MERIDEN’s Andy Cummings and his partner Bradley Ellis got their Radical European Masters SR3 title defence back on track at a scorching Red Bull Ring in Austria.
Victory may have eluded the pair, but two podium finishes sees them lead the Championship with just two weekends left.
After the disasters at Silverstone last time out, Cummings and Ellis knew they needed a good start and they did just that by setting the pole time in the first qualifying session.
The first race was late afternoon on Saturday but the temperature was still high as Cummings lined up for the start.
He lost out to his nemesis Nouri initially, but by the end of lap two he had regained the place and began to chase down the class leaders.
Cummings was up into second when the pitstop window opened before Ellis took to the wheel but as he chased down the field he was unable to make an impression and was a late retirement from second place when a rear wheel hub sheared and split the wheel in two, but was still classified fourth in class.
Cummings started the second race too and was straight into another duel with Nouri for third in class.
Both lost time in the duel and Cummings was in fourth when he handed to Brad who charged the team up to second but they were unable to catch up with Cencetti.
Starting alongside the previous class winning car for race three, but with Marateotto at the wheel, Cummings was hoping for a good start to head the class into turn one.
He initially lost out to his rival, who then spun out on his fourth lap before race one class winner Dona had squeezed past and Cummings had begun to lose time to third placed Hjerppe, who got by on lap 14.
The gaps began to open as Ellis chased down second-paced Dona.
His rival was long gone but that did not stop him from hunting him down and although the lead was chipped away, there was still a five second gap between the two at the finish line.
