Amendola clinches maiden MRF Challenge crown

The 16-year-old Indian-American Yuven Sundaramoorthy gave the crowd plenty to cheer about by winning one race while British teenager Louis Foster and Australia’s Dylan Young took the honours in the other two races. A third-place finish in Race-5 on Sunday ensured the 18-year-old Amendola the title in his third attempt.

He had opened up an unassailable 34-point lead over his nearest rival Young going into the last race of the day. Amendola finished with 247 points, including five wins over three rounds, to Young’s 223 (Three wins). Great Britain’s Joshua Mason (176) was placed third in the championship. Rejoicing his championship success with his immediate family, Amendola, who had scored a double on Saturday, said: “I am absolutely delighted. Last season, I finished fourth in the championship and in 2017, I was sixth. So, I was determined to win the title this time. Now that I have won it, I am looking at a few options but all depends on budget and sponsorship. Motor racing is not very popular in Belgium, but I am hopeful.”

The day began with Foster capitalising on a Turn-2 incident on Lap-1 that led to a brief Safety Car period. Foster, who moved from third to first during that time, then hung on to finish ahead of Sundaramoorthy and Amendola. Young’s championship hopes virtually ended when he lost two spots to come in sixth.

In the next race, Sundaramoorthy, starting on pole on the reverse grid, was off to a good start and though he lost a bit going into Turn 10, he managed to hold off Jordanian Manaf Hijjawi for his second win of the season. Young, who finished third in Race-5, won the day’s last race untroubled.

Results:

MRF Challenge (all 15 laps unless mentioned): Race-4: 1.Yuven Sundaramoorthy (USA) 22mins, 53.075secs; 2.Manaf Hijjawi (Jordan) 22:54.066; 3.Dylan Young (Australia) 23:03.255.

Race-5: 1.Louis Foster (GBR) 25:38.368; 2.Sundaramoorthy 25:41.064; 3.Michelangelo Amendola (Belgium) 25:45.004.

Race-6 (14 laps): 1.Young 21:33.558; 2.Valdemar Eriksen (Denmark) 21:34.874; 3. Amendola 21:36.464.

Final Championship standings (top 3): 1.Amendola (247 points); 2.Young (223); 3.Joshua Mason (176).