Persaud and Hopkinson lead Guyanese qualifying in Panama

Guyana’s motor racing contingent sent a resounding statement across the asphalt on Saturday, producing a breathless qualifying display at the 2.5km Autódromo Panamá to seize control of the weekend’s narrative. Headlined by a late dash from Kevin Persaud and a benchmark outing from Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club (GMR&SC) Vice President Alain Hopkinson, the visiting squad systematically dismantled the local challenge in Capira to put themselves on the brink of a trophy haul. In the SB Pre-Expert 600cc division, Persaud delivered a textbook lesson in precision pacing. Saving his absolute best for last, the Guyanese rider lit up the sector times on his eighth and final flying lap, halting the clock at an uncatchable 1:10.061. Hitting a blistering top speed of 128.459 km/h, Persaud put a chasm of over 1.4 seconds between himself and the home favorites. Local contender Jorge Mendieta had to settle for second on the grid with a 1:11.538, while Mateo Castellano rounded out the top three back in 1:11.585. The Guyanese assault was equally emphatic on the SB Novato 600cc timing screens. GMR&SC Vice President Alain Hopkinson led by example, finding a rhythm early in his stint to record a dominant 1:11.757 on lap six of nine, topping the speed traps at 125.423 km/h. Behind session leader Cristian Henao (1:14.072), Guyana’s next generation carved out a dominant presence across the grid. Elwin Chase spearheaded the Novice podium charge, extracting a finest effort of 1:16.534 on lap five to secure second on the grid at 117.595 km/h. Chase was closely shadowed by team-mate Cristopher Brijmohan, who consolidated third spot with a 1:16.959 on his third tour (116.945 km/h). Completing an emphatically strong top-four lockout for the national squad, Jerry Da Silva posted a 1:18.099 on his seventh lap (115.238 km/h) to leave the local contingent with everything to do on Sunday. The Novice field will first battle over two 10-lap sprint contests, before the Pre-Expert machinery takes to the track for a pair of high-stakes, 12-lap feature races. FULL RESULTS: https://speedhive.mylaps.com/livetiming/89F222E669AC08E3-2147483966