Home favourite Timo Habermann raced to the provisional number one qualifying position in Top Methanol at the first day of qualifying for the NitrOlympX, the third round  of the FIA European Drag Racing Championship at the Rico Anthes Quartermile of the HockenheimRing, Germany. In Pro Modified Stian Rusånes, from Norway, is the surprise leader after day one, as in Pro Stock Jimmy Ålund recorded the quickest ET in the only qualifying session that was completed.  

It was a difficult and long day of waiting for the drivers and teams of the FIA European Drag Racing Championship at the HockenheimRing. During the first round of qualifying for Top Methanol it started to rain. After a long break it was 7pm when the cars could finally come back to the Rico Anthes Quartermile to finish their first and only qualifying session of day one. When the qualifying session of Top Methanol, Pro Modified and Pro Stock was completed, it started to rain again and as a result Top Fuel was not able to complete their session. It will be an interesting second day of qualifying on Saturday with much room for improvements and many changes in the qualifying order.

In Top Methanol championship leader Timo Habermann stormed to a great 5.39 seconds to claim the provisional number one qualifying position, with A-Fuel Team Sweden driver Tony Bryntesson in second position with 5.46 seconds.

Jonny Lagg finished the first day of qualifying in third position with 5.58 seconds, with reigning champion Sandro Bellio fourth.

In Pro Modified Stian Rusånes is the surprise leader after day one. The driver from Norway recorded a great 5.82 seconds. Championship leader Andres Arnover was quick as well as the driver from Estonia recorded 5.88 seconds.

David Vegter was close behind with 5.89 seconds and his countryman Marck Harteveld fourth with 5.97 seconds.

In fifth position Kim Kristiansen is the first driver with a 6-second run (6.14 seconds). Reigning champion Jere Rantaniemi is only in seventh position and will definitely want to improve on his performance.

In Pro Stock it was once again Jimmy Ålund who claimed the provisional number one qualifying position with a great 6.66 seconds.

Reigning champion Robin Norén is in second position with 6.75 seconds, with Simon Ekengren, winner of the race in Tierp, third with 6.82 seconds.

Qualifying for the NitrOlympX, round three of the FIA European Drag Racing Championship, continues on the Saturday.

For all qualifying results:

https://www.tw-sportsoft.de/NitrolympX_2026_488942/TW_ON_Virtueller_Aushang.php

For the photo gallery: https://dragracingeurope.org/hockenheim

Text and photo: Remco Scheelings