Canas on pole, Ongaro on for 3 in a row
The grid is set for the 2024 IFMAR 1:8 Offroad World Championship with Sworkz’ Juan Carlos Canas on pole position for the 1-hour showdown in Spain as World Champion Davide Ongaro starts right behind him attempting three in a row. Top Qualifier at these Worlds after topping four of the sixth qualifiers, the back to back European Champion showed he hasn’t lost any of his blistering pace as he dominated the half hour encounter. Pulling away early despite one or two mistakes, Canas would finish the half hour encounter 24-seconds clear of his nearest rival. That driver was Joao Figueiredo, the Portuguese Tekno driver putting in a super steady race and holding off the rising talent of Team Associated driver Marcus Kaerup. Unfortunately for Dakotah Phend what was looking like an easy progression to the Main Final came to nothing. Running longer stops than his rivals, the TLR driver ran out of fuel as he approached the end of his in lap for his second stop but missing the loop, this dropped him to the back. Luckily Phend would later get through by winning the 15-minute LCQ race after passing long time leader Joona Haatanen on the last lap having crashed on lap 1 to book the 13th starting spot on the grid. The second Semi would see defending back to back World Champion Davide Ongaro get the win but the Italian didn’t have it all his own way with David Ronnefalk taking the lead on the opening lap. The Swede however would hand it back a few laps later at the whoop section. Behind Ongaro, Mugen Seiki’s Berkan Kilic took second, he and his older brother Burak once again making the final as they did here in 2022. Sworkz Elliott Boots finished third ahead of 2016 World Champion Ronnefalk whose Xray makes it four different manufacturers in the first five grid spots.
