16/12/2020
RMCIT 2020: QUALIFYING HEATS
Grube takes the lead in the DD2 Masters heats against Champion
Thanks to his second victory in the last heat on Saturday morning, Henrijs Grube (LVA – Exprit – Team Victoria) kept the advantage ahead of Rudy Champion (FRA – Sodi – PKS Compétition), 2nd in both the race and the standings. Romain Mangé (FRA – Tony Kart) progressed to 3rd place in front of Priit Sei (EST – Tony Kart – TGT) and Slawomir Muranski (POL – Tony Kart – 46 Team) who moved up to 3rd place in the standings. Bruno Dos Santos (FRA – Sodi) made a superb 12-place comeback to 7th place and Damien Loiseau (FRA – Kosmic – KBK Competition) finished 11th. Antti Ollikainen (FIN – Haase – Haase Racing Team) did not finish the race.
DD2: 3/3 for Przybylak in Portimao
By winning his third Qualifying Heat on Saturday morning, Xander Przybylak (BEL – Tony Kart – Bouvin Power) ensured his domination in the DD2 category of the Rotax MAX Challenge International Trophy, still in the rain of Portimao. Hannes Morin (SWE – Sodi – Sodi Vitesse) moved up to 2nd position, Petr Bezel (CZE – Sodi – KSCA Sodi Europe) slipped into 3rd place on the last lap ahead of Glenn van Parijs (BEL – Tony Kart – Bouvin Power) and Manuel Tenschert (AUT – Ricciardo – KSB Racing Team), which also reflected their positions in the standings. Paolo Besancenez (FRA – Sodi) continued to move up, to 7th (+10 pl) and 7th in the standings.
Hannam leads the RMCIT Mini lead trio
Thomas Strauven (BEL – Tony Kart – Strawberry Racing) took the victory in the last race on Saturday morning when the track of Portimao started to dry under the sun. But Harry Hannam’s (ARE – MS Kart – DHR) comeback to 2nd position earned him the lead of the category by a point against Strauven and Ethan Jeff-Hall (GBR – Tony Kart – Strawberry Racing), 4th in the race behind Markas Silkunas (LTU – Praga – Pilenai Racing). Valentin Hervas (FRA – DR – DR France) was back in 13th position with a gain of nine places and thus entered the top 10. Lisa Billard (FRA – Alpha) finished 19th, and 22nd in the standings, while Mathis Carnejac (FRA – Alpha – KPR) was 17th after a difficult last heat 21st position.
Clean sheet for Feghali in Micro heats
Christopher Feghali (LBN – KR – DHR) continued his winning run on Saturday morning by winning the last Micro heat of the Rotax MAX Challenge International Trophy on the dry track of Portimao. Juliusz Ociepa (POL – Energy – KRK Racing) followed him in 2nd position ahead of Jacob Ashcroft (GBR – KR – Dan Holland Racing) and Max Sadurski (NLD – Energy), with Martim Marques (PRT – Birel ART) entering the top five with a gain of 11 places.
Junior: MacIntyre at the top of the RMCIT heats
The Portimao track remained slippery on Saturday morning despite the rain having stopped for the last Junior heats of the Rotax MAX Challenge International Trophy.
William Macintyre (GBR – Kosmic – KR Sport) added another victory to his perfect score by winning the A-D heat by a large margin against Freddie Spindlow (GBR – Kosmic – KR Sport). Tom Braeken (BEL – KR – SP Motorsport) was ahead of Ethan Pharamond (FRA – Kosmic – KPR) and Giuseppe Forenzi (ITA – Energy) in the top five. Téo Blin (FRA – Tony Kart – Kart Management) regained seven places in 9th position despite a penalty, Karel Schulz (FRA – Tony Kart – Daems Racing) moved up to 12th place, Jules Roussel (FRA – Sodi – Extreme Limit) finished 15th, Andy Ratel (FRA – Exprit – KBK) dropped back to 17th position with a penalty, and Enzo Richer (LUX – DR – Kartspeed) finished 24th.
Patriks Locmelis (LVA – Kosmic – KSB Racing Team) comfortably won a B-C heat which broke all records for penalties. Aaron Walker (GBR – Tony Kart – Strawberry Racing) gained back eight places to finish 2nd in front of Junior Jonsson (SWE – Birel ART). Alessandro Giusti (FRA – Kosmic – KPR) finished 7th, Charles Roussanne (FRA – Exprit – KBK) 11th, Evan Giltaire (FRA – Sodi – Sodi Vitesse) crashed at the beginning of the race and recovered, but two penalties sent him back to 19th place.
The poleman Macintyre kept the lead at the end of the heats in front of Walker, who had brilliantly recovered from 19th place. Spindlow was 3rd, Milan Rytter 4th and Jonsson 5th. Giusti was 8th, Pharamond 10th, Giltaire 14th, Ratel 19th, Roussanne 21st, Blin 25th and Schulz 26th.
Westover the leader in Senior heats
The rain had stopped and the track was drying in Portimao on late Saturday morning for the last two Senior Qualifying Heats of the Rotax MAX Challenge International Trophy.
Mark Kimber (GBR- Tony Kart – Strawberry Racing) made a six-place comeback to win the A-D heat against Louie Westover (ESP – Tony Kart – DHR). Nicolas Picot (FRA – Tony Kart – NPS) took 3rd place in front of Clayton Ravenscroft (GBR – Komsic), and Dylan Léger (FRA – Tony Kart – Kart Management) came back to 6th position after a penalty, behind Kovacs Szombor (HUN – Kosmic – KSB Racing Team). Andreas Hebert (FRA – Tony Kart – Daems Racing) was also penalised and finished in 14th position.
Guillaume Barbarin (FRA – Exprit – KBK Compétition) didn’t finish the first lap of the B-C heat, and Kylian Tarnier (FRA – FRA – Tony Kart – PKS Compétition) had a heavy crash. Sean Butcher (GBR – Kosmic – KR Sport) dominated the race, but lost the victory to Morgan Porter (GBR – KR – Argenti Motorsport) because of a spoiler penalty, with Linus Hensen (DEU – Mach 1- Kartschmie.de) finishing 3rd. Oli Pylka (POL – FA Kart – DHR) kept his 4th position while Arthur Roché (FRA – Kosmic- PKS Compétition) regained 16 places to 5th position, Yann Bouvier (FRA – Kosmic – KRS) finished strongly in 19th position with a gain of eight places, Kylian Tarnier (FRA – FRA – Tony Kart – PKS Competition) 23rd, spoiler down, Corentin Franchi (FRA – Kosmic) 25th, Micah Barthélémy (FRA – Exprit – Kartrunner) 26th and Noa Hipp (FRA – Tony Kart – Kartrunner) 27th after a penalty.
Westover remained the undisputed leader of the heats in front of Porter and Ravenscroft, with Kimber 4th and Pylka 5th. Leger ensured a fine 6th position, Picot was 12th, Roché 14th, Barbarin 21st, Bouvier 27th and Tarnier 32nd.
Info Kartcom with Kartlink / Photos © KSP