As expected

The first qualifying heat went pretty much as you have expected given the form displayed in the practice sessions earlier today; Norwegian Sverre Isachsen, Pole Krzysztof Skorupski and Norwegian Lars Øivind Enerberg setting fastest times in the three classes.

There was really remarkably little in the way of problems or the unexpected; the only drivers not to finish were Super1600 runner Reinis Safonovs who stopped his Polo with lack of drive and Robert Czarnecki who led to turn one, got mauled and knocked around and appeared to pull in a state of surprise after his Saxo lost its front bumper. Derek Tohill was not credited with a time, the TouringCar champ running wide in the first corner, getting a puncture and then being lapped as he struggled to try and complete the race.

At the top Isachsen and Skorupski showed absolute domination, each finishing 2.6s ahead of their closest rival. Andreas Bakkerud chasing Skorupski home while Toomas Heikkinen was second of the Supercars but may have beaten Isachsen had he not been such a gentleman at turn two in the first lap where he had the Saab three-quarters alongside Isachsen’s Focus before ceding the corner to the champ…

Enerberg’s grasp of the TouringCar lead is more tenuous, a relatively scrappy run from the Norwegian leaving him a scant 0.002s ahead of Roman Častoral in a race that is very much on.

Kamil Sokołowski, who had been 15th fastest, was excluded from the heat following a report from the scrutineers to the stewards concerning “a sensor that did not comply with Appendix J, Article 279.3.11.1”

Results

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