The qualifying session indicates that the title race is going to be poised on a knife-edge

08.10.2017 15:55

The Saturday qualifying session at the final event of this year’s FIA European Touring Car Cup (ETCC), which is held under the title The Most Grand Finale at the Most motor-racing circuit this weekend, was dominated by the three top favourites for the championship title. Current standings leader Petr Fulín qualified setting the third fastest time. In doing so, he was just a thousandth of a second behind Christjohannes Schreiber of Switzerland who also occupies second place overall. Having won the qualifying, Hungarian Norbert Nagy is now on equal points with Schreiber and will start the first Sunday race from pole position. The top eight finishers from Race 1 will start the second race in reverse order.

The top three qualifiers commented on an unprecedented closeness in this year’s championship title battle at a press conference that followed. “Everything is now even more dramatic after qualifying. During testing and free practice, I did different times; I’ve had my ups and downs,” said Schreiber.

Nagy will try to get the most out of his successful qualifying. “It will be my aim to stay at the top after the initial chicane following the long straight after the start and retain the lead until the chequered flag,” he revealed his ambitions for the first race.

Petr Fulín explained that he hates making pre-calculations. “It is important for me to make it to the finish of Race 1 in order to be able to take part in the curtain-closer. I wish for settled weather conditions. The varying weather conditions we’ve experienced in Most so far don’t suit me. Let there be either dry or wet conditions for the duration of both races. I must be careful about degradation of my front tyres,” he said in front of the media.

Overall, Fulín has collected 64 points so far while Schreiber a Nagy, 59 points apiece. Being still in the game, Igor Stefanovski of Macedonia is nine and four points respectively behind the three favourites.

On Saturday, the spectators were enthused over talented Czech driver Petr Semerád who, even though only fifteen years old, climbed on the second step of the podium in the first race of the Twingo Cup series. Parts of the Most Grand Finale weekend are some more races such as the Haigo ADAC series involving open-wheelers and touring cars once taking part in the former Peace and Friendship of Socialist Countries Cup, and also a FAS AČR regularity rally. It is not the finishing order that decides the winner. Home competitors driving specially built works cars and individually constructed vehicles are to clock two times as identical as possible on two measured laps.

This means that the Sunday programme at the Most race track promises a thrilling and manifold show, which has been made even more varied by the organisers offering an interesting programme of side events. For example, Petr Kopfstein, a participant in the prestigious Red Bull Air Race series in the Master Class category, will present an aerobatic show. And the lunchtime break is going to be filled with a concert given by the music group Rock Slaves on the start-finish straight as well as with an adrenaline-pumping drift show.

 

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