The uncertain weather on Genk increased the tension in Qualifying Practice at the FIA ??Karting European Championship – Junior. Light, intermittent rain caused doubt in the morning during the last Free Practice.
The karts started for the first time at the opening of the first session, on slicks while a few drops continued to fall. Although improving with each lap the track proved much less grippy than before and the drivers did not lap under a minute, against 54″4 in the last practice session. Ken Oscar Algre (Tony Kart / Vortex) kept the lead with 1’02”062, six tenths ahead of Conrad Laursen (FA Kart / Vortex), Macéo Capietto (KR / Iame) was 3rd by a full second, followed by Lorens Lecuerta (FA Kart / Iame) and Jakob Bergmeister (Tony Kart) / Vortex). Andrea Kimi Antonelli (KR / Iame) finished 10th by 1.8” from the leader, Arthur Rogeon (Sodi / TM) was 14th, and Ugo Ugochukwu (FA Kart / Vortex) 17th by 2.6”.
The second session was on rain tires under a similar sky, but a slippery track. From the first lap, we saw that it would not go faster than Session 1. On the last lap, Alfio Spina (KR / Iame) improved to 1’10 “760, two tenths ahead of Alex Dunne (Tony Kart / Vortex) and Enzo Scionti (Tony Kart / Vortex), ahead of Robert De Haan (Energy / TM) and Thomas Ten Brinke (FA Kart / Vortex). Elliott Vayron (Birel ART / TM) finished 14th behind Maxime Furon-Castelain (Kosmic / Iame), James Wharton (FA Kart / Vortex) was 18th by 1.4”, Evan Giltaire (Sodi / TM) 20th and the leader of the championship Tuukka Taponen (Redspeed / Iame) 21st by almost two seconds.
Rain tyres were de rigueur for the third session. Nikita Bedrin (Tony Kart / Vortex) was the fastest in 1’10 “511, just ahead of Marcus Amand (Kosmic / Iame) and Danile Briz Llull (FA Kart / Iame), Tymoteusz Kucharcyzk (Parolin / TM) and Lois Delbart (Kosmic / Iame) completed the top five at a short distance.
Algre was sanctioned for cutting the track, so he was 58th and Laursen became the poleman in front of Bedrin and Spina. Macéo Capietto (KR / Iame) finished 4th and Marcus Amand (Kosmic / Iame) 5th.
Although Thomas Ten Brinke (Kart / Vortex FA) did not lose too much in 15th place, the provisional leader Tuukka Taponen (Redspeed) was 63rd. Andrea Kimi Antonelli (KR / Iame) finished 25th, and Josep Maria Marti Sobrepera (Tony Kart / Vortex) was 45th ahead of Ugo Ugochukwu (FA Kart / Vortex).
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