Double gold for Jimmy Ålund at Hockenheim

Jimmy Ålund enjoyed an ultra-successful FIA European Drag Racing Championship weekend at the Hockenheimring, clinching victories both in Pro Modified and Pro Stock categories. Anita Mäkelä and Timo Habermann were victorious in Top Fuel and Top Methanol respectively.

Mäkelä scores third win of the season

Anita Mäkelä was once again in a class of her own at Hockenheim, starting off with topping the timing screens in qualifying. She later defeated Jndia Erbacher in an all-female semi-final with a 3.92s run. On the other side of the ladder, the 21-year-old Maja Udtian managed to beat Urs Erbacher and team-mate Liam Jones on her way to what was the second all-female final of the season. Mäkelä covered the dragstrip in 3.99s, beating Udtian by 0.03, to claim her third win from four races held this season.

Two out of two for Ålund

As usual, the Pro Modified category was spectacular, exciting and included some major upsets. However, the two fastest qualifiers, Jan Ericsson and Jimmy Ålund, who impressed with both speed and consistency, advanced to the final. Ericsson, the current leader in the championship, defeated Marcus Hilt, Michel Tooren and then made it to the final when Michael Gullqvist jumped the start in the semi-final.

On the other side of the elimination ladder, Ålund was too quick for Ingo Ekert in the first round. Then, Peter Kunc committed a false start in the quarter-final. In the semi-final, Ålund was to face David Vegter but the Dutch racer suffered an engine failure in the quarter-final and his day ended prematurely as a result. In the final and it was Ericsson who jumped the start, handing the win to reigning Pro Modified champion Ålund.

There was more success for Ålund. The top Pro Stock qualifier defeated Simon Gustafsson in the first round and advanced to the final after a bye run in the semi-final. On the other side of the ladder, Robin Norén defeated Michael Malmgren in the first round and then had to face the reigning champion Bengt Ljungdahl in the semi-final. Ljungdahl, however, suffered a technical issue and was unable to start, handing the win to Norén. In the final, it was once again Ålund, the 10-time European Pro Stock champion, who claimed the victory in a 6.65s run. For Ålund it was his third Pro Stock win out of four races this season and, after Finland last year, the second time that he has won both categories.

Habermann victorious in all-German Top Methanol final

The Top Methanol category produced some major upsets in eliminations. Jonny Lagg, the top qualifier and second driver in the championship, was defeated on a holeshot by Jürgen Nagel, who then advanced to the final after a bye run in the semi-final. On the other side of the ladder, championship leader Sandro Bellio won his first round over Silvio Strauch, but was then defeated by Timo Habermann in the semi-final. In the all-German final, Nagel started too early, handing the win to Habermann.

The FIA EDRC now moves to the Tierp Arena in Sweden, where fifth round of the championship is taking place from August 22nd to 25th.