One win apiece for Homola and Bucsi in TCR Eastern Europe
TCR Eastern Europe kicked off in Hungary at Balaton Park with two entertaining races that saw local hero Attila Bucsi taking twice the chequered flag in first position at the wheel of his M1RA Motorsport Hyundai i30N. However, the Hungarian youngster was stripped of his Race 1 win because of a penalty for jump-start, which promoted another Hyundai, the Janík Motorsport-run Elantra of reigning champion Mato’ Homola to the first place. Bucsi took revenge in Race 2 with an authoritative victory ahead of Aditis Racing’s rookie Martin Kadlečík and Homola who now tops the standings, seven points clear of Bucsi and Kout.
Race 1 – Qualifying had been shortened by four minutes after the crash of Fraňo Dubreta’s CUPRA when the best lap was Adam Kout’s 1:43.653, only 50 hundredths faster than Bucsi’s 1:43.703. The pole sitter made a slow start and dropped to sixth, while Bucsi led from Homola, Giacomo Ghermandi, René Kircher and Davit Kajaia. Soon, Kout passed both Kajaia and Kircher, moving up to fourth, while Homola was chasing the leader Bucsi. In lap 6, rookie Jiři Zbožínek stranded his Hyundai Elantra in the gravel al T5 and the safety car was deployed. When racing resumed, Žarko Knego missed the braking point at T1 and collected Kajaia, with both cars stopping in the gravel, which forced the race control to wave the red flag.
After 15 minutes the race was restarted behind the safety car, Bucsi went on to win ahead of Homola, while in his attempt of defending the third position, Ghermandi went wide at the end of the penultimate lap and dropped to fifth behind Kout and Kircher. However, Bucsi was given a 10-second time penalty for jump-start and dropped to seventh, while Homola, Kout and Kircher were promoted to the podium.
Race 2 – The draw to reverse the grid gave the pole to Vit Smejkal’s CUPRA, 10th in Race 1, with Ivar Vallers’ Audi in P2. Smejkal nearly stalled at the start, while Bucsi led the field from P4 on the grid ahead of Vallers, Kadlečík, Ghermandi, Kircher and Homola. Soon Vallers began to drop down the order as he was passed by Kadlečík, Ghermandi, Kircher and Homola. Up front, the gaps began to grow between Bucsi, Kadlečík and Ghermandi, while there was a thrilling fight for P6 between Vallers, Peter Čížek, Kout and Kajaia. In lap 7, Homola moved up to fourth ahead of Kircher and began to close on Ghermandi, eventually passing him in lap 10. Bucsi went on to take the win from Kadlečík who stepped up on the podium on his TCR debut and Homola, while Ghermandi successfully defended P4 and Kout passed Kircher on the last lap to finish fifth. After the race, the Stewards handed a 6-second penalty for track limits to Ghermandi who was demoted to sixth.
TCR Eastern Europe will resume at the Red Bull Ring on May 17/19.
Balaton – Race 1
- Mat’o Homola (Janík Motorsport, Hyundai Elantra N), 12 laps
- Adam Kout (Janík Motorsport, Hyundai Elantra N), 3.119
- René Kircher (Mertel Motorsport, Honda Civic Type R FK7), 4.239
Balaton – Race 2
- Attila Bucsi (M1RA Motorsport, Hyundai i30 N), 15 laps
- Martin Kadlečík (Aditis Racing, Audi RS 3 LMS II), 2.457
- Mat’o Homola (Janík Motorsport, Hyundai Elantra N), 6.799
Championship points
- M. Homola, 41 pts; 2. A. Bucsi, 34; 3. A. Kout, 34.
Picture: TCR Eastern Europe/Goodwill Media
