Race 3 flash report: Smith is the Goodyear FIA ETRC Chrome star
Bradley Smith rebounded from his Saturday woes to claim his first victory of the season in the Goodyear FIA European Truck Racing Championship’s Chrome category as Nobert Kiss made it a hat-trick of outright wins at Slovakia Ring.
Smith retried from Race 1 with a broken gearbox and was unable to start Race 2 after a replacement – loaned by rival competitor Luke Garrett – was fitted. But he hit back in style to win the category for drivers with less experience and top results in the Goodyear FIA ETRC in fifth overall.
Defending Chrome champion Mark Taylor finished second in class as Garrett completed the Chrome top three in eighth overall to secure pole position on the partially-reversed Race 4 grid.
“It’s a nice turnaround for the team,” Smith said. “I had a good start, and it was a really good race, I really enjoyed it but Steffi wouldn’t let me breathe. I didn’t think I’d get out for qualifying so to win is special. It’s a good boost [for the season] and hopefully we can finish the weekend on a high because the team has worked really hard to get us out on track. We’ve had all sorts of problems thrown at us but that’s racing and you take the rough with the smooth.”
In the battle for the outright win, Kiss led from start to finish, making a perfect getaway from pole position not once but twice after the first attempt was red flagged following contact between René Reinert and José Eduardo Rodrigues at T1.
Jochen Hahn gave chase initially before he pulled over at the start of lap three with a reported gearbox issue. That allowed Sascha Lenz – who’d overtaken his fellow German during the first start – to snatch second with Antonio Albacete finishing third.
“A good race and a good start both times, after the red flag I was clean in front,” Kiss said. “Sascha and Johan was fighting a bit and Johan DNFd, which is never the way you want to win or increase your lead in the championship. But it is what it is and after that I had a clean race and I could save the tyres a bit and watch out for the truck for the reverse-grid race. Overall I’m happy, it was a good victory and an important victory.”
Steffi Halm left it late to claim fourth overall from Smith as Reinert battled back to seventh behind Taylor. Reinert had started on the back of the grid after engine issues prevented him from taking part in Qualifying 1-2-3.
Steffen Faas finished ninth but was relegated to 12th when five seconds were added to his total time following contact with John Newell, who spun onto the grass as a result.
Luis Recuenco, competing in his new-for-2026 Mercedes-Benz, recovered from a trip over the grass exiting Turn 3 on the opening lap of the original start and exiting Turn 1 on the restart to inherit ninth ahead of Newell and Clemens Hecker.
Rodrigues retired nearing the finish of the formation lap, the damage following his collision with Reinert too great to allow him to take the restart. The Portuguese was subsequently handed a three-place grid penalty for Race 4 following the incident with Reinert.
Lenz, Reinert and Taylor have been nominated for the Goodyear Wingfoot Award. Go to Instagram to vote, which will be announced on the Race 4 podium.
Race 4 is due to begin at 15:30 local time live on YouTube. Follow the Goodyear FIA ETRC on the Sportity app for all results using the password: FIA_ETRC_26.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
