SMP Racing by AVF secure podium finish in Silverstone

SMP Racing by AVF scored a positive podium finish in the inaugural round of the 2017 World Series Formula V8 3.5 a Silverstone. After entering qualifying 2 in the morning, a session conditioned by rain and that was setting the starting grid for Sunday, the Spanish squad saw both their drivers recover in Race 1 right from the start, when they climbed up behind eventual winner Pietro Fittipaldi. Egor Orudzhev put together a good comeback from the half point on, and ended up trailing his Brazilian contender in second, also closing the 8-second gap created during the initial stages.

The car driven by Orudzhev was later disqualified for being in breach of art. 21 of the Sporting Regulations and art. 4.2 of the Technical Regulations. The team appealed the decision: the final results stand in as provisional. If the appeal will be rejected, the team will have its other driver on the podium, as Matevos Isaakyan crossed the line in fourth. The Russian completed a solid race which confirmed SMP Racing by AVF as one of the best teams of the weekend.

Egor Orudzhev

“Both qualifying sessions were disappointing for us as we could have been able to go higher. The race went well and we had a good pace, the tyres didn’t go off too much but when I caught Pietro I lost the front ones as I had no grip. It was dropping and I could do nothing. Alfonso caught me just in the last lap, let’s see for tomorrow and thanks to SMP Racing and AVF”.

Matevos Isakyan

“Qualifying in the morning was a lottery and we basically lost it. I found a red flag just in front of me and I coundn’t do nothing, with sixth place I was a bit disappointed. In the race I had a good start jumping third, I could overtake Egor but I preferred to save the tires and stay behind. Speed generally was good, just a couple of tenths off the leaders, but at the end of the race Celis overtook me and I couldn’t really manage to keep him at bay, so 4th is good, points are still points”.