For the first time this week at the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals in Portimão, Portugal the skies opened up and the rain came falling down. Today’s action would see drivers hit the track for their final heat race, and if needed the Last Chance Qualifiers. Mother nature played games with the wet weather as quick downpours, lots of wind and sunshine and the unpredictability had many mechanics scratching their heads on what setup to choose.
The Team Canada Rotax DD2 Masters drivers have been very quick this week in Portimão, and today they showed that strength again, even with some adversity. In the A vs D heat race, Stuart Clark was turned and spun into the front straightaway barriers just as the race was started, forcing him to not only start well behind the group, but nearly in last. Also, contact on the first lap sent Luc Sauriol well down the order and as the two rounded lap one, they could be found in twenty-eighth and twenty-ninth. Working hard in the rainy conditions, both Clark and Sauriol began to tear through the field. Making moves wherever they could, Clark would complete the heat race in an impressive fourteenth, while Sauriol made his way back to eighteenth.
In the final DD2 Masters heat race, Scott Campbell was looking to complete a sweep of the heat races. However after a good start, Campbell would struggle for grip and fall to fifth at the finish.
With the heat races complete and the points tallied, Scott Campbell will start tomorrow’s pre final from the outside of row one, with last years RMCGF DD2 Masters Champion Christiano Morgado of South Africa on the pole position. For Clark and Sauriol they will have some work ahead of them as they will both occupy row nine with Clark getting the inside.
Tomorrow will have the drivers hit the track for a morning warm-up and pre final before the official drivers ceremony. Following the driver parade, the Rotax Micro-Max demonstration race, Rotax Junior will kick off the official Rotax Grand Finals.
