TQ number 3 for Matsukura
Naoto Matsukura claimed yet another TQ this morning in the penultimate qualifier for the 1:12 World Championships which will be decided here in Bangkok later today. The 15-year-old Japanese star ran a very close heat with Associated team-mate Juho Levanen eventually claiming the fastest 8 minute run time of the event to put himself in the provisional overall TQ position.
Matsukura said after the run that he had to control the pace and hold back a little on the throttle to ensure he made the full run time. Running the same set-up as yesterday when his car dumped in the dying moments while on target for a 41 lapper, the controlled driving paid off allowing the reigning Japanese Champion to record 40 laps in 08:04.181. Having initially set the pace, 6 minutes in Levanen’s RC12R5 started to get loose causing the Finn to spin out twice which allowed Matsukura to close in and then pass to claim the round. The Team Associated team will rebuild the diff on Levanen’s car for the final qualifier which he needs to win in a sub 8 minute 4 second time if he wants to claim overall TQ honours.
While the two Associated drivers continued their reign up front Teemu Leino took Xray’s best run posting the third fastest time with 40 laps in 08:12.214. The surprise pace setter in Controlled Practice the Finn benefited from running a harder tyre on his prototype XII. Having run an 11.6 second lap in practice this morning his car was only good for 4 minutes but a switch to the harder compound, while slower in lap times, made it more consistant over the full run.
Setting the fourth fastest time and heading the large Hot Bodies entry was Daisuke Yoshioka with his LRP powered Cyclone 12X. The Japanese driver was happy with his car unlike his team-mates who are struggling to get a good balance around the asphalt RCS track. Atsushi Hara, who was a pre-event favourite, just can not get his car to work and will be need to pull out all the stops in the final heat if he is to make the A Final.
Despite dumping on the last lap CRC lead driver Hupo Honigl took fifth for the round. The Austrian who was running a 4.5 version of the new LRP Vector X12 will switch to a 5.0 for Heat number six. Simo Ahoneimi completed the Top 6 for Team Corally.
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