Q3 Update – Ielasi puts in surprise TQ run

Daniele Ielasi put in a surprise TQ run in the third round of qualifying at the ENS in Fiorano to top the times from Q2 pace setter Simon Kurzbuch.  Having snapped a car in half on the opening practice day, the WRC driver would also damage his second car in controlled practice yesterday leaving him to be seeded in Heat 11 of 15, however despite the slower heat the Italian would top the times by 2/10th from Kurzbuch and the Swiss driver’s title rivals Robert Pietsch and Dario Balestri.  Another surprise for the round would be the performance of 1:10 championship contender Bruno Coelho, the Xray driver taking his RX8 to the 5th fastest time ahead of Lamberto Collari.

Commenting on his TQ run, Ielasi said ‘finally I have some luck’.  Explaining what has been a challenging start to the ENS season finale, the former 1:10 World Champion said, ‘two days ago I broke my good car in half and in controlled practice I had more bad luck when I also destroyed my spare car’.  With his ‘good car’, that particular GTX featuring a prototype front end, unsalvageable due to the parts being one off pieces he was able to rebuild his spare ‘standard’ car.  Describing his surviving car as ‘feeling good’, he added it was a pity he didn’t have his ‘good car’ as the prototype was ‘for sure better’.   A driver who always finds a positive out of every situation, he said ‘racing in Round 11 it is harder to pass but anyway he is happy now to fight for the overall TQ’.

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