Konstantin Tereschenko took his second victory of the 2015 EuroFormula Open season after fighting back against race one winner Vitor Baptista in race two at Paul Ricard.
RP Motorsport’s Baptista passed Campos Racing’s Tereschenko into the chicane down the Mistral Straight on lap three, just before the safety car was deployed to clear up a first lap crash between Diego Mencheca and Igor Walilko, which was instigated by Yarin Stern, who was forced to pit at the end of the first lap to replace a broken front wing.
By the time of the safety car, Baptista had also passed his RP Motorsport team-mate Damiano Fioravanti for second before hunting down Tereschenko. Alessio Rovera of BVM Racing also passed Fioravanti for third just before the safety car was deployed.
After the safety car, Baptista seemed to have the race under control, with Tereschenko being forced to look in his mirrors and fend off the challenge of Rovera, with the Italian having a good run down the Mistral straight before falling back from the Russian.
Having seen off the challenge of Rovera, Tereschenko then went after Baptista, and passed him down the Mistral Straight, having almost passed him exiting the final corner on lap twelve. The Campos Racing driver then controlled the race until the chequered flag to become the first two-time winner of 2015, with Baptista and Rovera completing the podium.
Fioravanti held on for fourth ahead of RP Motorsport team-mate Andres Saravia, while William Barbosa was sixth in the second BVM Racing machine, with the Colombian holding off Yu Kanamaru of Emilio de Villota Motorsport until the end.
Tanart Sathienthirakul was eighth for Team West-Tec F3 ahead of Stern, who was the biggest beneficiary of the safety car following his first lap wing change. The final point went to Henrique Baptista despite the Brazilian being spun following a clash with John Simonyan that eliminated the RP Motorsport driver.
But no one was to deny Tereschenko a jubilant win, with the Russian raising both hands out of the cockpit as he crossed the line. He also reclaimed the championship lead from Baptista, with Rovera still in touching distance in third.
Paul Ricard Race 2 Result
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