Bilinski triumphs after early red flag

Roman Bilinski held off a late charge from James Hedley to take his maiden Ginetta Junior championship victory in the opening race at Donington Park.

The pole sitter initially lost positions when he ran wide on the opening lap, but the start was abandoned when a number of cars crashed at Red Gate, bringing out the red flags.

Of those caught up in the incident, Ethan Brooks, Ethan Hawkey, and Daniel Gale retired, while Tom Emson spent a lap in the pits before rejoining a lap down.

On the second start, Bilinski was able to hold off attacks from fellow front row starter Zak O’Sullivan, who then fell under pressure and was passed by Hedley.

Bilinski managed to pull away from the field in the first half of the race, but a series of fast laps put Hedley back on his tail.

Hedley pushed hard to try to find a way through but Bilinski defended well to take the chequered flag 0.263s ahead of the championship leader.

After losing second to Hedley, O’Sullivan fell back into the battle for third with Lorcan Hanafin and Theo Edgerton. Hanafin span, dropping down the order and sending other scrambling to avoid him.

O’Sullivan finished third, five seconds behind Hedley and five seconds ahead of Edgerton in fourth.

James Taylor, who had trouble on the green flag lap and was unable to take his grid position, climbed back up to fifth, ahead of Gus Burton, Josh Rattican, and Casper Stevenson.

Hanafin recovered to finish ninth.

There was late drama for Harry Dyson when he made contact with Ben O’Hare in the closing stages of the race. O’Hare, who had come into the pits under the red flag despite not being involved in any incidents, ran over the grass and into the barrier, bringing his race to an end four laps before the chequered flag. Dyson managed to continue to round out the top 10.