As Friday action unfolded at the third round of the European Championship in Viterbo, the pace in Qualifying Practice was fierce across all three categories, OK, OK-Junior, and the Senior Academy, with razor-thin margins and standout performances in the heats setting the tone for the weekend ahead.
In OK, Christian Costoya lit up the stopwatch with a record-breaking 50.913 in Qualifying, setting a new fastest lap ever recorded at the Viterbo circuit. He backed it up with two dominant wins in the heat, setting the fastest lap of the race as well. Jacob Micallef impressed with a victory of his own, finishing ahead of Vladimir Ivannikov and Lewis Francis, while Daniel Kelleher led from the front in another heat, beating Kenzo Craigie and Lev Krutoholov. With multiple winners and close margins throughout the top ten, the stage is set for an unpredictable showdown.
OK-Junior saw Noah Baglin go quickest, just ahead of Ilie Crisan, Iskender Zulfikari, Will Green and Dan Alleman. With multiple teams and engine suppliers represented at the front, the competition is wide open heading into the heats. The category featured six fiercely competitive heats with multiple standout performances. Turner Brown took two strong wins, with Samuel Hugon and Dan Allemann also among the frontrunners. William Calleja came out on top in another close battle, fending off Ilie Crisan and Devin Walz, while Iskender Zulfikari secured two hard-fought wins. Baglin, Garciarce, Rousseau, and Arias also ran well inside the top ten, proving just how tight the field remains heading into Saturday.
In the Senior Academy, Harrison Whitticombe set the early benchmark with a 54.075 in Qualifying, edging out Jules Avril, Annabel Kennedy, Gianna Pascoal, and Agustín Sepúlveda in a field that saw over 30 drivers covered by just one second. Although the category saw no heats on Friday, anticipation is building for Saturday’s outing.
With lap times staying sharp through every session and tyre performance remaining consistent under pressure, Viterbo is already shaping up to be one of the most competitive rounds of the season.
