FIM/IDM Sidecar: Ellis/Clément Secure Pole Position with Q1 Time

Persistent rain continued to make life difficult for the FIM/IDM sidecars on Saturday as well. In the second qualifying session, the sidecars battled not only for pole position but also against the standing water on the track.

As in the previous practice sessions, Todd Ellis and Emmanuelle Clément (Team Ellis/Clement/LCR Yamaha) dominated the second qualifying session, securing pole position at the Red Bull Ring. However, they were unable to improve their lap time in Q2. The rain made that impossible. “We could hardly see anything because of the spray, which meant we practically had to drive with the handbrake on.” The lap time of 1:56.770 minutes set in yesterday’s qualifying was enough to secure pole position.

The rest of the field was also unable to improve their times. Harry Payne and Kevin Rousseau (Steinhausen Racing/ARS Yamaha) hold the second starting position with a fastest lap time of 1:57.216 minutes. Pekka Päivärinta and Ilse de Haas (Team Bonovo Action Team/LCR Yamaha) are in third place, followed by Bennie Streuer and Kevin Kölsch (Streuer Racing/ARS Yamaha). World Championship leaders Ben and Tom Birchall (Wyckham Blackwell by Birchall) will start from seventh place.

The sprint race starts in the late afternoon at 4:45 p.m. IDM will broadcast the race live and free of charge at www.idm.de/live.

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Constant rain made life difficult for the FIM/IDM teams once again on Saturday. In the second qualifying session, the teams not only battled for pole position, but also had to contend with the large amounts of water on the track.

As in the previous practice sessions, Todd Ellis and Emmanuelle Clément (Team Ellis/Clement/LCR Yamaha) dominated the second qualifying session to secure pole position at the Red Bull Ring. However, they were unable to improve their lap time in Q2. The rain made it impossible. “We could hardly see anything because of the spray, which meant we practically had to drive with the handbrake on.” The lap time of 1:56.770 minutes achieved in yesterday’s qualifying session was enough to secure pole position.

The rest of the field was also unable to improve their times. Harry Payne and Kevin Rousseau (Steinhausen Racing/ARS Yamaha) secured the second grid position with a fastest lap of 1:57.216 minutes. Pekka Päivärinta and Ilse de Haas (Team Bonovo Action Team/LCR Yamaha) are in third, followed by Bennie Streuer and Kevin Kölsch (Streuer Racing/ARS Yamaha). World Championship leaders Ben and Tom Birchall (Wyckham Blackwell by Birchall) will start from seventh.

The sprint race starts in the late afternoon at 4:45 p.m. IDM will broadcast the race live and free of charge at www.idm.de/live.

World Championship/IDM Sidecar, Qualifying 2: