Pau, ETCR: Jean Karl Vernay and Mattias Ekström, reunion

L’ETCR a subi quelques ajustements afin de rendre la discipline plus compréhensible pour les spectateurs. Les pilotes sont toujours séparés en deux groupes. Le groupe «Fast» dans lequel nous retrouvons: Jean Karl Vernay (Hyundai Motorsport), Adrien Tambay (Cupra Racing), Tom Blomqvist (Cupra Racing), Luca Filippi (Romeo Ferraris), Maxime Martin (Romeo Ferraris), Norbert Michelisz (Hyundai Motorsport). Le groupe «Furious» est composé de : Mattias Ekström (Cupra Racing), Jordi Gené (Cupra Racing), Kevin Ceccon (Hyundai Motorsport), Bruno Spengler (Romeo Ferraris), Giovanni Venturini (Romeo Ferraris). Les deux groupes disputent une séance de qualification qui détermine le passage en quart de finale. Les trois premiers de la «qualif» participent au quart de finale 1 et les trois suivants sont dans le quart de finale 2. Les pilotes qualifiés parmi les trois premiers sont assurés de marquer un maximum de points. 

In this little game and in the first group, it was JK Vernay who set the best combined time of the two short sessions. The Lyonnais from Hyundai is very satisfied with this result. He who is only competing in the ETCR this season. He focuses 100% of his energy on the electric series, so expectations are very high. Vernay is ahead of Cupra debutants Adrien Tambay and Tom Blomqvist in his group. The two former pilots DTM didn't take much time to appreciate the 500 kW (around 670 horsepower) of their Cupra e-Racer. Adrien Tambay recognizes that “It's very complicated in the streets of Pau, with the bumps and our very heavy cars, but it's a real pleasure to see that we're in the lead.» The other quarter-final of the Fast group is made up of Maxime Martin, Norbert Michelisz and Luca Filippi. 

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In the Furious group, Mattias Ekström set the absolute best time of the day (1'21.282), the Swede seems to have understood the pitfalls of the urban circuit in the capital of Béarn. He is ahead of his former teammate and new Hyundai recruit, Mikel Azcona, by a good half a second. The Spaniard, who is discovering the Veloster Coupé in competition, was at ease, with significant room for improvement. The Cupra and the Hyundai are accompanied in quarter-final 1 by the Guilia of debutant Giovanni Venturini. Quarter-final 2 will be made up of Bruno Spengler, the Canadian and DTM champion in full training, Kevin Ceccon did not manage to sign his two timed laps, the Italian has the impression of not having shown his true potential. He is ahead of Jordi Gené who made a mistake. The quarter-finals will be played in the evening at the start of the “night session” of the Grand Prix de Pau.

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Jean Karl Vernay in the mix for the first qualifying of the season ©FIAETCR