Successful gamble for Thonon

La pluie a cessé, la piste est en train de sécher, le soleil perce par endroit la couche nuageuse, tout va bien pour le départ de la préfinale KZ1 avec deux CRG en pole, Foré et Kozlinski, suivis par une deuxième ligne détonnante: Dreezen – Visser, puis Thonon -Abbasse, … La pression reste l’élément principal à gérer, que ce soit sous les casques ou dans les pneus, tous en pluie.

The rain stopped, the track was drying, in places the sun broke through the cloud layer, which was good for the start of the Prefinal for KZ1 with two CRGs on the front row, Fore and Kozlinski, followed by an explosive second row: Dreezen – Visser then Thonon-Abbasse … The pressure remains the main thing to manage, whether under the helmets or in the tires, as all were on wets.

Arnaud Kozlinski (CRG / Maxter) passed his team-mate Davide Fore at the lights, Beitske Visser (Intrepid / TM) was trapped in the pack, but she went smoothly into the first corner, which was not the case for Piccini, De Conto and Iglesias. Marco Ardigo (Tony Kart / Vortex) closed on Visser in 3rd, Anthony Abbasse (Sodi / Maxter) appeared in fifth position ahead of Gary Catt (Tony Kart / Vortex) and Visser.

Kozlinski escapes from Fore, and Dreezen behind him passed on the third lap. Catt fell to 16th, Visser took Abbasse, and Thonon did the same a few turns later. Bas Lammers (Intrepid / TM), was the in ninth and fastest on the track. Koko increased his lead to nearly 2” on lap 4. Dreezen was out in the grass. Sauro Cesetti (Birel / BMB) recovered to sixth ahead of Abbasse. Ardigo fell to fifth, Visser and Thonon went third and fourth. Kozlinski set the fastest lap on lap six, leading by 2.3” in front of Fore, Thonon, Visser, Cesetti, and Lammers. Thonon set a supreme lap, 7 / 10 faster than his opponents. He was ahead of Cesetti Lammers.

The line was almost dry, and drivers cooled their tyres in the remains of the  moisture. Halfway, Thonon passed Fore, and was running 5 / 10 faster than Kozlinski. In 6th, Lammers closed on Cesetti and passed on lap 9. On lap 10, Thonon caught Kozlinski and passed without hesitation on lap 11. Cesetti just passed Visser to gain fourth. Thonon was 2” ahead of Koko in a single lap. Visser and Cesetti attacked Fore, now fifth. Cesetti set the third fastest lap, then passed Kozlinski on the last lap.

It was a perfect victory for Thonon from Cesetti, Kozlinski, Visser, Fore, Lammers sixth, Leijtens seventh, De Brabander eighth, then Toninelli and Mich. The fastest time went to De Conto, in 19th. The fast drivers early in the race lost their advantage over the laps, and the Tony Karts were some of them. They had to take the right option and it was not obvious. Thonon overtook admirably, and Lammers, Cesetti as well. Things have changed …

Info Kartcom with Kartlink / © Photos KSP