MUSCAT: Muscat-based seven-year-old ISG student, Shonal Kunimal continued his winning streak as he posted the eighth win of the season in the third round of the 2018-19 IAME X30 Series in the bambino class (5-8 years old) at Ras Al Khaima, RAK Track on November 23.
Having top spot in the first and second round of the IAME X30 series earlier months, and in the third Round also he bagged top spot, Shonal’s focus and hard work lead him to get hat-trick on top spot in Ras Al Khaima.
On the race day, Shonal’s kart’s engine got failed in the grid while trying to start for the first time-trial, unfortunately the engine failure didn’t allow him to race the first time trial. As per race system he will be placed the last position with the least point. This situation gave Shonal hard time to get the top spot or 90 per cent no chance to get top spot, according the race system.The race system is consisting of three trials and gathering points from each trails. So his engine failure, before the race start which drop him out of first trail by losing 20 points put him behind all other racers.
But his never give-up attitude made him to win the second and third time-trial with a difference of 1sec ahead than the other racers.
In the first time trial, Lennard Titica (Romanian racer) won with a lap time of 1m:08.387s and followed by Nicholas Stura (Italian racer) by 1m:09.342s in the Jais - Anti-Clockwise 1.069 km circuit. Shonal timed 1m:07.012s fastest lap record time in the second time trial followed by Lennard Titica (Romanian driver) second position with a time of 1m:07.565s.
In the third and final time-trail Shonal timed 1m:07.708s to claim the top spot. He was followed by Leonidas Peruzzi the (Greek racer) in a time of 1m:08.543s.
The winner’s announcement of Bambino IAME X30 series of third round was Shonal’s happiest moment ever in this season. Sanad Shannak (Birel Art Middleast team Manager) appreciated Shonal for his wonderful performance.
Shonal thanked WMS (Al Wahaibi Motor Sports) for supporting him at the championship and also his coach Sanad al Rawahi. Shonal’s next race will be the fourth round of the Rotax Max Challenge in mid-December.
As of now Shonal is leading with highest points in three championships in the current season 2018-2019.
If he maintains the form for the remaining three races for each championship in the same phase, he can be overall champion of each championship.
Shonal’s 3 championships status table:
(Championship, wins, number of races, total points)
IAME X30 Series, 3 first, 3, 430
DUBAI Bambino CUP, 2 first, 2, 100
Rotax Max Challenge, 2 first & 1 second, 3, 232
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