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European Champs, Le Mans: Track conditions affect qualifying practice. Pauwels (OK) and Strenshorne (OKJ) on pole
Max Bernardi
19 July 2019

After a few seasons without being in the FIA Karting European Championship, Le Mans is back in the calendar. The quick changing situations of the track has affected a lot the qualifying results in both series.

OK: Pauwels steals pole position from Smal




The first qualifying group was the mainly to fight for pole position. That was originally taken by Kirill Smal (Tony Kart/Vortex/LeCont) set the pole position but his lap-time was delated, which allowed Kobe Pauwels (KR/Iame/LeCont) to be for the first time in the preferred place for tomorrow’s heats.

The Belgian driver set a lap-time of 50.822 seconds, enough to be unbeatable in any of the following groups. Only in group 3 with Gabriele Mini (Parolin/TM Racing/LeCont) and Dexter Patterson (KR/Iame/LeCont) were able to make a decent lap, with Mini finishing fourth overall with a lap time of 50.837.

Not even the reigning world champion, Lorenzo Travisanutto (KR/Iame/LeCont) who made an impressive lap-time in the last qualifying group, but he only finished 9th overall.

OKJ: Maiden pole position for Stenshorne



The first qualifying group was key for the pole position. Martinius Stenshorne (FA Kart/Vortex/Vega) surprised everyone getting the fastest lap in group 1 with a lap-time of 52.883 seconds.

The Norwegian driver beat Evan Giltaire (Sodi/TM Racing/Vega) and Marcus Amand (Kosmic/Iame/Vega) for only 0.031 and 0.040 seconds.

This set almost the whole qualifying top drivers. Despite that, American Ugo Ugochukwu (FA Kart/Vortex/Vega) made a decent lap in group 2, but this one only served him to be on top 10.

The same happened in group 3 and 4 where only Andrea Kimi Antonelli (KR/Iame/Vega) and Arvid Lindblad (Exprit/TM Racing/Vega) managed to be faster than the 53’seconds lap-mark.

Tomorrow it will be an important day as most of the qualifying heats will be held which will be key to be in good place for Sunday’s final race.

PH: Sportinphoto

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