FR3.5: Rowland defeats Vaxiviere in race two-73024

Oliver Rowland emerged on top from an almighty scrap with title rival Matthieu Vaxiviere to claim his fifth Formula Renault 3.5 victory of the season at Silverstone.

Polesitter Vaxiviere was arguably the fastest man of the day, and led until making his mandatory pitstop on lap six. He was forced to contend with negotiating Nyck de Vries' damaged DAMS car, being retired, in the preceding pit box as he came in to make his stop.

Three laps later, Rowland's Fortec crew assisted in gifting the Racing Steps-backed driver the fastest total pitstop time of the day, 25.5s, almost a second quicker than the next best achieved by Roy Nissany and Tech 1.

Rowland returned to the track with a slender lead over Vaxiviere, but the Lotus racer swiftly closed onto the Fortec machine's gearbox.

The intervention of the safety car on lap 11, when a crane was called on to remove Tom Dillmann's Carlin machine from a dangerous position, interrupted Vaxiviere's attack but also disrupted Rowland's rhythm.

Rowland's victory was most seriously threatened four laps later after he suffered a lurid slide exiting Club. Vaxiviere darted around in the leader's mirrors, but at the next fast right-hander at Abbey the black and gold car was unable to find a way by.

Pietro Fantin achieved his first FR3.5 podium since Moscow Raceway in 2014 for a resurgent Draco team. Red Bull junior racer Dean Stoneman chased the Brazilian spiritedly but had to settle for fourth.

Nicholas Latifi had a relatively solitary run to fifth, ahead of Arden stable-mate Egor Orudzhev who emerged from fierce scrap with Nick Yelloly and Gustav Malja in sixth.

Stoneman's DAMS teammate de Vries was in the wars at Silverstone on Sunday. The McLaren protégé was involved in contact with Saturday winner Tio Ellinas at Turn 1 away from the lights, which sent the Cypriot spinning.

A further moment on the opening lap, when de Vries was squeezed onto the Hangar Straight's grass, was a prelude to a race-ending collision with the second Draco car of Bruno Bonifacio at The Loop.

Ellinas valiantly worked his way up from last on lap one to a points-paying position in the top 10, but he was punted off the road at the last corner, Luffield, on the last lap by Aurelien Panis.

RACE TWO RESULT

Originally on Autosport.com