Mazda MX-5 Cup: Daan de Graaff takes first place this season

Daan de Graaff claimed first place in the BetCity Mazda MX-5 Cup in the first qualifying session of the season. The De Graaff family’s success was completed when his brother Timo finished second by just 0.04 seconds. Leon van Verseveld set the third fastest time, closely followed by Marcel Dekker and András Kiraly. With a difference of only 0.099 seconds between the top four drivers, it promises to be three exciting races again at Circuit Zandvoort.

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The BetCity Mazda MX-5 Cup promises to provide exciting racing, just like in previous seasons. The first qualification of the season could be a good indication of this. Sam Jongejan, the 2023 champion, has been promoted to the top brands trophy and so it will be interesting to see who will emerge as new contenders for the title.

In the first and second free practice, Jordy van der Eijk was on top of the time lists. In the first free practice, Daan de Graaff’s name took second place and his brother Timo took third place. In the second free practice Leon van Verseveld came second with Mazda veteran Marcel Dekker third.

At the sunny Zandvoort Circuit, the Mazdas take to the pit lane for their first qualifying of the season, which determines the grid for the weekend’s third race. For the first race, which will take place on Saturday afternoon, the top ten from qualifying will be changed to the first grid, while the starting order of race two is the result of the first race.

After warming up, Timo and Daan de Graaff lead, followed by Wouter Jansen and Van der Eijk. However, this does not last long as Van Verseveld and Dekker can be found in the first and second numbers. The De Graaff brothers help each other and go bumper-to-bumper to cross the track to reclaim two and three places behind Van Verseveld.

Delano De Ketele, who was also good on the field in free practice, moves up to fifth place. Van der Eijk, in his class in free practice, does not get more than sixth place, while Kiraly, who has returned to the Cup, takes seventh place. Up top, the De Graaffs are doing well again and, with Daan in number one and Timo in number two, they’re back in the pits soon after. Van Verseveld is third and Dekker fourth.

Kiraly moves up to fifth place, while De Ketele takes sixth place, while Van der Eijk has not yet reached more than seventh place.

With five minutes to go, the top six have reported to the field. It seems that the best tires are gone because this six no longer wants to go out. Van der Eijk is still trying hard to get rid of his seventh place, but this does not seem to have any effect.

This concludes the first qualifier of the season with the fastest time for Daan de Graaff, ahead of his brother Timo de Graaff.

Van Verseveld on third and Dekker fourth, while Kiraly completes the top five. De Ketele ends at six o’clock, while Van der Eijk remains stuck at seven o’clock. Matej Sikhart, Wouter Jansen and Filip Wojtowicz complete the top ten.

With only 0.099 seconds separating the top four drivers, it promises to be a great first race in the Mazda MX5 Cup.