Estoril EF Open: Pulcini dominates opener after first-lap drama

Starting from pole, the Campos Racing driver got off the line perfectly to lead the race, as front-row starter Jack Aitken was passed by a fast-starting Ferdinand Habsburg.

Behind the leading pack, GP3 driver Tatiana Calderon collided with Antoni Ptak on the start/finish line, ending both their races.

The Colombian was going for a move, but her left rear touched the right front of the Polish driver's car, as she swept across the track and hit the barriers.

On the same lap, Renault academy driver Aitken, after losing second place, was in a battle for third with Colton Herta when both made contact, sending the American into the barriers at turn 6.

While Herta’s race ended, Aitken limped back to the pits with a damaged rear wing but got back into the race, albeit running a lap down.

Up ahead, Pulcini dominated the proceedings with Habsburg ending up second and Campos' Diago Menchaca completing the podium.

Damiano Fioravanti finished fourth, after overtaking Thai Tanart Sathienthirakul midway in the 19-lap race.

Sixth-placed Igor Walilko made up eight spots, starting from 14th, his charge including a hefty battle with Kantadhee Kusiri in the opening stages, the latter settling for seventh.

Behind them, Julio Moreno, Keyvan Andres and Daniele Cazzaniga completed the top 10.

Race 1 results:

Pos	Driver	Car/Engine	Time/Gap
1	Leonardo Pulcini	Dallara/Toyota	30'30.599
2	Ferdinand Habsburg	Dallara/Toyota	3.662
3	Diego Menchaca	Dallara/Toyota	7.452
4	Damiano Fioravanti	Dallara/Toyota	7.947
5	Tanart Sathienthirakul	Dallara/Toyota	17.166
6	Igor Walilko	Dallara/Toyota	18.554
7	Kusiri Kantadhee	Dallara/Toyota	28.459
8	Julio Moreno	Dallara/Toyota	31.754
9	Keyvan Soori	Dallara/Toyota	32.671
10	Daniele Cazzaniga	Dallara/Toyota	34.155
11	Nikita Zlobin	Dallara/Toyota	34.970
12	Danylo Pronenko	Dallara/Toyota	36.009
13	Kang Ling	Dallara/Toyota	36.420
14	Petru Florescu	Dallara/Toyota	39.404
15	Ameya Vaidyanathan	Dallara/Toyota	39.796
16	Jose Manuel Vilalta	Dallara/Toyota	50.622
17	Jack Aitken	Dallara/Toyota	59.224
18	Gulhuseyen Abdullayev	Dallara/Toyota	59.303
19	Hong Li Ye	Dallara/Toyota
Ret	Antoni Ptak	Dallara/Toyota
Ret	Colton Herta	Dallara/Toyota
Ret	Tatiana Calderon	Dallara/Toyota