In the Portuguese Karting Open, held at the Viana do Castelo Karting Track, Rodrigo Ferreira, Hugo Marreiros, Nuno Portela, João Miguel Oliveira, Guillermo Hevia, Romeu Mello, Martim Gomes and Miguel Barbosa will start tomorrow from pole position in the Pre-Final of their categories.
The Portuguese Karting Open will be contested by 92 drivers, divided into six different categories: Beginner, Cadet 4T, X30 Mini, Junior, X30 (which includes the Master class) and X30 Super Shifter (which includes the Senior, Master and Gentleman classes).
Organized by ACDME, the official free practice, timed practice and two qualifying runs were held today in each category to determine the starting grid for the Pre-Finals, scheduled for tomorrow morning, before the Grand Finals, scheduled for early afternoon and with live streaming on Facebook FPAK from 13.40.
X30 category
In the category with the largest number of participants, the X30, with 35 drivers, Diogo Marujo (Redspeed) was the fastest in the timed practice, covering the 1117 meters of the Minho track in 52.748s. Frederico Peters (FA) won the first qualifying session, while Diogo Marujo triumphed in the second. However, with two second places, it was João Miguel Oliveira (Tonykart) who secured the pole position for tomorrow’s Pre-Final, which will determine the starting grid for the Final.
Diogo Marujo will start next to the Batalha driver and Diogo Pinto (Tonykart) and Francisco Serôdio (Redspeed) will start from the second row. In the X30 Master category, Spaniard Guillermo Hevia (Tonykart) won both qualifying races.
X30 Super Shifter category
In the category where the karts are equipped with a gearbox and where 14 drivers are competing, Rodrigo Lessa (Birel ART) was the fastest in the general and senior timed practice with a mark of 50.149s. Rodrigo Ferreira (Kosmic) won both the general and senior qualifying sessions to secure pole position for tomorrow’s Pre-Final, with Rodrigo Lessa at his side. Starting from the second row will be Hugo Marreiros (Tonykart) – 1st in the Masters – and Pedro Perino (Kart Republic) – 3rd in the Seniors – who, in that order, were third and fourth at the end of the two qualifying runs. Nuno Portela (Birel ART) was ninth overall and first in the gentleman’s category.
Junior category
Santiago Alves (Parolin) was fastest in the Junior category with a time of 53.175s, winning the first qualifying session. Dinis Nôro (Sodikart) won the second qualifying run. However, the classification of the sum of the two heats is still pending, so it will only be known tomorrow who will start from pole position in the Pre-Final, which will determine the starting grid for the Final.
X30 Mini category
Romeu Mello (DAP) was the fastest in the X30 Mini qualifying with a time of 56.589s and won both heats. The driver from Lisbon will start from pole position tomorrow – which determines the grid for the final – and will have Francisco Correia (Kart Republic) at his side. Starting from the second row will be Jan Rodrigues (FA) and Leonor Rocha (Parolin), third and fourth respectively at the end of the two qualifying sessions.
Cadet 4T category
Martim Gomes (Birel ARTT) was the fastest qualifier in the Cadet 4T category with a time of 1m00.669s. João Francisco (Parolin) won the first heat, while Martim Gomes won the second and will start from pole position in tomorrow’s Pre-Final, which will determine the starting grid for the Final.
Beginner category
Enzo Santos (Birel ART) was the fastest in the timed practice for the Beginner category with a time of 1’29.839. In the two qualifying sessions he beat Miguel Barbosa (Charles Leclerc) to take pole position for tomorrow’s Pre-Final, which will determine the starting grid for the Final.
Enzo Santos will start from second position in the Pre-Final. José Diogo Martins (Birel ART) and Tomás Dias (Birel ART) will start from the second row of the grid.
The Pre-Finals will take place between 10:30 and 11:45 and the Finals between 13:40 and 14:55 – with live coverage on the FPAK Facebook page – with the prize-giving ceremony at 15:30.