Le Castellet, 2 March –Another all-Ferrari podium in France as the Talkanitsa father and son duo, both named Alexander, won the second race of the Paul Ricard Winter Series, at the famous French track, which back in 1990 saw Ferrari takes its hundredth F1 win. The Belarus crew, at the wheel of the AF Corse 458 came out on top at the end of an exciting race, beating the Kessel Racing Ferrari, crewed by Poland’s Michal Broniszewski. Second was the Ombra team’s 458, in the hands of the promising 29 year old Italian Stefano Gattuso and Mario Cordoni. Third were the winners of race 1, Daniel Zampieri and Roman Mavlanov in the 458 entered by SMP Racing Russian Bears.
Michele Rugolo (AF Corse 458) was best away at the start from pole postion, while behind him, Mavlanov and Broniszewski fought wheel to wheel through several corners, with the Pole coming off best. Cordoni was fourth ahead of Maleev in the other SMP 458, followed by Bianchi, Merckz and the Talkanitsas.
At the pit stop, Rugolo handed over to the Swiss Claudio Sdanewitsch in the AF Corse machine, keeping the lead ahead of Broniszewski and Talkanitska who made the most of the pit stops to move up the order. In fourth to sixth were Gattuso, Zampieri and Perez-Aicart.
Plenty of excitement in the closing stages with six cars fighting for the win on a circuit where any off-track overtaking was penalised with a drive through. On lap 18 Broniszewski attacked Sdanewistch, who one lap later was struggling and was poassed by the entire chasing quintet, In the last 2 laps, there was a thrilling duel between the Pole and the Belarus father and son with the younger man attacking, forcing Broniszewski to run wide, which saw him lose places sliding down to fifth at the flag.