Saturday at Smolenskring – Part 1

28. July 2012Smolenskring - In the morning the sun was burning down from the clear Russian sky. After the warm-up session, where the best drivers were leading again, but were not showing their cards, the first timed practice was about to begin. The title holder Jochen Hahn (GER) drove the best time (1:51,162 min.) in his MAN. But also three other drivers, the German Markus Oestreich (Renault), Antonio Albacete (ESP) in his MAN and Renault driver Markus Bösiger (SUI) stayed under the mark of 1:52. The remaining top-ten positions for the SuperPole went to Adam Lacko (CZE) and his Renault, both MAN drivers Dominique Lacheze (FRA) and Mika Mäkinen (FIN), the Czech David Vrsecky (Buggyra Freightliner) and two more MAN drivers, René Reinert (GER) and Alexander Lvov (RUS).
There was some confusion over the last rank, though, because the Spaniard Jose Bermejo (MAN) drove the faster time. That’s why Lvov was displayed on the 11th position on the screens and immediately in Parc Fermé as well. When they then announced that Bermejo had been disqualified, the SuperPole had just started – but only with 9 trucks.
During the SuperPole Hahn was even faster (1:51,067 min.) and everyone thought this had to be the Pole. But in the last lap, Albacete fought back and his time of 1:50,750 min. made Ivan Cruz, the team manager, dance.
Both, Markus Oestreich and Markus Bösiger placed to be in the second row of the starting grid. Lacko placed 5th before his fellow citizen Vrsecky. Lacheze, Mäkinen, Reinert and Lvov were the next ones in starting order. The Russian Jurii Egorov (Freightliner) started from the 11th position, ahead of Bermejo and the two MANs from Norbert Kiss (HUN) and Frankie Vojtisek (CZE), who were not able to compete in the timed practice, because the mechanics were still working on the gearboxes of the race trucks.

Impressions: