GRAND SLAM IN SLOVAKIA EXTENDS RODRIGUES' CHROME LEAD
The Chrome drivers entered the Slovakia Ring weekend with the championship in close contention. Reigning class champion José Eduardo Rodrigues however delivered a dominant performance, significantly extending his lead by the end of the second event of the season
Rodrigues couldn't have asked for a better weekend, securing all class poles and victories. Despite Steffen Faas and Mark Taylor's efforts to challenge him with reverse grid poles in Race 2 and Race 4, they couldn't prevent Rodrigues from emulating Norbert Kiss’ feat of taking a grand slam in the Chrome class. With Faas facing a difficult Sunday, Rodrigues leaves Slovakia Ring with a 22-point lead over his closest rival.
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/635797458d5d83a4242f16f2/666ace53b632a13d19bbda13_R2_Chrome_RK2X0556.jpg)
Faas’ weekend started well with two podiums, but Sunday was plagued by engine issues. What began as a cylinder misfire escalated into a full electrical failure, causing him to miss qualifying and finish at the back of the Chrome grid in Race 3. He couldn't finish Race 4 due to a complete system shutdown. The team hopes for a better outcome in two weeks at Zolder to close the gap on Rodrigues.
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/635797458d5d83a4242f16f2/666acd61988569904775f8fb_Slovakiaring_08.06.2024_RMS_2382.jpg)
John Newell had a strong weekend, though he remains behind fellow Brit Mark Taylor in the Chrome standings. Despite a turbocharger failure in Qualifying 2 that placed him at the back of the grid, Newell secured three podiums out of four races. He trails Taylor by six points.
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/635797458d5d83a4242f16f2/66661b75cdfbca919729e263_R4_Chrome_RK2X0861.jpg)
Mark Taylor was on track for his first win of the season in Race 4, until an incident with Steffi Halm and Rodrigues left him with a flat tire two laps before the finish. He managed to hold onto third place, narrowly beaten by Newell at the line by just 0.2 seconds. Despite a quiet Saturday, a stronger Sunday performance keeps him ahead of Newell in the standings, still in contention for the class lead.
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/635797458d5d83a4242f16f2/66661b644e89a85eda4b5469_RK1X4055.jpg)
Luis Recuenco had a consistent weekend, scoring points despite a few on-track incidents. He sits comfortably in fifth place in the Chrome championship, adding another 30 points to his campaign.
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/635797458d5d83a4242f16f2/66661aeb4e89a85eda4aca6c_Slovakiaring_08.06.2024_RMS_1807.jpg)
Luke Garrett experienced another rollercoaster weekend at Slovakia Ring, with an electric failure taking him out of Race 1 and steering issues (including another steering pump failure) hindering his performance in Race 2 and Race 3. The Goodyear FIA ETRC rookie showed improved pace, challenging Recuenco on track but couldn’t finish to secure any well-deserved points. Race 4 provided a breakthrough for Garrett, achieving a series-best P4 in class and displaying great race craft to salvage the Slovakia event.
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/635797458d5d83a4242f16f2/66661bf5eb34536f793b49e7_RK1X2890.jpg)