What started out as one of the closest finals in memory, with Ronnefalk, Boots and Batlle leaving the pack – the trio deciding that the title was between them, racing hard, only mistakes separating them, deflated as Robert Batlle’s and David Ronnefalk’s throttle servos shut down on the same lap costing them both a shot at victory.
From Highs to lows:
An almost unthinkable dual failure 15 seconds apart, which will surely haunt the pairs’ servo sponsor – given the high profile nature of the event and drivers involved. One wonders whether it is recoverable.
First you must finish.
Whilst victory looked to have slipped through his grasp as Ronnefalk and Batlle were up the road with less than 10 mins remaining, Elliott kept his head down and would benefit as he suddenly was gifted the lead with a final pit stop remaining. His car stayed together, he wasn’t the fastest at that point in time after a couple of slow pitstops but nonetheless he now has two European Championships to his name.
Ronnefalk the protagonist
Early on in the final, Ronnefalk led out from pole (his 5th consecutive Euros Pole) with Boots following, Batlle in 3rd, the three Champions breaking away from the rest and establishing a serious cushion to Cragg in 4th. Boots shadowing Ronnefalk not letting him get away initially, before a 4 sec gap was established, it was clear through pitstops however that Batlle managed to catch up, Boots’ pitstops consistently considerably slower than his rivals strangely, yet Cradock’s apparent calming influence seemingly having an effect.
The first part of the final looked as if it would be a Boots/Ronnefalk affair until the end, the pair so closely matched, until Batlle came in the fray through fast pace and fast pitstops, Robert would lead the most laps in the final (20) through the middle part, just managing to hold off Ronnefalk time and time again, until a bad mistake as a result of the servo lagging – a precusor to disaster handed him a small gap, Batlle’s tyres in seemingly worse shape at that 35min mark than Ronnefalk’s who was able to close up. Still the 2x European Champion Batlle is one of the true ‘big race’ drivers up until that point hadn’t made a single mistake, although his one wish was to finish the final, after last year not even being able to start.
Lap 40
After such a display from the three frontrunners, it had come down to two, it looked like Robert might stuggle to catch Ronnefalk, however the Swede looking faster but more likely to make mistakes. First a mass intake of breath as Batlle’s car ground to a halt, disbelief amongst the racers avidly watching under the searing Spanish sun, suggestions that Batlle’s error a lap or two before where he felt the throttle servo acting up. Disbelief turned to bewilderment as Ronnefalk’s HB car then ground to a sorry halt just infront of the loop, unbelieveably the same problem afflicting them at the same time.
No doubt Boots will consider that fate shined on him today inheriting the lead with 10 laps to go, he proved that driver and equipment must work in perfect harmony when it comes to the big stages.
With the demise of the leaders, Yannick Aigoin would go on to take 2nd, racing his 20th Euros, a deserved result for the sport’s ambassador whilst Neil Cragg wraps up the last podium spot to which he was clearly delighted with. A strong result for Bloomfield in 4th on bald tyres by the end, and Euro B Champion Juan Carlos Canas finishing as top Spaniard.
We want to finally end with a huge thanks to the whole team at the Redovan club, the Baldo family who put on this brilliant Euros – we’re pretty certain they just raised the bar!