Chrome class battles intensified in Zolder, as Norbert Kiss secured another victory in Race 3, only to have the Hahn father-son effort end his season-long unbeaten streak, resulting in a historic father-son podium with Jochen and Lukas taking 1st and 2nd place
RACE 3
It was the Chrome class that had truck racing fans on the edge of their seat in Race 3, as Norbert Kiss added another win to his 2024 catalogue.
Sascha Lenz had his turn in taking the battle to Kiss off the line, but once again it was the Hungarian who came out on top. Lenz had looked settled in second until a late move from Jochen Hahn saw him dropped to the third step.
Outside of the top three, with the only swap being Hahn and Lenz, the rest of the Titan grid crossed the line as they started, with Antonio Albacete fourth, Steffi Halm fifth and André Kursim sixth
RACE 4
Another double podium for the Hahn duo, but this time Jochen Hahn was on the top step, Lukas second, as the Chrome drive became the stopper in the bottle to hold back a charging Norbert Kiss.
For the first time in 2024, Kiss did not take the top step of the podium falling at the last to take a hattrick of clean sweeps. Lukas Hahn lead the field off the grid from reverse pole, holding back the challenge of John Newell to secure the place off the start. With drama behind the leading duo, it had for a moment looked like the two Chrome drivers would disappear into the distance and both be in contention for the overall podium.
Once the jostling had settled down, the Titan drivers started making their way back up the field. Sascha Lenz got nudged in the opening stages, putting him on the back foot to chase down his fellow Titans for overall points.
The aid for the Hahns was Antonio Albacete, who managed to hold Kiss behind him for three laps.
This gave Jochen a head start in getting in front of Lukas and storming off down the track to build a lead. Lukas played the perfect support as he held the chasing duo back, letting Albacete and Kiss catch up to him but never pass.
Albacete finished fourth as Kiss finally got the pass on him, completing the overall podium.
Norbert Kiss dominates first day of racing at Zolder
The first day of racing at Circuit Zolder saw Norbert Kiss dominate both races, continuing his impressive form this season
RACE 1
It was another imposing lights-to-flag victory for the Hungarian champion Norbert Kiss, as lap one disasters struck Sascha Lenz, Clemens Hecker and Luke Garrett, causing them all to not finish the first race.
Antonio Albacete tried to get the jump on Kiss off the line, but as the Hungarian has proved throughout racing this year, he was ready for whatever the Spaniard tried, covering off the move and keeping the lead into turn one. From there Kiss methodically stretched out his lead, crossing the line with almost four seconds on second-placed Albacete.
It did look for a few laps that Jochen Hahn was going to demote Albacete from his starting position, but although he tried Albacete defended his position masterfully. Crossing the line 1.3 seconds apart, the top three crossed the line as they started.
Fourth place overall belonged to José Eduardo Rodrigues, who didn’t put a foot wrong in the 12 laps of racing to add another Chrome victory to his 2024 stat sheet. Defending from Steffi Halm off the line, the Portuguese driver had a quiet race to his class win as Halm became occupied with racing André Kursim for fifth.
RACE 2
It was another clinical delivery from Norbert Kiss, who took the lead of the second race at Circuit Zolder after three laps, pulling enough of a gap to retain the lead after a five second penalty.
Kiss was quick to start making his way through the field from eighth, manoeuvring to fifth by the end of the first lap. It was then he came up against Steffi Halm, who was determined to keep the reigning champion behind her.
Going for a bold move around the outside of Turn 5, Kiss didn’t quite complete the pass, ending up side-by-side with Halm as they entered the chicane. With no where to go, Kiss cut across the chicane, coming out of the corner ahead of Halm. The stewards deemed this to have been leaving the track and gaining an advantage, which earned him a five second penalty.
Kiss had already passed Steffen Faas and Lukas Hahn for the lead when the penalty was given, letting the Hungarian know that, so long as he pulled enough of a gap, the race win was his. There was nothing any of the chasing pack could do as he extended his lead to ten seconds, leaving no doubt who the winner was.
Lukas Hahn had been on to take second on the overall podium along with a class win until his father Jochen Hahn demoted him to third with one lap to go. The pair still shared the overall podium, either side of Kiss.