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Baillargeon and Laplante Lead Team Canada in Mini and DD2M Qualifying
The rest of Team Canada qualifies Wednesday with heat races commencing in the afternoon
Tuesday was the third official day of the 2024 RMC Grand Finals, the second official on-track day, as Team Canada drivers took on the world at the Circuito Internazionale di Napoli in Sarno, Italy. With five practice sessions now in the books for all classes, it was time for three divisions, Micro MAX, Mini MAX, and DD2 MAX Master to qualify and set the grids for their respective heat races.
For RMC Grand Finals Results – Click HERE
Qualifying Practice Results
Mini MAX
The heavens opened for Mini MAX qualifying as a dry day and six dry practice sessions made way for wet weather qualifying. Utilizing brand-new MOJO rain tire, RMC Grand Finals drivers took to the track to make their run at the pole position. Massimo Lorusso was the one and only Team Canada driver in the Odd-numbered group, but trouble saw him only complete four laps in the six-minute session. Finishing well down the running order and 35th in his group, Lorusso will need to move forward in his heat races to have a shot to race in the main events on Saturday.
In the even-numbered group, Alexis Baillargeon led the way and was the quickest driver on the track after opening the two circuits. With drivers going quicker with each passing lap, Baillargeon had a shot for the pole, but a miscue on the final lap saw him abort and head to the pit lane. Classified sixth in his group, Baillargeon was the top driver for Team Canada on the day with a P12 result after the groups were merged. Jeremy St-Cyr was 11th fastest in the Even-numbered group, narrowly missing out on a top-ten result, and behind him, Leo Dasilva was 22nd. When the checkered flag flew, Massimo Lorusso was 27th in his group and, much like Lorusso, will need to push hard in the heat races to move forward.
- 144 – Alexis Baillargeon – 12th – Heat Group D
- 146 – Jeremy St-Cyr – 22nd – Heat Group B
- 150 – Leo DaSilva – 44th – Heat Group D
- 145 – Massimo Lorusso – 54th – Heat Group B
- 148 – Christian Sanguinetti – 69th – Heat Group A
Alexis Baillargeon – Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN
DD2 Master MAX
The wet weather had subsided for DD2 Master MAX qualifying but a rain-soaked track was left present for three Team Canada competitors. With thirty-six drivers in the field, all three Canadians found their way to the front half when the checkered flag flew led by David Laplante. In the short six-minute session, Laplante clocked the eleventh fastest lap to secure an inside row five starting position, right next to Marc-Andre Levesque in twelfth. Jared Freeston had a respective wet weather drive to secure P18 in the Qualifying Practice results sheet and he will aim to join his fellow Canadian teammates closer to the front once wheel-to-wheel racing commences tomorrow.
- 518 – David Laplante – 11th
- 519 – Marc-Andre Levesque – 12th
- 520 – Jared Freeston – 18th
Marc-Andre Levesque – Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN
With day three of the RMC Grand Finals now in the books, day four will see the first wheel-to-wheel on-track action and the remaining Qualifying Practice sessions for all classes. Stay tuned all weekend long to CKN to follow Team Canada.
