Hungary FR3.5: First win for Orudzhev in Race 1

After starting from the front row Russian Orudzhev battled through 27 laps to clinch his maiden win in FR 3.5 series ahead of Manor F1 driver Roberto Merhi driving his Pons Racing car.

At the green lights Orudzhev and Lotus' driver Matthieu Vaxiviere (starting third) overtook pole sitter Oliver Rowland. But by the end of the lap, Rowland took the position back from Vaxiviere.

The French driver also lost a position to Arden Motorsport's Nicholas Latifi. On lap 6, contact between Vaxiviere and Latifi ended the Canadian driver's race. While Vaxiviere moved to third, Merhi moved up to fourth by then.

Orudzhev was under constant attack from championship leader Rowland but he held his nerve; they traded fastest laps between them. Rowland was piling immense pressure on the rookie Russian driver all through the race.

Towards the end of the thrilling race, the top five were separated by mere 3 seconds. Orudzhev maintined his calmn and took victory in Hungary ahead of Merhi and Rowland.

It was a fantastic end to the race when Merhi, first overtook Vaxiviere for third and on the last lap, in the last corner, he swept pass Rowland to finish second in the race.

Vaxiviere finished fourth while Tom Dillmann rounded off the top five. Dean Stoneman ended sixth while Aurelien Panis was seventh.

The top ten was rounded off with Roy Nissany in eighth, ahead of Beitske Visser and Gustav Malja.

Rowland still leads the championship with 98 points while Vaxiviere is second with 89 points and Jazeman Jaafar third with 75 points.