Friday in Most

02. September 2016Most - Before the enjoyable part of this 6th round of the FIA European Truck Racing Championship – the drive into town – could begin, the truck racers had to fulfil some obligations. In the morning it was chauffeuring VIPs and journalists around the track, and then in the afternoon the one-hour supplementary free practice session.
Thrice-champ Jochen Hahn suffered a turbo failure — “better now than in qualifying or, indeed, the race”, according to a casually worded statement from the German team.
Soon after, Hahn was setting the top times in free practice just as casually in both his outings. In fact he was the only driver under 2:03s, with best laps of 2:02.851 and 2:02.711. Next-quickest was local hero Adam Lacko in his Buggyra Freightliner.
Defending champ Norbert Kiss (HUN), who finished all four races at the Hungaroring on the podium in his tankpool24 Mercedes, sat out the one-hour training, and was only eighth- fastest in first free practice, almost 1,5 seconds off the pace. The real serious business, though, only starts tomorrow, with the first qualifying session.
In the late afternoon then they were off on the “city parade”.
Frankie Vojtíšek’s truck, which had only been readied a few minutes earlier, led the convoy into the town square. The white MAN was, however, piloted by one of the team’s mechanics, because Vojtíšek is not able to drive with his leg. He won’t be racing on the weekend either - the aftereffects of his crash at the Hungaroring are simply too debilitating still.
Having skirted the city centre from the north, the trucks rumbled into the square in front of the town hall, where they lined up in a neat row.
Masses of eager fans of all ages thronged the long row of tables at which the racers autographed posters and pieces of clothing.

Impressions: