The CRG – Sodikart duel has already started!

Italian team CRG Spa in pole position;
JFJ Performance sets the fastest time in GP2;
Start tomorrow at 3pm.

Testing for the 2017 24 Hours Karting gave a good overview of the forces involved. At the end of the last Qualifying session, CRG Spa finally surpassed Sodikart by 64 thousandths of a second and won the pole as a little rain began to fall on the Le Mans Karting International Circuit. The JFJ Performance team set the fastest time in GP2.

The 2017 24 Hours Karting began at Le Mans with long sessions of free practice on Thursday and Friday. Once the equipment was well developed, the 33 teams rushed to the Qualifying phase which was divided into four sessions. Much like the Formula 1 regulations, five teams were eliminated after Q4 and nine after Q3 and Q2 to start Q1 with the ten fastest drivers.

The weather has already played its part in the final classification of Timed Qualifying as the rain, sporadic in the afternoon, began to fall at the end of Q1, freezing the positions.

The CIK-FIA Endurance Championship concerns the 11 GP1 category karts equipped with powerful OK-type engines and with a lighter weight, two essential criteria for performance.

Dennis Hauger (NOR), Paolo De Conto (ITA), Lorenzo Travisanutto (ITA) and Callum Bradshaw (GBR) were the fastest in Q1 thanks to a time of 55”654 set by Lorenzo Travisanutto. The Sodikart – Sodi / TM Racing of Anthony Abbasse (FRA), Bas Lammers (NLD), Alex Irlando (ITA) and Jake French (USA) were not very far behind as Anthony Abbasse followed his rival by only 64 thousandths of a second.

The number 24 Center Wintec – Tony Kart / Vortex with Wilfried Lecarpentier (FRA), Bastien Leguay (FRA), Victor Compère (FRA) and Ulysse De Pauw (BEL) took 3rd place 244 thousandths ahead of No. 54 Brittany SKC – Tony Kart / Vortex with Jonathan Houtin (FRA), Nicolas Picot (FRA), Corentin Pelletier (FRA) and Steven Servant (FRA). Britain’s No. 9 London Kookeli – Tony Kart / TM of Jason Jones (GBR), Chris Jeffs (GBR), Martin Pierce (IRL) and Charles Fiault (FRA) took a good 6th position without really benefiting from their experience in the rain.

In the GP2 category, the Sodi / Rotax of No. 95 FJF Performance was the fastest in the category with a time of 56 ‘ 788, two thousandths of a second behind the last GP1. Franck Lavergne (FRA), Bastien Borget (FRA), Mathieu Melet (FRA) and Romain Jaloux (FRA) finished 2nd in No. 2 GP2, while No. 96 Cormeilles – Kurb by MD (Sodi / Rotax) Orsay GSK 2 Willkart – Sodi / Rotax with Dorian Breisacher (FRA), Gwenaël Loison (FRA), Xavier Petit (FRA) and Maxime Robin (FRA) took advantage of the disqualification of the No. 75 kart.

The women’s team No. 69 RM Ladies – FA Kart / Rotax with Lydie Valichon, Cathy Briffa, Caroline Martel and Léonie Claude qualified in 22nd place. There was a good performance in 25th place for the Handikart drives of No. 84 SRT41 Adrikart – Sodi / Rotax, Adrien Turkawka, Maxime Léger, Omar Megari and Snoussi Ben Moussa who finished in front of the only X30 crew, the No. 42 CG Racing – NSVEK Kosmic / Parilla in the hands of Gwenaël Le Dizez (FRA), Nicolas Massager (FRA), Gautier Ebel (FRA) and Sébastien Lepert (FRA).

Access to the circuit is free for the spectators who are expected to be numerous for the Drivers’ Presentation at 13:25, then the grid set up and the start on Saturday 30th September at 15:00.