After extremely competitive Qualifying sessions, pole positions were awarded to Spaniard Pedro Hiltbrand in KZ, Maksim Orlov in KZ2 and Mexican Luis Fer Nunez in the Junior Academy. The Mondokart.com FIA Karting European Championship for gearbox categories and the FIA Karting Academy Trophy got off to the best possible start.
In both Free Practice and Qualifying, the drivers benefited from very pleasant weather, with temperatures regularly in excess of 20 degrees - perfect conditions for adapting to the Spanish circuit of Valencia, preparing as well as possible for the racing and aiming for the best possible ranking in the Qualifying Heats.
KZ: From podium in Portimão to pole position in Valencia
With just a few days to go before his 29th birthday, Pedro Hiltbrand (ESP) has shown that he still has serious drive and talent. The 2016 OK World Champion was the fastest in the premier gearbox kart class. With a time of 54.028 at an average speed of 95 km/h, the experienced Birelart team driver was ahead of the two French drivers Jean Nomblot and Mattéo Spirgel, whom the Sodikart factory has chosen to switch from KZ2 to KZ in 2025.
"I've always thought that I wasn't a real Qualifying specialist, but this time I put everything together to be the fastest. It's also the result of a lot of teamwork. Achieving this performance in my home country, here in Valencia, is even more enjoyable," declared Pedro Hiltbrand, third in the 2024 Mondokart.com FIA Karting World Championship in Portimao and already a candidate for another European Championship.
Now racing in the colours of IPK chassis, David Trefilov (GER) will start from the second row in the Qualifying Heats. The three drivers ranked just behind were separated by just three thousandths, with Giuseppe Palomba (ITA), the reigning World Champion, in 54.216 ahead of Daniel Vasile (ROU) in 54.218 and Cristian Bertuca (ITA) in 54.219! The performance of privateer Adrian Malheiro Suñe (ESP) in 10th position is also notable.
KZ Qualifying top 10
1- Hiltbrand, Pedro (ESP - Birelart / TM Kart / Dunlop) 54.028
2- Nomblot, Jean (FRA - Sodi / TM Kart / Dunlop) 54.105
3- Spirgel, Matteo (FRA - Sodi / TM Kart / Dunlop) 54.165
4- Trefilov, David (GER - IPK / TM Kart / Dunlop) 54.198
5- Palomba, Giuseppe (ITA - Maranello / TM Kart / Dunlop) 54. 216
6- Vasile, Daniel (ROU - Birelart / TM Kart / Dunlop) 54.218
7- Bertuca, Cristian (ITA - Birelart / TM Kart / Dunlop) 54.219
8- Denner, Emilien (FRA - IPK / TM Kart / Dunlop) 54. 231
9- Gustafsson, Viktor (SWE - CRG / TM Kart / Dunlop) 54.302
10- Malheiro Suñe, Adrian (ESP - CRG / TM Kart / Dunlop) 54.346
KZ2: Maksim Orlov’s perfect lap
Winner of the international event organised a week earlier on the Lucas Guerrero circuit, Maksim Orlov seems determined to return to the top step of the podium as soon as possible. He took his first step with a pole position time of 54.387.
"The Sodi-TM Racing equipment is really competitive at the moment, and I knew I had a chance to do very well. I didn't really have a strategy, I just left a gap to the driver in front of me so as not to be hindered on my fastest lap. I concentrated on my driving and gave it my all without making any mistakes and the result is there. It's always an advantage to start from pole position, especially as there are only three Qualifying Heats. But there's still a long way to go," commented the man known in the paddock as “Max”.
Although he has not raced at a high level for the last two years, Juho Valtanen (FIN) put in a significant performance in second place after proving to be the fastest in Group 2. The best time in Group 3 went to Kasper Schormans (NED), considered to be one of the big favourites for this Championship. In Group 1, Elie Goldstein (BEL) was just 12 thousandths slower than Orlov. Alvar Siimesvaara (FIN) and Timo Jüngling (GBR) claimed strong top-six places in the 62-strong KZ2 class.
KZ2 Qualifying top 10
1- Orlov, Maksim (Sodi / TM Racing / Dunlop) Gr.1 - 54.387
2- Valtanen, Juho (FIN - Birelart / TM Kart / Dunlop) Gr.2 - 54.466
3- Schormans, Kasper (NED - Sodi / TM Kart / Dunlop) Gr.3 - 54.527
4- Goldstein, Elie (BEL - TB Kart / TM Kart / Dunlop) Gr.1 - 54.399
5- Siimesvaara, Alvar (FIN - CRG / TM Kart / Dunlop) Gr.2 - 54.530
6- Jüngling, Timo (GBR - Sodi / TM Racing / Dunlop) Gr.3 - 54.551
7- Wolfe, Noah (GBR - Birelart / TM Kart / Dunlop) Gr.1 - 54.411
8- Tonteri, Paavo (FIN - CRG / TM Kart / Dunlop) Gr.2 - 54.583
9- Tani, Kimi (FIN - Parolin / TM Kart / Dunlop) Gr.3 - 54.595
10- Kajak, Markus (EST - IPK / TM Kart / Dunlop) Gr.1 - 54.538
Academy-Junior: Mexico in the spotlight with Luis Fer Nunez
49 drivers, divided into two groups, took part in the Qualifying session on the 1,428-metre Spanish circuit. With the exception of a handful of drivers who had already taken part in the Trophy in 2024, the 12-14 year-olds discovered a new environment that they had to get to grips with as quickly as possible during the seven free sessions scheduled from Thursday morning to Friday afternoon.
On the track, this time in official Qualifying, Gage Korn (USA) was the fastest. But on his return to the parc ferme, he was under the minimum weight of 140kg, which led to his disqualification. With a time of 57.636, Luis Fer Nunez (MEX) won the trophy awarded to the pole position winner. The American continent was in the spotlight with Julian Rivera Salas (ECU) in 2nd place. Tudor Ioan Jercan (ROU) shone in 3rd place ahead of Nojus Stasionis (LTU), while Hernan Rodriguez Fuente (ESP) took advantage of his knowledge of the circuit to finish 5th. Many of the drivers lack experience at this level and the hierarchy is likely to change over the two days of racing.
Luis Fer Nunez commented: "Even though I came here to win and I've prepared for this race as well as I could despite the distance from Mexico, I have to admit that I was a little surprised to find myself on pole position. Of course, it's an intense and exciting feeling. Now that I'm going to start my three Qualifying Heats from the best possible position, I can't be too nervous. I just need to drive like I know how."
Academy Junior Qualifying top 10
1- Nunez, Luis Fer (MEX) Gr.1 - 57.636
2- Rivera Salas, Julian (ECU) Gr.2 - 57.684
3- Jercan, Tudor Ioan (ROU) Gr.1 - 57.648
4- Stasionis, Nojus (LTU) Gr.2 - 57.765
5- Rodriguez Fuente, Hernan (ESP) Gr.1 - 57.670
6- Vettenranta, Oiva (FIN) Gr.2 - 57.797
7- Poulsen, Erik (SWE) Gr.1 - 57.813
8- Le Marchand, Maël (FRA) Gr.2 - 57.836
9- Panetta, Bautista (ARG) Gr.1 - 57.870
10- Nass, Nasser (BRN) Gr.2 - 57.990
Identical equipment for all Academy Junior drivers: Exprit / Vortex / LeCont. The manufacturer Dunlop provided the exclusive “prime” tyres for the KZ and KZ2 categories, as did LeCont in Academy-Junior with “option” tyres. In each category, all the drivers will contest three Qualifying Heats on Saturday, before the Finals on Sunday.