Saturday in Most – Part 2

31. August 2013Most - A few dark clouds did make an appearance shortly before the start of the first race, but there was no threat of rain, and the temperature stayed at a summerly 25°C. The repair of the steering gear on Kiss’s truck was completed somewhat late, and so the Hungarian had to start from the pits. For the rest of the field it was a normal flying start, in the course of which Hahn was able to hold onto his pole with consummate ease. And despite Albacete’s relentless onslaught over the next 11 laps, especially in the near-180° bend at the far end of the circuit, he was nevertheless able to defend his lead till the finish. Oestreich meanwhile was able take over third place from Vršecký in the gentle switchback section a quarter of a lap into the race. The podium places were decided then and there. The Czech, left with significant breathing space before and behind, decided to concentrate on finishing safely in fourth. Following him in the distance, Bösiger managed to keep ahead of Lacko for most of the race, but shortly before the finish straight the Czech shot past his Swiss teammate into fifth. Vojtíšek had to fight the contest for seventh place against rookie Major, an MAN colleague less than a third his age! At the end it was the veteran who finished ahead, albeit marginally. But Major had, crucially, secured for himself pole position for the second race. His teammate Kiss, meanwhile, turned in another stellar performance. The Hungarian had caught up with the rest of the field in next to no time, and then set about fighting his way to the front, overtaking the drivers ahead of him one after the other, outbraking them mostly on the inside of the aforementioned sharp curve at the far end of the track. Tenth place and the final point went to Mäkinen after Frenchman Anthony Janiec was penalised after the race – for having repeatedly knocked over the penalty markers, – which dropped him down to 15th. It was tough luck for René Reinert and Stephanie Halm. While the clutch on the Reinert’s MAN gave out at the start itself, putting paid to the Lausitzer’s race on the spot, his compatriot and MAN colleague Halm drove a plucky race to finish 12th after a flying penalty marker had smashed into and splintered her windscreen.

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