CIK –FIA EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP ICA AND ICA/JUNIOR –QUALIFICATION

BIREL MOTORSPORT HITS THE TARGET

OFFICIAL DRIVERS RISITANO (ICA) AND ANTOLFELD BOTH LEAD THE SELECTIONS AND GET THE GO-AHEAD FOR THE CLASS FINALS WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE IN ITALY.

The European Title of the 100 Ica and 100 Ica/junior classes will be awarded through the single trial Finals scheduled on August 20th in Muro Leccese (Ica) and September 4th in Sarno (Junior). However, the first stage to get to the Finals was given by the qualifying rounds in the Czech Republic, France and Norway. Owing to the territorial subdivision, the official Birel drivers in the two classes (Risitano in the Ica and Antolfeld in the Junior) raced in Sosnova in the Czech Republic. The goal of the selections was qualification, regardless of the final placing, and both Birel drivers attained their aim. The occasion was also important to assess the strength of the rivals, even though the overall rule is that of attaining qualification taking the minimum possible risk. This happened to be the case for the Birel drivers, who had basically already made it to Italy after race 1. Risitano won Race 1 ahead of Mèters and Janis, who were racing at home. The latter, driver of the Joka –Birel team and usually running in the gearbox classes, was the weekend’s surprise winning Race 2, where Risitano ended up 3rd behind his teammate and Mèters. Italian driver Marco Perfetto and German driver Kling performed very well, too, as they both qualified after running among the big ones through the weekend. In the Junior class, Antolfeld qualified thanks to two races run always at the top: In Race 1 he ranked 7th, whereas he made it to the 3rd step on the podium in Race 2. Victories in both races went to Czech driver Groman. Among Birel drivers, Toman gave an excellent performance in Race 1, where he ended 2nd. In Salbris, in the selections for the Western Area, Englishman Calado won both Race 1 and Race 2 in the Ica, while among Birel drivers Croxford (6th/4th), Cruttenden (9th/8th) and Armour (11th/10th) ran excellent races. In the Junior class, Charles Pic came up to expectations ranking 3rd in Race 1 and winning Race 2. The Frenchman, who is among the main candidates for the victory in the Sarno Final, ended behind Cautela and Costa in the 1st trial, while he managed to beat Adrien Tambay and Cautela in the 2nd race. Among Birel drivers, Da Silva (16th/10th) and Cunill (13th/12th) gave a good performance, too. In the Ica class in Norway, it was Belgian driver Harkema to attract attention with a 9th position in Race 1 and a 5th in Race 2, while Forsman was forced to withdraw in Race 1. In the 2nd trial, though, he made a great effort and gained qualification by a superb comeback that took him up to the 8th position. Swede driver Tommy Prosi won both races. In the Junior class, Belgian Vantthoor of the Birel–GKS team attained the 7th place in Race 1 and the 3rd step on the podium in Race 2. Satisfactory as well were the races of Finn Kunranta and Swede Blomstedt. All those who qualified have now to wait for the Finals, which are expected to be, as usual, open to any result and are the first important appointment for the ambitions of many of the racing drivers. At Birel’s, expectations are high regarding Nicholas Risitano, who last year held sway during the qualifiers and had to slow down in the Final only because of a fever, which enabled him to end only 5th. He is the favourite for the Ica Final also by virtue of the great competitiveness shown by the Birel –Tm match. In the Junior class, too, Birel chassis are well-known protagonists, as witnessed by the 2 victories in a row during the last two editions: in 2003 with Risitano and last year with Monégasque Stefano Coletti.