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Alvaro Fernandez reports EC 2023 Vila Real Portugal (04/08/2023)

By:: Reporter-2
Linked to:: Serpent Viper 990 4wd 1/8 GP

We arrived to this nice track on Sunday to be on the track on Monday morning for the first practice. During the practice days we tested some different things on our Serpent 990, thanks to the support of Michael Salven, Joaquin Desoto and the rest of pilots of the Team Serpent. The car was good on the last heats of practice and also the engines on point. So, we were ready for the qualification rounds.

Qualification started very good. On the first day we got two great qualys with a 7th and a 8th overall; so there was good points in the pocket for the next day!

On second day of qualifying we had another three runs. Our goal was to secure a place in the semifinals. In the 3rd round I made a small mistake in the large chicane and I lost 3 seconds who result in a 22nd place. The 4th round was really good and the result was an 11 overall so the semi was secured, and in the final round we tried to not to run safe in any moment and try to do our best taking risks but... I failed entering the straight loosing any possibility to get a better result and we sttoped. Final position in qualification was an 11th overall. Great result for us!

In the semifinal A we started with the number 5. The serie had big names at this level. All was more less good, only we loose some seconds in the last refueling at boxes, but everybody in our semi had a great pace and we finished in 5th position. With the results of the other Semifinal was not enough to be in the Main Final.

So, we had the Last Change of 15 minutes to try to be in the Main. We started 3rd with Collari and Ermen in front and... what a race! Lamberto had some problems in the beginning and I had I think a great and clean battle with John. I enjoyed a lot this Last Chance and I can say that for me this race was really amazing fighting so close with a big pilot, resulting so nice to see for the public I think. At the end we finished 1st and got the last place in the Main Final! Incredible for me! In the Main Final again of an European Championship! like the last year at Valencia!

Once there in the Main, what to say? Try to enjoy! Our pace was to be between 6-8 position. We decided two complete tyre changes as our S990 worked very good in the Last Chance with new tyres, but after the second tyre change with approx 12 minutes to the end the rear belt broken and we decided to stop and finished in 10 final place. For us, this is an amazing result for sure!

I want to say Many Thanks! to Michael Salven and Joaquin Desoto for all the help and support there at Portugal, all their work with the setup and also to the other Team Serpent drivers present there (everybody!) I think we worked all week as a great team, comparing setups, sharing information,and having nice moments all together! It was really nice!

Thanks!

Alvaro Fernández
Team Serpent