Qualifying heats on the day of the 2026 IAME Winter Cup at Kartodromo Lucas Guerrero in Valencia saw changing weather play a major role in the day’s action. Winds reaching 90kph, combined with sudden rain showers, created challenging track conditions for all 213 drivers. Despite a brief delay for standing water on the track to be cleared, the event continued to run smoothly, bar for the last round of qualifying heats for X30 seniors, which have been pushed to the final day.
MINI: Momentum Shifts at the Front
The Mini category saw two British drivers emerge at the front. Charles Clough and Mayson Hibbert delivered strong heat performances, with Clough securing two qualifying heat wins before an unexpected DNF prevented a push for Superheat pole.
Aaron Bordanova and Hibbert will lead into tomorrow’s Superheats, while Achilleas Peruzzi narrowly missed the top position but remains on the front row.
JUNIOR: Strategy Defines the Day
Junior racing saw drivers adapt to constantly evolving grip levels, with freshly painted kerbs adding an extra technical challenge.
Orion Mehta opted for wet tyres while others ran slicks in the opening wet heat, gaining 19 positions and finishing 29.8 seconds clear. Ivan Gonzalez showed strong consistency with two heat wins and a second-place finish to move from qualifying P3 into overall pole position.
Freddie Wood will start Superheat B from pole after claiming one of his first European heat wins ahead of Alpine F1 Academy Junior Driver Sukhmani Khera. Nuvola Morales, who had taken a heat victory, was later disqualified for technical non-conformity, dropping him down the order.
SENIOR: Strategy Continues to Shape the Order
Tyre decisions remained key in Senior. Gilles Herman ran slick tyres following a call from driver coach Kenny Roosens, securing a 32-second advantage. Ruben Moya also recorded a DNF during the day.
The final heat rotation was postponed due to scheduling constraints, with the remaining heats set to determine the final Superheat order tomorrow. Aaron Garcia remains unbeaten across the week so far.
Finals Day Approaches
We’re now set for the final day, starting with the remaining qualifying heats, the superheats, and the finals that will decide the 2026 IAME Winter Cup Champions in X30 Mini, Junior and Senior, with winners earning free entry to the full 2026 IAME Euro Series. With no less than 18 different winners in the 24 qualifying heats run so far across the three categories, it's very difficult to pick favorites for tomorrow's podium. In all categories, the battles at the front are very close.