Solid Start For Australians In Italy

Qualfying: (full timings on kart-data.com HERE)

Juniors MAX - Josh DeMaio, 24th, 51.132s. Chris Hays, 39th, 51.340s. (Pole: Dylan Lehaye, Belgium, 50.697s in a 72 kart field)

Senior MAX - Troy Woolston, 5th, 49.275s. David Sera, 11th, 49.471s. (Pole: Martin Pierce, Ireland, 49.133 in a 70 kart field)

DD2 - Rick Pringle, 36th, 49.308s. (Pole: Pier-Luc Ouellette, Canada, 48.222s in a 71 kart field)

press release

Rainy conditions this morning (Friday) but by the time racing started the rain had stopped and the track was starting to slowly dry out.

Above: Team Australia - Chris Hays, Josh de Maio, David Sera, Troy Woolston, Rick Pringle

JUNIOR MAX – HEAT 1
Both Australian drivers were in the same heat. Chris Hays started 20th in greasy conditions and suffered a bent tie rod in a first corner accident and soldiered on to finish 15th. Josh De Maio started from position twelve, and in a master stroke move from team mechanic Peter Cathcart, he elected to start the race on slicks. It was a very gutsy move in the greasy conditions but Josh drove supremely to withstand the onslaught at the start of the race to begin the march forward and in the end win the race comfortably by 8 seconds. “It’s fantastic that we have started the event well and I am looking forward to the second heat. I can’t believe I have won a race in Europe against the best Rotax drivers in the World” said Josh.

Above: Peter Cathcart put Josh De Maio out on dry tyres for a damp opening heat. Josh went on to win the race by 8 seconds! It also means his wet tyres have been kept fresh compared to most of his rivals. This smight be significant should it rain later in the meeting.

SENIOR MAX – TROY WOOLSTON - HEAT 1
Started from position three, got pushed around in the first corner in greasy conditions and dropped a number of places back to 8th. Fought back well to finish 4th by the end of the race on a drying track. “I am really happy with a solid start, I know we have got good pace and the kart feels really good. It’s a little bit difficult to get used to their starts over here. They are very slow and you are not allowed to break formation at all. I know I got a warning on the first attempted start so I will have to behave myself from now on” said Troy.

SENIOR MAX – DAVID SERA - HEAT 1
Starting from position five David got a clean start and quickly moved up to 3rd. He then chased down Japanese driver Sotara Mimura to move up to 2nd place. He held 2nd until mid way through the race when Mimura managed to get back past Sera. “My rear tyre moved in 10mm on the axle and this hurt my entry speed onto the main straight. We should be right for the next race. I’m pretty happy with a 3rd place to kick the meeting off” said David.

Above: Is that really Dave??

DD2 – RICK PRINGLE – HEAT 1
Started from position 19 and finished 17th. “I think I am being a bit too nice and getting shoved around so I have decided to start to give a bit back from now on. The next heat today looks like it will be wet and I was fast this morning in the wet so I am confident of a good showing” said Rick.

JUNIOR MAX – CHRIS HAYS - HEAT 2
Started from position 20 and worked his way through to 14th. “The kart lacked a bit of bottom end so we will have to find the right set up. Jon Targett is working hard on the kart and I am sure we will be quicker tomorrow” said Chris.

Above: Hays and Tragett in the Team Oz tent

JUNIOR MAX JOSH DEMAIO – HEAT 2
Started from position 12 and had a fantastic run through the field. At one stage got as high as 3rd but then had a coming together with another driver and got knocked back to 10th. By the end of the race Josh was back up to 8th. “I am a bit disappointed because I did all the hard work and was right up the front again but then had a bit of bad luck. The good thing is I know we have the kart speed and that I can mix it with the front runners” said Josh.

SENIOR MAX – HEAT 2
Both Australian drivers were in the same heat. Just before the start of this race it started to rain and the track was very wet. Troy started from 3rd and got hung out on the first corner. He dropped way back into the field and then had to drive back through the pack up to 10th. A last corner error dropped him back to 12th at the chequered flag. “If I could do that race again I would be a lot more aggressive at the start. There’s not a lot of respect out there but I suppose at the Worlds that’s the way it is” said Troy.

David Sera started off 6th and got knocked back to around 12th on the first lap. “I worked my butt off out there. It was so wet I could hardly see anything at some points of the race and that made it really tough. I got back to 6th and I suppose it could have been a lot worse so I am happy” said David.

DD2 – RICK PRINGLE – HEAT 2
Rick got his wet race wish and charged through the field from grid 18 to finish a fantastic 5th place. “I am starting to get the hang of DD2 and I am happy with this result. I had a lot of fun out there” said Rick.

Above: Rick Pringle qualified mid-field, but flew in the wet 2nd heat

Tomorrow will see the 3rd heat for everyone and then in the afternoon the always entertaining last chance qualifying race for those that have not qualified direct into the finals.

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