The 83 Junior drivers competing in the European Championship in Zuera took to the track at 3pm for their Qualifying Practice, alternating with the OKs. The temperature was well over 35° in the shade, but there is no shade on the desert plateau where the track is located.
In the first session, Matheus Ferreira (KR/Iame) set the fastest time at the last moment – 1’03”289 – on his third run, 12 thousandths ahead of Keanu Al Azhari (Tony Kart/Vortex). William Macintyre (Birel ART/TM) was 3rd, 0.113 seconds ahead of Tomass Stolcermanis (Energy/TM) and Alex Powell (KR/Iame). Maxens Verbrugge (Kosmic/Vortex) was 6th by 0,273”, his team-mate Dion Gowda (Kosmic/Vortex) was 9th and Maksim Orlov (Parolin/TM) 11th.
Many drivers completed their first lap in less than 1’04” in the second session. Many of them improved on their second lap with small gaps, but it was difficult to improve afterwards. Gustaw Wisniewski (KR/Iame) was the fastest on 1’03”365, a hundredth ahead of Maxim Rehm (Kosmic/Vortex) and Rashid Al Dhaheri (Parolin/TM). Kirill Kutskov (KR/Iame) and Alexander Gubenko (Tony Kart/Vortex) were less than a tenth behind. Clément Outran (KR/Iame) finished 8th and Adam Rahali (Praga/Iame) 19th.
Arthur Poulain (Kosmic/Vortex) tried his luck before the others in the third session, but had to relax his effort when catching the slower pack. The third lap revealed the hierarchy with Kai Sorensen (Exprit/TM) taking provisional pole position – 1’03”256 – 28 thousandths ahead of James Egozi (Tony Kart/Vortex) and 55 thousandths ahead of Edgar Anpilogov (Kosmic/Vortex). Freddie Slater (Kosmic/Vortex) finished 4th by 2 tenths, followed by Yuanpu Cui (KR/Iame). Augustin Bernier (KR/Iame) was 7th, Poulain 11th.
The temperature was close to 40° for the last session. Jan Przyrowski (Tony Kart/Vortex) was finally the fastest with a second lap of 1’03” 295 more than a tenth ahead of Akshay Bohra (KR/Iame) followed closely by Maksimilian Popov (Tony Kart/Vortex). Schu Dozono (Energy/TM) surprised in 4th place ahead of Ean Eyckmans (Kosmic/Vortex). Jules Caranta (KR/Iame) took 8th place, Hugo Herrouin (Kosmic/Vortex) 14th and Thomas Quincé (KR/Iame) 16th.
Pole position went to Kai Sorensen ahead of Matheus Ferreira, Jan Przyrowski and Gustaw Wisniewski.
Info Kartcom / Photo © KSP