Ellinas returns to action at Estoril after strong start to season
Cypriot driver Tio Ellinas was back on track at Estoril on Thursday as the Porsche Sprint Challenge Southern Europe continued with rounds three and four, following a podium finish at the opening meeting of the season in Portimao.
Ellinas competed in the sport division field at the Portuguese circuit, which hosted a full programme of qualifying and races across the day.
Race one delivered close battles throughout the order, with Milan Marczak taking the overall victory ahead of Wouter Boerekamps and Hjelte Hoffner, while Jesse Polderdijk secured the rookie class win.
Ellinas ran consistently inside the leading group and crossed the line in fifth place, adding another solid point finish to his early-season tally.
The result followed his third and fourth place finishes at Portimao, where difficult weather conditions shaped the opening round.
Qualifying earlier in the day again underlined the pace at the front of the field, with Marczak and Polderdijk sharing pole positions across the sport and rookie categories, while Joel Monegro continued his dominance in the club division with a third consecutive win later in the programme.
Ellinas did not take part in the final race of the day, with his Estoril appearance focused on round three as the team managed its schedule ahead of upcoming commitments.
The Estoril weekend forms part of a busy start to the year for the Cypriot driver, who is balancing multiple Porsche programmes across Europe.
Attention now turns to the next rounds of the Porsche Sprint Challenge Southern Europe, where Ellinas is expected to be back on the grid as the series moves deeper into its winter calendar.
With consistent finishes and an early podium already secured, Ellinas remains firmly in contention as the season develops.