FV8 3.5: Vaxiviere takes SMP's first series win

Matthieu Vaxiviere won an incident-packed Formula V8 3.5 race at Spa-Francorchamps, handing series newcomer SMP Racing its first victory in the category.

Torrential rain and poor visibility contributed to a series of crashes, but Vaxiviere's only real drama came on the penultimate lap, shortly after taking the lead, when he suffered a twitching, aquaplaning, moment at Les Combes. The same puddle had caused championship leader Tom Dillmann to pirouette out of first place. The Frenchman continued, albeit cautiously, and claimed the runner-up position, 6.2 seconds in arrears of his compatriot.

Dillmann's AVF teammate Alfonso Celis Jr. scored his first FV8 3.5 podium in third after a mature drive.

Heavy rain gave race officials little option other than a safety car start. When racing began after three slow laps, Dillmann immediately made a break at the head of the pack. Aided by clear visibility, he extended a three-second advantage over Lotus driver Roy Nissany and Arden's Aurelien Panis.

Vaxiviere held fourth spot from Rene Binder and the second Fortec entry of Pietro Fittipaldi at that point.

Dillmann, Nissany and Vaxiviere all made their mandatory pit stops on the same lap, but as the relatively slow-moving Nissany rejoined he was collected by Johnny Cecotto Jr. The Venezuelan had pitted earlier and survived a pitlane collision that ended Saturday victor Egor Orudzhev's race. Cecotto was launched over the rear of Nissany's car, with both ending their races nose first in the Eau Rouge tire barrier.

The safety car re-emerged for another four laps, and as the pit stop window was not extended new leader Panis and second-placed Binder took their mandatory tire changes on the following tour. Dillmann assumed the lead from Vaxiviere only to spin at Les Combes in a deep puddle and fall back.

Vaxiviere's win followed a disastrous Saturday when a parc ferme infringement cost him pole and the loss of his fastest qualifying lap on Sunday morning for a yellow flag indiscretion, although that didn't change his fourth place on the grid.

Behind Celis – who benefited from being the earliest to pit – Vitor Baptista took fourth for RP Motorsport, ahead of Panis and Binder.

Sixth-place qualifier Louis Deletraz stalled on the grid but was restarted in the pitlane. He rejoined at the tail of the field only to crash at the La Source hairpin as soon as green-flag racing began.

Originally on Autosport.com