ETRC: Kiss Sweeps Over Misano in Season-Opening Victory
In the opening round of the 2025 Goodyear FIA European Truck Racing Championship (ETRC) at Misano, reigning champion Norbert Kiss asserted his dominance, securing an impressive four wins. Despite a setback on Saturday, missing qualifying due to steering issues in his new MAN truck, Kiss worked his way through the field in Race 1, finishing just behind Jochen Hahn, who received a five-second penalty, thereby gifting Kiss his first victory of the season.
In Race 2, Kiss started from the fourth row of the reverse grid and took the lead by lap six, a position he maintained until the finish. On Sunday, he converted pole into another commanding win in Race 3, fending off an early attack from Hahn before pulling away for a comfortable lead to the finish. He completed the clean sweep in Race 4 after managing a chaotic restart and a dramatic Turn 1 overtake, climbing from eighth to fifth.
While Hahn was consistent with three second-place finishes, his Race 1 penalty and lack of a win left him 15 points behind Kiss in the championship standings. Steffi Halm's steady performances, including two podiums, placed her third overall with 37 points. The championship will resume with Round 2 at the Lausitzring on 24-25 May 2025, where it will share the bill with DTM, Germany's premier racing series.
In other developments during Round 1, Sascha Lenz and Mark Taylor performed well, maintaining leads in the overall and Chrome championship battles respectively. Steffi Halm took a dominant win in Race 2 by overtaking Mark Taylor, who extended his Chrome lead with a strong second place finish. René Reinert made a notable return in the Titan class, finishing P5. The competition at the top remains tight, with Kiss leading, followed closely by Lenz and Taylor in the standings.
[1] "Overall," Goodyear ETRC News, 2025. [2] "2025 ETRC Round 1 Results & Standings," Goodyear ETRC News, 2025.
Auto-racing continued to be a thrilling spectacle in the 2025 Goodyear FIA European Truck Racing Championship (ETRC), with some exciting races and tight competition. Despite missing qualifying, reigning champion Norbert Kiss showed his prowess in auto-racing, securing four wins in the opening round at Misano. In subsequent races, he dominated the field, showcasing his skill in sports racing.
