Ayhancan Makes Fast Start in V1 Challenge

The 2016 V1 Challenge season got under way on 21 August with round one at İzmir Ülkü Park Circuit. With 20 drivers on the grid for the opening race, the fierce competition gave the first signs of a hot season ahead.

Having warmed up in the practice laps, the drivers battled hard in qualifying to gain an advantage and set the fastest time. At the end of qualifying, Çaykur Rize Spor and Mevsim Baharat-backed Ayhancan Güven set the best time to take pole position, while title contender Burak Çukurova qualified second and Göksun Erkek earned a place on the grid in third.

In the first race of the day, Burak Çukurova moved into the lead at the start despite lining up second. The experienced driver held the lead for 12 laps and was the first to take the chequered flag. Behind Çukurova, who made a good start to the season, Ayhancan Güven finished second after dropping back to third at the start but then fighting his way up again, with Göksun Erkek third.

In the second race, in which, under the format, the top 12 points scorers from the first race started in reverse order, there was a storm of excitement. Starting from eleventh, Ayhancan Güven made a superb charge to take the lead on lap 8. After a tightly fought final four laps, Güven took the win, followed by Okan Tanrıverdi in second and Burak Çukurova in third.

Ayhancan Güven also won the junior class in both races, while local İzmir driver Adem Çetmen won both races in the Master class. The Volkicars' action-packed V1 Challenge, broadcast on TRT Spor, continues on 18 September with the Aydın City Race.