Fuoco finishes second to Ghiotto, secures series title

Photo: CSAI-ACI

Luca Ghiotto‘s fourth victory of the 2013 Formula Renault Alps season, achieved in race one at Imola, was not enough to postpone Antonio Fuoco‘s title celebrations.

The difficult weather conditions surrounding the race prompted the officials to start the event under safety car conditions. The green flag flew after two laps of running in formation and, while poleman Ghiotto safely maintained the lead, the other front row starter Fuoco came under pressure from Matt Parry, making slight contact with the Caterham junior yet managing to keep the position.

Despite the ever-present rain, the race stabilized at that point, with Fuoco quickly closing in on the race lead. The Ferrari junior was perhaps close enough to make a move, but didn’t wind up taking a risk, eventually settling into second.

As such, while the duo finished way ahead of the field, Ghiotto leading Fuoco by three seconds, Matt Parry held on to his first podium in the category on his debut weekend. Hans Villemi had a decent first showing for Prema, taking fourth, while Simon Gachet secured fifth.

Egor Orudzhev kept his teammate Luke Chudleigh at bay to finish fifth. Joffrey De Narda took eighth, with Andrew Tang in ninth. Konstantin Tereshchenko inherited a points finish in tenth after series race winner Bruno Bonifacio went off in the closing stages of the race.

Race results

Championship standings