The 123 drivers of the FIA KZ2 World Cup started Qualifying Practice at Le Mans on Friday morning. The track had practically dried out after the rain of the beginning of the morning, but the risk of rain remained present for the four sessions. The drivers took to the track as soon as the green flag was waved.
Session 1: Arnold – 49”660
Giuseppe Palomba (Birel ART/TM) was the first to go under 51” on lap 3. He improved to 50”033 on the next lap. Nicolas Masle (Birel ART/TM) then went under 50” in his fourth lap. Jannik Julius-Bernhart (Maranello/TM) took the lead, but it was Felix Arnold (Maranello/TM) who finally proved to be the fastest in 49’660, 29 thousandths ahead of Arvid Lindblad (KR/TM). Arthur Lehouck (Sodi/TM) was 3rd at 58 thousandths, followed by Julius-Bernhart at 0.181” and Masle at 0.257”. Palomba finished 11th, Enzo Valente (Alpha/TM) 15th and Nicolas Picot (Tony Kart/Vortex) 17th.
Session 2: Paparo – 49”552
Michael Barbaro Paparo (IPK/TM) led in 50”552 on the third lap and then went under 50”. Arthur Rogeon (KR/Iame) was close behind. Norton Andreasson (Tony Kart/Vortex) took the lead in 49’889 on lap 4. Paparo ended up setting the fastest time of 49’552 on lap 7. Samuel Luyet (Tony Kart/Vortex) followed him at 0.157” ahead of Andreasson two tenths further back, then Robert Kindervater (Birel ART/TM) was 4th and Daniel Vasile (DR/Modena) 5th. Gabin Leuillet (Birel ART/TM) was the top Frenchman in 8th place, while Rogeon finished in the top 10 ahead of Karol Pasiewicz (Birel ART/TM) and Vincent Wanègue (Sodi/TM).
Session 3: Albanese – 49”468
Many Frenchmen and all talented in this session. Arthur Carbonnel (CRG/TM) and Thomas Imbourg (Sodi/TM) started strongly. Imbourg was the fastest on the fourth lap in 50”055. Tom Leuillet (Birel ART/TM) took the lead on his fourth lap in 49”711, but Imbourg responded. Carbonnel regained the lead on lap 5 in 49.555 over Danilo Albanese (KR/Iame), who took provisional pole position on lap 6 in 49.468. Carbonnel was 2nd at 87 thousandths, Leuilet 3rd at 0.124”, then Mattéo Sprigel (Sodi/TM) and Corentin Rousseau (Sodi/TM) 5th ahead of Imbourg.
Session 4: Pole position for Trefilov – 49”412
Cristian Bertuca (Birel ART/TM) and Alessio Piccini (Birel ART/TM) battled for the lead in this very fast session. David Trefilov (Maranello/TM) regained the lead on the fourth lap in 49”424, then 49”412 on the fifth lap. Pole position was taken by Bertuca by 86 thousandths, then Valentino Fritsch (Birel ART/TM) 2 thousandths further back. Jorge Pescador (CRG/TM) followed in 4th place, 0.136″ ahead of his compatriot Carles Martinez Escrihuela (IPK/TM). Piccini finished in the top 10 ahead of Leonardo Marseglia (Birel ART/TM). Paul Loussier (Sodi/TM) was the top Frenchman in 13th position, Oscar Py (Sodi/TM) 15th, Jean Nomblot (Sodi/TM) 17th and Enzo Lacreuse (Sodi/TM) 18th.
Info Kartcom with Kartlink / Photo © KSP