Smalley forced to fight back at Zuera after a difficult Pre-Final
Adam Smalley was forced to fight through from the back of the field, after an incident in the Pre-Final left him starting 28th on the grid. He managed to salvage decent points to provide damage limitation to his 2016 Junior Rotax Euro Challenge Campaign.
Fom the get go, it was tough going getting the kart dialled into the Spanish circuit, just being that crucial couple of tenths off the leading group in testing - before later going into timed qualifying.
Adam Smalley was the Coles Racing Team’s only representative in the Junior Max class with a difficult qualifying session seeing Smalley take 18th on the grid for the heats. Smalley made up decent ground in heat 1, taking 10 places to come home in 8th place.
Heats 2 and 3 unfortunately saw Smalley pick up penalties for front fairings along with a whole host of other drivers giving Smalley 17th on the grid for the Pre-Final.
Smalley quickly worked his way up the order to sit in 10th place by lap 5, but contact from another driver saw Smalley drop to the back of the field and finishing in 28th place.
Smalley had it all to do from the back of the grid in the final from 28th. A good opening lap saw Smalley make up 5 places to take up 23rd place as the field completed lap 1.
Smalley settled in and continued his progress through the field, picking off each competitor as he came across them to steadily move his way up the order. As the chequered flag waved, Smalley had taken half the field to finish in 14th and limit the damage caused from the Pre Final.
Qualifying: 18th
Heat One: 10th
Heat Two: 17th
Heat Three: 12th
Pre-Final: 28th
Final: 14th