Side impact after the start ruined the chance of a good result at Imola

After experiencing troubles with his car in the timed practice, Michal Matějovský was to start Race 1 from the fifth row of the grid. However, due to a penalty for going beyond the white line in a corner in the qualifying, he dropped another five spots. As usual, Michal Matějovský did very well in the flying start and gradually fought his way ahead, through the pack of 21 drivers contesting the Saturday race. But then, when he was driving through the first corner, the right-hand side of his car was suddenly hit. Consequently, the right-side front door window deflected from the car body and impaired the car's aerodynamics considerably, resulting in the car's loosing speed at the straight sections of the track.

'I made a very good start. I entered the first corner rather easily, but then, suddenly, the right-hand-side of my car was hit. I realized that the car was loosing speed. Unfortunately, you can do nothing about it in a race,' Michal Matějovský said after he finished Race 1 in the eleventh place. Tomorrow, he will start from the sixth row.