The 1st round of the Portugal National Championship was held the first weekend of March on the Torres Vedras track. It was a highly anticipated race as all of the top racers were there(almost 70 drivers) and all wanted a spot at the podium for the beginning of the season.
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In the qualifying heats i was rolling very fast and consistent but a flame-out caused by a rock interrupted my run. The two next qualifying heats were much better but with a few mistakes here and there.
I was sent to the 1/4 final with in the number 1 position. During the 1/4 final I focused on consistent driving to ensure me a spot in the semi B.
During the semi, things got tougher, but at the track of Torres Vedras the most important thing is consistency. I ended in the 3rd position of the semi B, guaranteeing a spot at the final.
semi B:
1. Miguel Matias
2. Pedro Figueiredo 3. Ricardo Monteiro XRAY XB808
4. Tiago Parreira
5. Joseph Quagraine
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In the beginning of the final, unusually, I had a good start and I was in 4th place, just behind Matias, Rodrigo Luis and Carlos Duraes. By the time we were getting ready for the first fuel stop, I had already been able to overtake the pilots that were ahead of me and when I pulled in for fuel I was in the lead position.
From the first fuel stop until the end of the final it remained the same. I kept my 1st place being very consistent and one of the fastest ones on track.
The final ended with my very first victory in a national championship.
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Final results:
1. Ricardo Monteiro XRAY XB808
2. Tiago Parreira
3. Pedro Figueiredo
4. Joseph Quagraine
5. Jorge Augusto
With the strong success at this race, weâ™re looking forward to the rest of the championship series. Let´s see what the future will bring us.
