Junior pole position for Sala at the Slovakia Ring

Qualifying for the European Junior Championship took place in summery weather on Friday afternoon at the Slovakia Ring. Sunshine, a dry track and 32/33° on the thermometer for the 85 participants divided into three sessions. The drivers waited until the last two minutes of their session to take off and complete two or three flying laps.

Session 1: Sala – 51”762
Dries van Langendonck (Exprit/TM) was fastest on the first lap, Filippo Sala (LN/TM) set the fastest time of 51”762 on the second lap, 9 thousandths ahead of Noah Baglin (KR/Iame). Jensen Burnett (KR/Iame) was 3rd at 27 thousandths, Alfie Slater (LN/TM) 4th at 29 thousandths and Roman Kamyab (LN/TM) 5th at 41 thousandths. Van Langendonck was 6th at 48 thousandths. Louis Cochet (KR/Iame) finished 11th and Théo Battisti (Sodi/TM) 26th.

Session 2: Coronel – 51”933
Rocco Coronel (KR/Iame) led on the 2nd lap from Arjen Kräling (KR/Iame) and Andrea Manni (Exprit/TM). There was no further improvement on lap 3 and Coronel remained the leader in 51’933, followed by Kräling at 22 thousandths and Manni at 39 thousandths. Bruno Gryc (Tony Kart/TM) was 4th, a tenth behind, and Sebastian Lehtimaki (Tony Kart/TM) 5th. William Calleja (Parolin/TM) finished 9th, Thomas Pradier (Tony Kart/Vortex) 10th, Matéo Rivals (Sodi/TM) 14th, Dean Hoogendoorn (KR/Iame) 19th and Aloïs Girardet (Energy/TM) 20th. Championship leader Christian Costoya (Parolin/TM) was only 24th, more than 5 tenths behind.

Session 3: Crisan – 51”870
Some of the drivers started at a moderate pace and gradually warmed up their machines and tyres, but it didn’t seem to make any difference at the end of the session. Illie Crisan (Tony Kart/Vortex) was quickest on the second lap and retained P1 in 51’870 without improving. Niklas Shaufler (KR/Iame) followed him in 2nd position, nearly a tenth behind, Bosco Arias (KR/Iame) was 4th with Vladimir Ivannikov (Energy/TM) hot on his heels, while Iacopo Martinese (KR/Iame) finished 5th at 0.185”.

Info Kartcom with Kartlink / Photo © KSP