14 drivers from 9 countries have made the trip to Zarasai, Lithania this weekend to contest the 2018 UIM F2 European Championship.
Lithuanian driver and event organiser, Edgaras Riabko won the first 2 heats of the Championship today and is in a very strong position with the final two to be raced tomorrow.
2018 Hegelmann UIM F2 European Championship – Qualifying
Tobias Munthe-Kaas celebrates with his Radio Man and builder of the BaBa hull, Massimo Roggiero that set Pole Position
Tobias Munthe-Kaas, fresh from his second place in Round 3 of the UIM World Championship in Tonsberg took pole position.
Edgaras Riabko was second with Portugal’s Duarte Benavente back on form with third after recovering from flu.
Ferdinand Zandbergen from Holland who was entered into the event, had his UIM Super Licence revoked earlier in the week after conduct during the Tonsberg race and was unable to compete.
Qualifying Q3
1) Tobias Munthe-Kaas (NOR) 160.55 KPH
2) Edgaras Riabko (LTU) 160.38 KPH
3) Duarte Benavente (POR) 159.21 KPH
4) Johan Österberg (SWE) 158.96 KPH
5) Stanislav Kourtsenovsky (RUS) 158.96 KPH
6) Konstantin Ustinov (RUS) 156.04 KPH
2018 Hegelmann UIM F2 European Championship – Heat 1
Edgaras Riabko celebrates his Heat 1 win
Heat 1 started much later than anticipated due to issues with the start lights.
Pole-sitter Tobias Munthe-Kaas finished 7th on the water and to cap his Heat 1 nightmare he was disqualified after the race for breaking UIM rule 313.01.
Riabko seized the opportunity, the 2017 UIM F2 European Silver Medallist took the heat win and started to sense that this would be his weekend.
Heat 1 – Results
1) Edgaras Riabko (LTU)
2 Duarte Benavente (POR) +0:02.44
3) Konstantin Ustinov (RUS) +0:04.22
4) Rupp Temper (AUT) +0:25.19
5) Scott Curtis (GBR) +0:26.06
6) Nikita Lijcs (LAT) +0:28.03
7) Roman Vandyshev (RUS) +0:34.00
8) Johan Österberg (SWE) +0:40.13
9) Kalle Viippo (FIN) L1
10) Stanislav Kourtsenovsky (RUS) DNF
11) Uvis Slakteris (LAT) DNS
12) Sander Sarlin (EST) DNS
13) Christian Carlsen (SWE) DNS
14) Tobias Munthe-Kaas (NOR) DQ (UIM Rule 313.01)
2018 Hegelmann UIM F2 European Championship – Heat 2
In the second heat Riabko completely controlled the race with Benavente and Konstantin Ustinov behind him again.
He told F2 Lithuania after:
Everything worked perfectly, there were no problems.
The second race was’t difficult, I drove a calculated race to the finish line.
Tobias Munthe-Kaas’ day improved as he drove from 10th on the grid to a fifth place.
Heat 2 – Results
1) Edgaras Riabko (LTU)
2 Duarte Benavente (POR) +0:01.47
3) Konstantin Ustinov (RUS) +0:06.63
4) Nikita Lijcs (LAT) +0:10.19
5) Tobias Munthe-Kaas (NOR) +0:12.69
6) Rupp Temper (AUT) +0:34.35
7) Roman Vandyshev (RUS) +0:35.85
8) Johan Österberg (SWE) +0:40.04
9) Scott Curtis (GBR) L2
10) Kalle Viippo (FIN) DNF
11) Stanislav Kourtsenovsky (RUS) DNS
12) Uvis Slakteris (LAT) DNS
13) Sander Sarlin (EST) DNS
14) Christian Carlsen (SWE) DNS
2018 Hegelmann UIM F2 European Championship – Standings after 2 Rounds (2 more tomorrow)
1) Edgaras Riabko (LTU) 400 / 400 = 800 points
2 Duarte Benavente (POR) 300 / 300 = 600 points
3) Konstantin Ustinov (RUS) 225 / 225 = 450 points
4) Rupp Temper (AUT) 169 / 95 = 264 points
5) Nikita Lijcs (LAT) 95 / 169 = 264 points
6) Scott Curtis (GBR) 127 / 40 = 167 points
7) Roman Vandyshev (RUS) 71 / 71 = 142 points
8) Tobias Munthe-Kaas (NOR) 0 / 127 = 127 points
9) Johan Österberg (SWE) 53 / 53 = 106 points
10) Kalle Viippo (FIN) 40 / 0 = 40 points
11) Stanislav Kourtsenovsky (RUS) 0 points
12) Uvis Slakteris (LAT) 0 points
13) Sander Sarlin (EST) 0 points
14) Christian Carlsen (SWE) 0 points
