Gustafsson, Bengtsson, Mechaell, Lymant and Morrison lead day one at the Euro Finals

The opening day of the last event of the 2024 FIM-E championship at Santa Pod Raceway, England was initially a bit steamy and humid although the second qualifying session held largely in the dusk saw improved air and portents of what’s to come over the remaining two days of the Euro Finals.

Champion Rikard Gustafsson leads FIM-E Top Fuel Bike as could be predicted although his pair of relaxed 5.9s (a second session best of 5.9356/239.04) are not necessarily out of reach tomorrow, although we’d anticipate Gustafsson lowering these somewhat tomorrow. In second spot is Stuart Crane who has put a wretched NitrOlympX behind him with a 6.2854/218.13 from the Warpspeed Funny Bike. Eric Richard sits at third with a 6.5179 at a huge 222.54mph from the Team Brothers Funny. The eight bike eliminations bump spot is currently in the eights although this could drop a fair bit as before the ten entries are done.

Only four bikes are here for the FIM-E Super Twin field but the quick two are seriously quick and for once those pesky Danes aren’t on top of the heap thanks to Per Bengtsson and The Beast ripping off a pair of 6.2s with a second session 6.2334/220.18 taking provisional pole ahead of Marcus Christiansen’s 6.2423/224.76, with Chris van Nimmen and Marc van den Boer completing the quartet.

Jake Mechaell continues his rich vein of form in FIM-E Super Street Bike after winning in Germany a couple of weeks ago and a first session 6.7378/217.95 kept him ahead of championship chasing Daniel Donat Lencses (6.7507/224.61) and Alan Morrison Jnr (6.8065/219.20). Morrison’s brother Ross is at four with a 6.9305/213.82 and Mogens Lund rounds out the six second runners with a 6.9883.

Champion elect Joerg Lymant nudged closer to sealing the deal in FIM-E Pro Stock Bike thanks to a second session 7.1897/183.62 that kept him ahead of Bertrand Maurice’s 7.2553 from the first session.

The FIM-E Junior Drag Bike Cup, decided in the final run of the season last year, again looks to be a tight affair with current title holder Leah Morrison producing a +0.0197 on a 10.95 dial-in to lead the six bike field with another day of qualifying to go.

Words and photos Ivan Sansom & Rose Hughes