ETRC: Kiss and Albacete victorious on final day in Poznań

Norbert Kiss completed another lights-to-flag victory in Race 3 while Antonio Albacete clinched his second victory of the Goodyear FIA European Truck Racing Championship season in the final race of the weekend held at Tor Poznań in Poland

After scoring his second pole position in as many days, the Hungarian truck racing ace followed up with a victory in the penultimate race of the weekend, untouchable from the start as the action unfolded behind him. This was the Hungarian’s eighth win of the season.

The podium was rounded out by Jochen Hahn and Sascha Lenz, but it was seventh-place finisher Antonio Albacete who was the driver of the race.

The Spaniard lined up second on the grid beside Kiss, but was caught up in the opening exchanges with Jochen Hahn and Jamie Anderson. Going three-wide, it was Anderson whose opportunistic move pushed Albacete wide and straight into the barriers at Turn 3.

The race was red-flagged, but Albacete’s T Sport Bernau outfit managed to repair his MAN truck within minutes and the three-time FIA ETRC title winner was able to join the back of the formation lap from the pitlane just before the restart. Anderson was handed a 10s penalty for causing the collision, which would see him drop down behind Albacete in the final standings of the race.

Fourth and final race of the weekend traditionally had the top eight finishers from Race 3 starting in reversed order. It was Mark Taylor who found himself on pole position with Albacete alongside. The Spanish racer quickly emerged into the lead, while Taylor dropped down the order. Albacete went on to win the race to close off what has been a bittersweet weekend for him.

The podium was rounded out by Lenz and Kiss, who worked his way up the order, having started down in eighth.

With three out of eight rounds out of the way, Kiss leads Hahn 150 to 120 on points. Lenz, with 103 points to his name, moved up to third in the standings at the expense of Albacete, who is now two points down on the German.

Next on the calendar is the traditional peak of the season planned for mid-July at Germany’s famous Nürburgring circuit.