Santa Pod, September 10, 2012 - MPM-driver Martijn de Haas couldn't repeat his upset win of the 2010 European Finals. Again De Haas advanced to the semi-finals of the Super Twin class, but engine damage in the quarter final was the reason the MPM-racer could not fight for the podium again in the semi-finals of the last race of the UEM European Championship at Santa Pod Raceway.
Problems already in qualifying for MPM-driver Martijn de Haas. After mechanical problems in the first round, De Haas had to skip the second round of qualifying of the European Finals at Santa Pod, the sixth and last round of the UEM European Championship. In the fourth and last round of qualifying, Saturday afternoon, De Haas's time was 7.69 seconds, far from the 7.0 seconds barrier the Dutch Super Twin racer wanted to break at Santa Pod. With 7.69 sec De Haas was in ninth spot, and as only eight could take part in eliminations, the Dutchman was out of competition. But as one of the other competitors suffered serious engine damage and could not take part in Sunday's eliminations, as the first alternate, the MPM-driver was back in competition.
In the quarter final De Haas Brothers got their second chance and there was a flashback to their race two years ago, when they won the European Finals by surprise. In that quarter final De Haas had to race Samu Kemppainen, the number two qualifier. At the startline the Fin got engine problems, had to stop and De Haas had a free ticket to the semi-finals. But after a serious bang and big flames the team knew they had a problem. Back in the pits it was clear, the engine damage was too big to be back for the semi-finals and De Haas had to withdraw from competition. The chance to surprise again was gone. With the semi-finals points De Haas ended the UEM European Super Twin Championship in eleventh position, despite they had to skip the first race of the season.
- Author
- Remco Scheelings
- Photographer
- Remco Scheelings
Dragracing FIA European Finals Haas Brothers Main event MPM Racing MPM Sports Santa Pod Super twin Top fuel bike
