Montenegro claims maiden TCR Europe win in Race 2 at Spa

ALM Motorsport’s Ignacio Montenegro claimed his maiden TCR Europe victory in a chaotic second race at Spa-Francorchamps.

The track was slightly damp for the start of what was scheduled to be an eight-lap race, and it was SP Competition’s Giovanni Scamardi who had reversed-grid pole.

He immediately blew his advantage, failing to get away from the line until he had been passed by the whole field, and it was ALM’s Levente Losonczy who led into the opening corner.

MA:GP’s Viktor Andersson went for second place at La Source but then lost the position to Montenegro exiting the corner, while Monlau Motorsport’s Franco Girolami and his title rival Aurélien Comte went side-by-side through Eau Rouge.

GOAT Racing’s Rubén Fernández went off down the Kemmel Straight and damaged his car, and later in the lap Montenegro began flashing his lights at team-mate Losonczy. He moved ahead on lap two, and stayed there until he met the chequered flag on lap nine as the race was lengthened.

Andersson passed Losonczy at Les Combes on lap three, but only by cutting the corner, and Comte overtook Girolami for fourth.

A battle further down the order between Santiago Concepción and Nicola Baldan resulted in contact at La Source on lap four, but they kept going and Comtoyou Racing’s Baldan later passed ALM’s Ruben Volt before a brief safety car period that ran through lap six.

There was drama on the restart, with Comte hitting Losonczy as he dived down his inside at La Source and then having to go side-by-side with Girolami through Eau Rouge again.

Both went off at the exit, and Monlau’s Eric Gené was on their tail before he spun at Les Combes. Girolami ended the lap in fourth, ahead of Baldan, Comte and GOAT Racing’s Felipe Fernández.

Rain then arrived in certain areas of the track, and behind the top three of Montenegro, Andersson and Losonzcy the order was shaken up.

Girolami had contact at La Source and lost out to Baldan, then later he sunk to eighth as Felipe Fernández made several passes to claim fifth and Comte and Volt held ground in sixth and seventh.

GOAT Racing’s Concepción was ninth, Scamardi recovered to tenth and Comtoyou’s Jimmy Clairet drove a quiet race to 11th.