke away and challenged Mitchell for the podium, but was unable to find an opportunity collecting his best finish since Oulton Park. While in fifth was Dan Ticktum who held off the on form Enaam Ahmed.
The battle for the lower half of the top ten was a talking all race. Colton Herta would eventually hold on to seventh after an incredible defensive display that saw him lose touch with the cars in front. Lando Norris, who came home eighth, had had a poor start, but was eventually gifting a few positions later before challenging his Carlin team mate.
The battle allowed the 2014 British F3 Cup winner Toby Sowery to take eighth, before he too fell back when attempting an overtake on Herta in front. A queue had unsurprisingly formed by the end of the race but it was Ameya Vaidyanathan who lead the rest in tenth.
The win for Collard allows him to retake the championship lead, but knows he’ll have his work cut out as he starts last for race three.
