In a historic moment for motorsport in Cyprus, Vladimiros Tziortzis achieved the most significant success of his career on Sunday as he finished runner-up in the Euro Nascar 2 category at the European Nascar Championship.
Tziortzis, a Cypriot driver representing the Academy Motosport/Alex Caffi Motorsports team, displayed remarkable determination during the race, finishing fifth despite starting from the tenth position.
He executed five impressive overtakes in wet conditions with slick tires.
His performance at Circuit Zolder in Belgium allowed him to secure second position in the championship standings, ahead of Gil Linster but behind eventual champion Paul Jouffreau.
Tziortzis, who came third in the championship last year, sixth the year before, and fourth in 2020, consistently demonstrated his racing prowess with the same team.
It was a remarkable season for Tziortzis, with five race wins, more than any other competitor.
He led the championship standings several times throughout the year, even after the initial race on Saturday, where Jouffreau, was penalised afterwards.
However, it became clear that Tziortzis’ car lacked the power needed to compete with the competition in Belgium, resulting in his tenth-place start on Sunday, which, combined with Jouffreau’s pole position, presented a challenging scenario.
On Saturday, Tziortzis had qualified sixth and finished fourth.
Although the second-place finish may not fully reflect Tziortzis’ speed and dominance throughout the season, it represents a significant achievement that positions him favourably for the 2024 season.
It also secured another invitation for him to compete in the United States.
Tziortzis celebrated at the end of the race and, in a fair play gesture applauded by all, he gave his champagne bottle to Jouffreau, who hadn’t managed to open his. The two drivers maintain an excellent relationship.
Shortly after, Tziortzis entered his car for the ‘pro’ category race, where he aimed for the rookie trophy.
Tziortzis competes with the support of the Cyprus Sports Organisation (CSO) and the deputy ministry of tourism. His sponsors include ALCO Filters, ENEOS Motor Oil, and Psaltis Auto Parts. He is also backed by Televantos Used Trucks, Sana Hiltonia, TUS Airways and the Daytona racetrack, where he took his first steps in his career.