16/12/2020
RMCIT 2020: PREFINALS
DD2 Masters Prefinal: Grube of course!
The track in Portimao remained wet, but grip was improving for the RMCIT DD2 Masters Prefinal at Portimao.
While Henrijs Grube (LVA – Exprit – Team Victoria) was in the lead, Rudy Champion (FRA – Sodi – PKS Competition) went off the track and hit a competitor on his way back on to the asphalt. Slawomir Muranski (POL – Tony Kart – 46 Team) took the opportunity to take 2nd place ahead of Priit Sei (EST – Tony Kart – TGT) and Champion. Romain Mangé (FRA – Tony Kart) was 8th, and Christophe Adams (BEL – Sodi) 10th. Grube broke away, and now Thierry De Jong (NLD – Kosmic) and Mangé were fighting for 4th place. Grube took the victory 2,5″ ahead of Muranski, Mangé set the fastest time and came back to 3rd position against Sei and De Jong. Champion had to settle down with 7th position, Adams finished 9th despite a penlaty. Bruno Dos Santos (FRA – Sodi) 11th and Damien Loiseau (FRA – Kosmic – KBK Competition) was 13th.
Triumph for Besancenez in DD2 Prefinal
There were cloudy skies, but a dry track in Portimao for the DD2 Prefinal of the RMCIT with Xander Przybylak (BEL – Tony Kart – Bouvin Power) in pole position. Some drivers put on slicks, but the wisdom of this remained to be confirmed. Hannes Morin (SWE – Sodi – Sodi Vitesse) went into a spin in the pack. Manuel Tenschert (AUT – Ricciardo – KSB Racing Team) took the lead on the second lap in front of Glenn van Parijs (BEL – Tony Kart – Bouvin Power) and Przybylak, with Paolo Besancenez (FRA – Sodi) 4th. The battle for the lead intensified. Besancenez was 2nd behind van Parijs after four laps. The Frenchman took 1st place on the sixth lap with the fastest lap. Przybylak then took 2nd place more than 3″ behind the leader, followed by Petr Bezel (CZE – Sodi – KSCA Sodi Europe) and Xen De Ruwe (SVN – Intrepid – SSC Sporstil). Slick tyres were the right choice. Besancenez triumphed 3,2” ahead of Bezel and De Ruwe, then van Parijs and Przybylak completed the top five.
Crazy race for the Junior A Prefinal victory for Locmelis in front of Giltaire
Despite some significant wet areas, slick tyres were de rigueur for most of the drivers in the Junior Prefinal for the top 36 qualifiers of the RMCIT in Portimao. After two practice laps, the red flag was waved to remind the leader of the starting procedure. The race could finally begin.
Freddie Spindlow (GBR – Kosmic – KR Sport) completed the first lap in the lead ahead of Aaron Walker (GBR – Tony Kart – Strawberry Racing) who led the next lap. Evan Giltaire (FRA – Sodi – Sodi Vitesse), one of the few to use rain tyres, made a superb start to the race, running 4th on the third lap. Walker was still leading ahead of Tim Gerhards (NLD – KR – SP Motorsport) and Spindlow. Walker was then unable to keep up the pace and dropped to 29th. Gerhards took back the lead and Tom Braeken (BEL – KR – SP Motorsport) was 2nd in front of Giltaire. Gerhards and Braeken were dropped on lap 8, Patriks Locmelis (LVA – Kosmic – KSB Racing Team) became the new leader, Gerhards came back to 2nd, followed by Junior Jonsson (SWE – Birel ART) and Daniel Guinchard (GBR – KR – Argenti Motorsport). An attempt by Gerhards on the last lap didn’t succeed. Braeken attacked in the last corner and took the victory in front of Locmelis who was however declared winner because of the penalty taken by Braeken. For the same reason, Guinchard dropped back to 7th place and Giltaire took 2nd place (+12 pl) in front of Spindlow and Andy Ratel (FRA – Exprit – KBK) 4th (+15 pl). Andrej Petrovic (SRB – Lion Kart – SSC-Sportstil) then took 5th position in front of Braeken.
Alessandro Giusti (FRA – Kosmic – KPR) finished 10th, Téo Blin (FRA – Tony Kart – Kart Management) in 14th after a penalty, and Ethan Pharamond (FRA – Kosmic – KPR), also penalized, 18th.
Mini Prefinal: Jeff-Hall wins against Strauven
The sun was back over Portimao for the RMCIT Mini Prefinal with a not completely dry track. Ethan Jeff-Hall (GBR – Tony Kart – Strawberry Racing) was in front of his team-mate Thomas Strauven (BEL – Tony Kart – Strawberry Racing) on the first lap, while Alexander Skjelten (LVA – Birel ART – National) was 3rd in front of Reno Francot (NLD – Exprit – GKS Lemmens Power) and Martin Molnar (HUN – Parolin – KMS Europe). The gaps remained small in the leading trio. Strauven took 1st place, and Jeff-Hall and Skjelten were fighting for 2nd. Thanks to a superb overtake, Jeff-Hall started the last lap in the lead and managed to win against Strauven. Skjelten wasn’t far behind in 3rd position, with Francot 4th and Molnar 5th. Valentin Hervas (FRA – DR France) was 13th, Mathis Carnejac (FRA – Alpha – KPR) 15th and Lisa Billard (FRA – Alpha) 19th after a penalization.
Micro: Prefinal victory for the unbeatabke Feghali
The weather remained dry for the RMCIT Micro Prefinal in Portimao. Christopher Feghali (LBN – KR – DHR) already had a big gap on the first lap against Juliusz Ociepa (POL – Energy – KRK Racing) who was battling with Max Sadurski (NLD – Energy). Jacob Ashcroft (GBR – KR – Dan Holland Racing) quickly moved up to 3rd position behind Sadurski. Ociepa conceded several positions, and Mees Houben (NLD – Exprit – GKS Lemmens Power) was 4th in front of Toms Strele (LVA – Tony Kart – SM Racing). Feghali took the victory without any hesitation with more than three seconds advantage. Sadurski managed to keep 2nd place despite pressure from Ashcroft. Strele finished 4th and Houben 5th in front of Ociepa.
Results provisional subject to possible future penalties.
Senior: Porter wins Prefinal A
The Senior Prefinal A of the Rotax MAX Challenge International Trophy, the last race of the day in Portimao, benefited from a very fine weather and a nearly dry track.
Morgan Porter (GBR – KR – Argenti Motorsport) took 1st place in front of Mark Kimber (GBR- Tony Kart – Strawberry Racing), but Louie Westover (ESP – Tony Kart – DHR) came back immediately to 2nd place with Clayton Ravenscroft (GBR – Komsic) on his heels. Kimber was then 3rd followed by Dylan Léger (FRA – Tony Kart – Kart Management). Westover regained the lead on lap 4 at the expense of Porter. Léger moved up to 3rd and Nicolas Picot (FRA – Tony Kart – NPS) to 7th. At the halfway point, Westover and Porter were less than a tenth of a second behind each other. Léger was losing ground and Picot passed him for 6th position. Ravenscroft set the fastest lap and passed Kimber in 3rd place. We saw a big comeback for Yann Bouvier (FRA – Kosmic – KRS), 14th with a gain of 13 places, while Arthur Roché (FRA – Kosmic- PKS Compétition) was 16th. Porter finally took the advantage in his duel with Westover. In the last corners, Ravenscroft took 2nd place ahead of Kimber. Oli Pylka (POL – FA Kart – DHR) finished 4th and Picot 5th with a gain of seven places, and Westover was 6th. Léger finished 8th, Roché 13th, Bouvier17th with a penalty, Guillaume Barbarin (FRA – Exprit – KBK Competition) 27th and Kylian Tarnier (FRA – FRA – Tony Kart – PKS Competition) 28th.
Info Kartcom with Kartlink / Photos © KSP