Haatanen wins exciting A1 in Austria

Joona Haatanen came off the winner of an exciting opening 2WD A-Main at the Euro Offroad Series season finale in Austria this morning.  Lining up 4th on the grid, the Finn drove an impressive race, capitalising on mistakes from the Top 3 starters to lead home an Associated 1-2.  With the first key mistake of the race coming from Ryan Maifield,  one lap later Haatanen would get by Maifield’s Yokomo team-mate Lee Martin with 2nd place looking the likely outcome of the race for the teenager as Top Qualifier Bruno Coelho pulled out a comfortable lead.  However at the half way mark Coelho would traction roll his Xray off the front jump allowing Haatanen to close right up.  Following the EOS Round 3 winner for 4-laps, the Arena 33 Top Qualifier would go to the front when Coelho went flying off the track at the end of the straight. With Martin and Neil Cragg also getting through, it was the fight for 2nd between the battling Brits that would provide the closing entertainment.  While Martin would run a tight line to try defend his position, on the penultimate lap he hit a corner dot which pushed him wide which was all Cragg needed to make the pass to claim 2nd with Martin finishing as he started.  Crashing on his final lap, Coelho would end up fourth with Maifield’s first ever EOS race ending with a 5th.

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