Houghton wins Qualifying Heat in Rotax karting

TDT | Manama                                                       

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Team Bahrain’s Luca Houghton continued to shine yesterday as the action continued to heat up in the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals 2023 at Bahrain International Karting Circuit in Sakhir.

Competing in the Junior MAX category, Houghton stormed his way from 13th on the grid in Qualifying-Heat 1 C+D to take the win after a great performance over eight laps of racing. He would still have to battle for the win against Japan’s Lu You-De, with the pair being split by just 0.129 seconds, whilst the UK’s Kenzo Craigie would be able to pull away from the rest of the field to clearly secure third.

Earlier in the day, in the final Non-Qualifying Practice, Houghton went top of the times as the #206 showed further track evolution by posting a 54.238s lap. Japan’s Arata Endo (#216 – 54.322) was a mere 0.084 seconds behind, and France’s Louis Comyn (#264) completed the top three with a 54.335s time.

The session saw all 36 drivers covered by just over 1.1 seconds. Elsewhere yesterday, Team Bahrain’s Lewis Smith put in a strong challenge in the E20 Senior class. In Qualifying Practice, Spencer Brougham narrowly secured pole by just 0.008 seconds, where five nations out of the 62 represented in Bahrain were in the top five.

Denmark’s Knud Nielsen settled for second, ahead of Overhoff in what was a very close fight for pole, with the top three covered by only 0.020 seconds. Bahrain’s Lewis Smith (#611) took an impressive fourth on a 53.560s lap, and Switzerland’s Christopher Holst completed the top five with a 53.609s time.

Brougham would also go on to win the first Qualifying Heat by a comfortable 1.901 seconds after eight laps of racing. Bahrain’s Smith finished fourth on the road, but would be demoted to 11th after a front fairing penalty.