Mirko Bortolotti’s absence from the season finale of the Formula Acceleration 1 series at Assen handed Dutchman Nigel Melker the inaugural series title in front of his home fans.
Melker took both victories on offer in the Netherlands, including an amazing 38.051s victory in the wet second race as his excellent wet weather skills were shown for all to see.
Melker secured pole position for the opening race of the weekend and took home the victory ahead of Italian Sergio Campana, who was representing the Spanish team, while Slovakian Richard Gonda completed the podium. Nathanael Berthon was fourth for France ahead of Spaniard Dani Clos.
In race two, held in wet conditions on Sunday afternoon, Clos was on pole position but he had no answer to Melker in the rain, with the Spaniard losing well over one second a lap to the Dutch driver.
Campana completed the podium in third ahead of Briton Craig Dolby on debut, with Berthon completing the top five.
On collecting the championship, Melker was disappointed his main rival from the season Bortolotti was absent from the season finale, but was happy to take a double victory in front of his home fans.
“I look back at a nice FA1 championship,” said Melker. “The team – Azerti – improved by each race and the car was good and incredibly fast. It was too bad that Bortolotti was not here to battle for the championship, but I am happy to have won both races here in my home country.
“The speaker asked me before the race if I still was ‘the rain man’ and I’m happy I could prove that I still am,”
Assen Race 1 Result
POS | DRIVER | NATION | TIME/Laps |
1 | Nigel Melker | Netherlands | 31m23.357s |
2 | Sergio Campana | Spain | +9.553s |
3 | Richard Gonda | Slovakia | +10.665s |
4 | Nathanael Berthon | France | +11.942s |
5 | Dani Clos | Spain | +12.997s |
6 | Jeroen Mul | Netherlands | +20.824s |
7 | Sebastian Balthasar | Germany | +59.644s |
8 | Kevin Kleveros | Sweden | +1m00.042s |
9 | Bas Schouten | Netherlands | +1 Lap |
RET | Gian Maria Gabbiani | Italy | 11 Laps |
RET | Michael Dorrbecker | Mexico | 7 Laps |
RET | Alessio Picariello | Belgium | 4 Laps |
RET | Marco Barba | Spain | 3 Laps |
RET | Craig Dolby | Great Britain | 2 Laps |
Assen Race 2 Result
POS | DRIVER | NATION | TIME/Laps |
1 | Nigel Melker | Netherlands | 45m32.584s |
2 | Dani Clos | Spain | +38.051s |
3 | Sergio Campana | Spain | +50.111s |
4 | Craig Dolby | Great Britain | +54.649s |
5 | Nathanael Berthon | France | +1m33.986s |
6 | Richard Gonda | Slovakia | +1m34.969s |
7 | Kevin Kleveros | Sweden | +1m35.806s |
8 | Marco Barba | Spain | +1m45.100s |
9 | Sebastian Balthasar | Germany | +1m45.660s |
10 | Bas Schouten | Netherlands | +1 Lap |
11 | Gian Maria Gabbiani | Italy | +3 Laps |
RET | Michael Dorrbecker | Mexico | 12 Laps |
RET | Jeroen Mul | Netherlands | 4 Laps |
DNS | Alessio Picariello | Belgium | 0 Laps |