Rotax Mojo Max Euro Challenge Salbris 23-25.3

The first round of 2007 Rotax Mojo Max Euro Challenge was held last weekend in Salbris, France. Always variable French spring weather greeted the international field of 180 drivers presenting 30 nationalities from 5 continents with repeating, ice-cold rain showers from the Wednesday’s free practice to the Sunday finals. Parolin Racing entered the race with 4 drivers, all in the toughest Rotax Senior Max category: Belgians Michael Cool and Jonathan Knievels, the Finn Mikko Laine and the Russian Mikhail Mitrokhin; the 3rd place finisher in 2006 world finals.

The cold weather and chancing weather conditions made the free practice setup work even more difficult than usual; it was not only the drivers shivering but the poor mechanics as well! Nonetheless came the Friday qualifying sessions, where the PRK drivers all posted fairly good performances: Michael Cool qualifying23rd, Mikko Laine 28th, Mikhail Mitrokhin 32nd and Jonathan Knievels 40th.

The field was divided in 4 groups which meant 3 qualifying heats for each driver. As usual the first race of the season + rain + only 34 would qualify for the finals = lots of crashing and “controversial” moments! 3 of us made it through to the final stages: Cool 12th, Laine 25th and Knievels 31st through the second chance heat. Mitrokhin was betrayed by his engine, thus having no chance going through.

The pre-final and the final itself were not to be huge successes for the PRK. Laine had a superb start both races, but then slipped slightly backwards to earn 19th and 23rd place finishes. However respectable performance not having driven, orto mention raced, a kart since last August. Cool had too many rally cross moments in the pre-final in order to finish higher than 15th, despite posting very fast lap times. Knievels wasn’t any luckier finishing the race far behind the rest of the field. In the grand final Cool was pushed off the track in the first corner, but managed to continue to finish 27th. Laine had a another competitive showing, which resulted in 23rd place finish. Knievels came home in 31st.

Next round will be held in May in Germany… all it takes is little more testing and preparation and our guys will all fight day in day out for top-10 finishes!