All on Sodi karts, the 34 finalists in the flagship category at Rotax Grand Final at Al Ain moved on to the grid, with thebBriton Ben Cooper on pole alongside the Australian David Sera, followed by Sean Babington and Edward Brand. French spectators focused their attention on Alexander Finkelstein in 10th place and Nicolas Picot, 22nd. Cooper maintained his advantage at the lights from Babington who was soon to be overtaken by Sera, stuck on the outside of the track at the start. There was no escape for the moment at turn 3, it was very tight.
The Australian Tyler Greenbury took second with Babington on his heels at the expense of Sera who was pushed into fourth position. Finkelstein took seventh in the wake of the rapid Austrian Stefan Riener. Picot lost time in the early laps, now in 26th. Babington attacked Greenbury, but Sera took the opportunity to infiltrate, and he now held second position ahead of Babington and Greenbury. The race was far from over for the places of honor, while Cooper continued to get away by more than a second. Riener took 5th, Finkelstein lost a few places, but came back again to 8th.
The group was busy to say the least. Babington dropped down the standings. Riener retrieved fourth position ahead of Hirotaka Sasaki, Jiri Forman and Finkelstein, 7th. Riener pushed and grabbed third place before Sasaki passed in an attack for a podium finish. In the lead, Cooper was trouble-free and 1.3” ahead of Sera, although isolated in second. Finkelstein upped the pace and took fifth with a big attack, but the Japanese driver Toshiki Sekioka soon retook him.
Cooper slowed from the limit so as not to take any chances and won the World Final Rotax Senior from David Sera and Hirotaka Sasaski and the amazing Sekioka, who started 25th, Riener was fifth, Finkelstein sixth. Picot could not do better than 22nd.
Info Kartcom with kartlink / © Photo KSP Chris Walker