The race season has started last weekend in France with the international GP at Montpellier. There were 110 drivers competing at this race, including some top European drivers. This was an opportunity for Team XRAY to showcase the new XB8EC car for the first time.
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After some short practices, there were 3 rounds of qualifying and the 2 best were counted for general classification. European champion Yannick Aigoin and his new XB8EC immediately took the best time in the first round, followed by Renaud Savoya and Fabio Boero.
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Michel Farina, also with his new car, was probably the fastest but lost his body during the round. In the second and third rounds, local driver Nicolas Rodriguez made the best time and finally got TQ. Yannick Aigoin finished 2nd overall and Michel Farina was 6th despite very bad luck. B French champion Romain Soret also qualified directly in semi-final.
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After some bad qualifying, Mehdy Annaby and Edouard Hugon (both new in Team XRAY) easily won their quarter and went up into the semi to make 5 XRAY cars in the top 20. Renaud Savoya won the first semi followed by Nicolas Rodriguez. Mehdy kept bumping up with a 4th place that put him in the main! In the second one, Yannick won after a great fight with Fabio Boero and Michel Farina.
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In the main final, Michel Farina and Yannick Aigoin were very fast. They kept the 2 first place for the first half of the race. Unfortunately, Michel who was in a perfect position to win had an engine cut on the triple jump and lost all chances. Yannick battled until the end with Renaud Savoya who would finally win a beautiful main final.
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For Team XRAY, it has been a great first experience with the new buggy that makes all the drivers very confident for this season.
Final results:
1. Renaud Savoya 2. Yannick Aigoin XRAY XB8 EC
3. Jerome Sartel 4. Michel Farina XRAY XB8 EC
5. Fabio Boero
6. Nicolas Rodriguez
7. Mikael Villa 8. Medhy Annaby XRAY XB8 EC
9. Jerome Couchon
10. Jerome Ezazien
