Kiss off to a flyer with Goodyear FIA ETRC Race 1 victory
Norbert Kiss built on his strong Goodyear FIA European Truck Racing Championship qualifying form to win Race 1 at the Nürburgring this morning.
The Hungarian hero beat Spain’s Antonio Albacete and home hero Jochen Hahn to victory as Mark Taylor secured Chrome category honours.
By finishing eighth overall, Briton Taylor clinched pole position for the reverse-grid Race 2 later today.
Race 1 polesitter Kiss made the perfect rolling start to take a lead into the first corner that he wouldn’t relinquish, gradually edging clear in his MAN for victory number eight of 2026, a result that increases his title advantage.
“It’s never easy but it was good, we could be confident,” the Révész Racing driver said after winning by 7.790s. “It was a good start and a good first couple of turns, then I started to build a bit of a gap. The truck was good, so a very good job from Révész Racing. With the set-up the balance was really nice, it was very enjoyable to drive and very good points.”
Behind Kiss, Albacete equalled his best result of the Goodyear FIA ETRC season in second for T Sport Bernau with a faultless drive, despite IVECO-powered home hero Hahn remaining a constant threat.
“I was not able to follow Norbi, I had Jochen and Sascha [Lenz] behind and I tried to take it easy to not make many mistakes,” Albacete said. “They were pushing a little bit hard but then I made a little bit of a gap, so I just take care of the tyres. It was a good place in the race and I’m very happy for the whole team and the sponsors.”
After completing the podium at his home Goodyear FIA ETRC event, Hahn said: “I’m a little bit better than before the start because it’s a podium in Germany and that’s the target. I fight with Antonio for second place, for Norbi I will not speak because he’s far away, but that’s the target, he shows us what is possible, and the plan is to go there by working hard.”
Local driver Sascha Lenz settled for fourth, 0.731s behind Hahn, as Steffi Halm fended of the close attentions of José Eduardo Rodrigues in the closing stages to take fifth. Portuguese racer Rodrigues claimed sixth ahead of René Reinert and the Chrome category top three, Taylor, John Newell and Bradley Smith.
“It was a good race, a good start, everyone was fair,” Taylor said. “The first corner was quite busy but every got round good, there were no dramas and I’m pleased everyone could do the race. The truck’s working good and not it’s pole for the reverse grid so we’ll see how it goes in the next one.”
Newell impressed by charging through from P13 on the grid to finish ninth and second among the Chrome contenders.
“Starting P13, to get up to P9 I’m happy with that,” Newell said. “Qualifying were atrocious but we’ll get it right tomorrow and see what the rest of today brings. The tyre pressures were completely wrong yesterday but we’ve sorted it out now and we’re back on the pace.”
Of his multiple overtakes, Newell said his penultimate-lap pass on fellow Briton Smith at Turn 1 was the pick of the bunch.
“We were coming into the chicane, and he started moving under braking, so I thought no problem, I’ll push tight to him, off his back bumper and just slid up the inside [into Turn 1], it was good.”
Smith said: “It was a good race, a clean start. I tried to keep the pressure on Mark but I overheated the tyres a bit and had to drop off on the last few laps and John got me. My goal is to finish all four races this weekend so it’s a good start. The truck was good but it’s a new truck so we’re still learning it.”
Lukas Hahn led the Chrome order initially but stopped on track with damage on lap five. After a move on Rodrigues failed, the German youngster fell into Reinert’s clutches with Hahn slowing following contact between the pair after a close battle.
Rodrigues tried a move of his own on the final lap when the Halm locked her IVECO’s brakes at Turn 3. But Halm held on while Rodrigues and Reinert make slight contact.
Luis Recuenco finished 11th despite starting 19th after the Mercedes driver was disqualified from qualifying for not correctly observing a black and orange warning flag in Friday qualifying.
Jonathan André achieved his pre-race goal of maintaining his grid position of 12th as Steffen Faas overcame early contact to finish 13th ahead of Luke Garrett, the returning Emma Mäkinen and Stefan Kursch. André and Garrett both received time penalties for separate rule infringements.
Adam Lacko, the 2017 champion who is returning to the Goodyear FIA ETRC after a lengthy break, started ninth but retired at the end of lap one with suspected damage. Clemens Hecker also went no further than the opening tour due to damage.
Race 2 provides the next track action from 15:25 local time with the 12-lap contest live on YouTube. Click HERE for live timing and follow the Sportity app using the password: FIA_ETRC_26 for results.
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