After the final non-qualifying practice sessions, Friday officially kicked off the 2025 IAME Winter Cup at Kartodromo Valencia with timed qualifying practice. Drivers had just a few laps to push to the limit, setting their fastest times to secure the best starting positions for the upcoming Qualifying Heats.
In X30 Senior timed qualifying, Thibaut Ramaekers (VDK Racing) set the fastest time, narrowly edging out Eloi González Moreno (Monlau Motorsport) and Andy Ratel (Pantano Racing Team). Zac Green (Jamie Green Racing) and Danny Carenini (Zanchi Motorsport) also topped their respective groups, setting the stage for fierce battles in the heats.
Top 5 Qualifying:
1. Thibaut Ramaekers (VDK Racing) – 55.410s
2. Eloi González Moreno (Monlau Motorsport) – 55.422s
3. Andy Ratel (Pantano Racing Team) – 55.481s
4. Zac Green (Jamie Green Racing) – 55.679s
5. Danny Carenini (Zanchi Motorsport) – 55.544s
In X30 Junior timed qualifying, Dan Allemann (Spirit-Karting.CH) topped the session with the fastest lap, ahead of Nilas Malik (Victorylane Karting) and Antoine Venant (VDK Racing). Hernán Rodríguez de la Fuen (JL López Lenzo) and Archie Owen (BMR) also showed strong pace, setting up an exciting battle for the heats.
Top 5 Qualifying:
1. Dan Allemann (Spirit-Karting.CH) – 56.629s
2. Nilas Malik (Victorylane Karting) – 56.730s
3. Antoine Venant (VDK Racing) – 56.903s
4. Hernán Rodríguez de la Fuen (JL López Lenzo) – 56.812s
5. Archie Owen (BMR) - 56.910s
In X30 Mini timed qualifying, Wynn Godschalk (Jamie Green Racing) set the fastest lap, narrowly beating teammate Charles Clough and Francisco Correia (Monlau Racing Team). Aurelio Longhitano (Spirit-Karting.CH) and Mattis Brageot (Spirit-Racing.CH) also impressed, making for a highly competitive grid heading into the heats.
Top 5 Qualifying:
1. Wynn Godschalk (Jamie Green Racing) – 1:03.550
2. Aurelio Longhitano (Spirit-Karting.CH) – 1:04.112
3. Charles Clough (Jamie Green Racing) – 1:03.563
4. Mattis Brageot (Spirit-Racing.CH) – 1:04.113
5. Francisco Correia (Monlau Racing Team) – 1:03.584
The day wrapped up with the first round of X30 Senior heats, where the battle for track position officially began. Cian Geraghty (Geraghty Motorsport) took the win in the opening heat, setting the pace early. In the second heat, Zac Green (Jamie Green Racing) followed closely. Finally, Thibaut Ramaekers (VDK Racing) won the last heat, signaling his intent for the rest of the weekend. With every overtake and defensive move shaping the path to Sunday's finals, the intensity is already building.
Day 2 will be all about the remaining qualifying heats, as drivers push to secure the best possible starting positions for the final phases. With razor-thin lap time gaps and strategic racing already unfolding, expect the competition to reach another level.