KF3 Qualifying: Albon in front of everyone

Esteban Ocon (Exprit / Vortex) opened the hostilities during the first timed practice session for the KF3 Taça do Mundo at Braga. Anthoine Hubert (Tony Kart / Vortex) replied, then Peter Hoevenaars (Intrepid / TM) took the second position. As the times began to decrease, Jake Dennis (Top Kart / Parilla) came into contention, then Hoevenaars set his time, but Hubert and Ocon were still down. Leo Roussel (Sodi / Parilla) was mixed into the fray, as was Robin Hansson (Energy / TM), Pedro Hiltbrand (Kosmic / Vortex), Ville Mantyla (Energy / TM) and Benjamin Gerard (Intrepid/TM).

Roussel set a 54,793 on the last lap and was on pole for by a thousandth from Hoevenaars and Christian Sorensen (Birel / BMB) by 0.03s. Dennis advanced to fourth, Ocon 6th, Gerard 8th, Hubert 9th.

Pierre Gasly (Sodi / Parilla) went out early at the start of the 2nd session, followed by his teammate Charles Leclerc. Max Verstappen (CRG / Maxter) and Alexander Albon (Intrepid / TM) did not let them stay in front for long and Dennis Olsen (Energy / TM) took the provisional third position. The Uruguayan Santiago Urrutia (Intrepid / TM) was in the second position. Albon and Verstappen engaged in a duel, pretty remote from the others.

Albon finally set the fastest time of the group with 54,553, almost two tenths from Verstappen, Olsen, Gasly and Urrutia. Leclerc finished 7th.

Robert Visoiu (Tony Kart / Vortex) was one of the first in the third group to go out, but Diego Jose Rodriguez Riley (Intrepid / TM) stole first place. Visoiu replied then Egor Orudzhev (Intrepid / TM), Callan O’Keefe (FA Kart / Vortex), Nicklas Nielsen (DR / Parilla), Igor Walilko (Birel / BMB) exchanged the top places.

Visoiu ultimately retained his advantage from 54 811 O’Keeffe, Walilko, and Niklas Tiihonen (Birel / Parilla) and Orudshev, set on the last lap. Julé Erwan (Intrepid / TM) finished ninth ahead of Florian Latorre (DR / Parilla).

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