Thursday, 28.03.2024 | Deutsch | English
Jarama Preliminary Report

Jarama Preliminary Report

02. October 2014There’s never been such a close three-way race for the title as we’re now confronted with at the penultimate weekend of the 2014 season of the FIA European Truck Racing Championship at the Circuito del Jarama, a few kilometres north of Madrid. All of seven points separate MAN pilots Antonio Albacete (ESP) and Jochen Hahn (GER), with their Hungarian nemesis Norbert Kiss (also MAN) sandwiched explosively in between. Even if any of the three should collect all 60 points up for grabs, the title will very likely still be decided only in Le Mans. A weak showing by any one of them, conversely, would put paid to his hopes of being crowned champion.
Even if all attention is on the battle at the top, there are still 20 other drivers in the fray, all with their own ambitions. Of the FIA pilots, tankpool24 Mercedes teammates André Kursim (GER) and Dominique Orsini (FRA) have withdrawn from this round; on the other hand, five Spanish race-by-race pilots have signed on.
The paddock at the Circuito del Jarama right now resembles a busy construction site. The zones that in earlier years accommodated the American show trucks and the exhibitor tents are now a go-kart track, and the place the karting track earlier occupied is now available for other pursuits.
Truck racing is an obsession in Spain, and Antonio Albacete is somewhat of a national hero. And now that the Madrilène is actually leading the championship, the Cepsa folks are going to be hyping it to the heavens.
Albacete’s rivals won’t mind playing second banana in the paddock - as long as they can dictate terms on the track. The top drivers know only too well how heavy the burden of expectations from one’s own fans can be.
The weather forecast is clear, with temperatures above 25° and no precipitation. This weekend’s going to be hot, both on and off the track.

Impressions:

Jarama Preliminary Report
Jarama Preliminary Report