Orudzhev “Unbelievably Lucky” With FCY Timing

Egor Orudzhev said he ‘thought his race was over’ when he received a drivethrough penalty in the deciding Pro/Pro-Am race at the Lamborghini World Finals before recovering to win the Pro title on a fastest lap tiebreaker.

The former SMP Racing and Ginetta LMP1 driver beat Hampus Ericsson to the title across a tightly contested two-race battle, with the two drivers winning a race each.

However, a fastest lap in the second and final contest decided the championship in favor of Orudzhev, who succeeds Amaury Bonduel as the global champion.

Orudzhev’s title tilt appeared to be in significant jeopardy when he was given a drivethrough penalty for a jump start, having leaped from fourth to second behind polesitter Bonduel.

“Unbelievable,” said Orudzhev.

“The race was crazy. I thought it was already over when we got the drivethrough.

“I agree with the penalty. Yeah, sure, it’s a jump start. I looked at the leader, Amaury. He pulled away from me.

“I mean, everyone has to look at him or the lights. So I don’t understand why P1 can make a jump start and defend his position and I can’t. Because the guys [behind], they will not see the lights, they look at Amaury.

“So to me, I agree with penalty. Yeah, sure. It’s a jump start, but give it to the leader as well, not just to me.”

However, the 29-year-old’s fortunes turned when he came in to serve his penalty mere moments before race control called a Full Course Yellow to recover Giano Taurino’s TR3 Racing car after it had hit the barriers at Turn 6.

This allowed Orudzhev to serve his penalty while the rest of the field was at a slower speed, which resulted in him only losing two positions to Ericsson and Oliver Soederstroem.

“I was unbelievably lucky with the Full Course Yellow, I couldn’t believe it,” said Orudzhev.

“I’m entering the pit and I see the countdown. Because if it’s already on, you cannot be in the pit.

“So it was right spot on, after the line. So it was mega and then I just pushed like hell. I

“It’s good that I know the rules, that you can push on the pit exit until the safety car line. I think I did the right thing so I pushed.”

He subsequently passed both Ericsson and Soederstroem and quick succession and was able to leapfrog Bonduel during the pitstop window when the GrupoProm by BDR Competition driver encountered traffic.

“Just mega laps on the pit stop window,” said Orudzhev.

“After that I saw that I had clean lap, I saw how much I was catching Amaury before. Wet race pitstop helped as well for two minutes.

“I knew that he might have ended up in traffic and then I pushed like hell for two laps.

“I exited in front, saw the gap and just chilled to be honest, controlled the pace.

“The moment he was coming back I improved a bit and then just relaxed. Mega drive.

“I don’t know what I’ll do in the future, I hope it’s not my last race ever, but if it is, unbelievable to finish like that.”