The Junior Max (Praga) Final of the 2017 Portimao Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals enjoyed the Algarve’s mild weather, continuing since the beginning of the week. Tommy Foster (GBR) shared the lead with Tijmen Van Der Helm (NLD), followed by Senna Van Walstijn (NLD) and Jac Preston (AUS). Camille Prouteau (FRA) was in 5th place, Sami Meguetounif (FRA) in 8th, Victor Bernier (FRA) in 14th and Hugo Vair (FRA) in 15th. Foster led on the first lap ahead of Van Walstijn, Prouteau was 3rd followed by Van Der Helm and Jak Crawford (USA). Bernier had dropped to 28th. Prouteau was then 5th when Van Der Helm took the lead with Van Walstijn in his wake. Jaiden Pope (AUS) was now in 4th position and Preston was 5th. Farther away, Vair was 15th and Bernier was back in 23rd.
Meguetounif was 6th for a moment before dropping to 8th place, but Prouteau lost more ground (13th). Vair was demoted to 32nd position. Tyler Gonzalez (USA) continued his climb. In 4th place, Preston crashed and went down to 20th. Van Walstijn was ahead of Van Der Helm and Pope, the trio fighting for victory. The intensity of the fight allowed Pope to take the lead two laps from the finish, while the chasing group joined them, headed by Moriyama. Van Der Helm prevailed by 8 tenths, and Moriyama recovered 2nd place against Van Walstijn in a final skirmish. Van Walstijn was then penalised to 15th, Meguetounif got 3rd, Prouteau returned to 7th, Bernier was 12th and Vair 30th, again worried about wiring problems.
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