Today the ROTAX MAX Euro Challenge experienced its first racing action of the year. 18 qualifying heats were on the agenda ascertaining the grids for the final races on Sunday. After a cloudy morning, it became sunnier for the afternoon making for good racing conditions on the tarmac. Consequently the full grids of juniors, seniors and DD2 delivered a great show on the 1.360 metres long track of Genk (BEL).
The junior heats could not have been more balanced, coming up with different winners in each single race! Dutchman Glenn Van Berlo (Hugo Motorsport), the Brits Mark Kimber (Strawberry Racing), Oli Caldwell (KR Sport), Joe Phillips (KR Sport), and Axel Charpentier (Strawberry Racing) as well as Frenchman Thibaut Clement (SG Drivers) were the victorious youngsters. But just winning was not the key to success, as one had to gain good results in all of the heats. Finally it was Glenn Van Berlo, who took the top in the heat’s merge granting him the pole position for Sunday’s prefinal. Second place went to Friday’s quickest Adam Smalley (Coles Racing), who drove some very consistent races. Joe Phillips took third place in the heat ranking ahead of Oli Caldwell and Belgium’s hope Xavier Handsaeme (Bouvin Power) in fifth place.
Jordan Brown-Nutley (JBN Racing) was the best man after the senior’s heats. The UK driver was the only one being able to win two races. Adding another third place in his last heat, Brown-Nutley conquered the pole position clearly. Behind him, the reigning junior champion Jack McCarthy (Strawberry Racing) did a good job and established himself in second position, leaving more experienced seniors like Russia’s Denis Mavlanov (KR Sport) and Josh White (Coles Racing) from the UK behind. Fifth place went to Frenchman Adrien Renaudin (Kart Pro Karting). Friday’s fastest man Berkay Besler (Bouvin Power) was in good shape for the heats, too, which he proved by one race win. Yet the other heats were tough for him. Two more modest results threw him back onto 14th place of the heat’s merge.
Martin Mortensen (RS Competition) was the driving force in the DD2 heats: With one win, a fourth and a second place, the Dane boosted himself onto his first DD2 pole position ever. Austria’s Mick Wishofer (VPDR) made his way up to the second place of the ranking, pushing Kevin Ludi (Spirit Racing), Lukasz Bartoszuk (CRG S.P.A.) and Haralds Garkaklis (333 Autosport) to the following positions. Friday’s pacemaker Constantin Schoell (Daems Racing) was without luck: He was excluded in his first heat due to a bad manoeuvre. Consequently he dropped back to 15th place in the ranking.
As for the DD2 Masters, Martin Pierce (Uniq Racing Team) did the best job. The man from Ireland established himself on 19th place of the grid, equally being the quickest Masters after the heats.
On Sunday the second chance heats will herald the final day before the prefinals start at 11.40 a.m. The finals are scheduled for 13:35 p.m.
More information regarding reports, photos, results and live TV stream are available on the official websites www.rotaxmaxeurochallenge.com or www.telemundi.com.
Info & Photo RGMMC