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O N L I N E
ZUERA AND SARNO THE EUROPEAN BATTLE STARTS WELL IN OK AND JUNIOR
K A R T I N G
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M A G A Z I N E
FRANCE Â RECORD ENTRIES IN NSK
WINS A ATT MONZA AN ICON OF THE FRENCH KARTING KAR KA RTING INDUSTRY
THE BIREL ART GROUP WINS THE TWO EUROPEAN TITLES IN KZ AND KZ2
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#60 SUMMARY 031 KSP GRAND 035 INTERVIEW
004 EDITORIAL 005 NEWS NSK - 12 spots to be won at the Rotax Grand Final
Kajus Siksnelis
New website for Apex Timing
Interview with Carlos Gil
SWS Final in Dubai: February 2021 Accidental death of young driver Konstantin Kapetanidis Angerville renamed “Circuit International Anthoine Hubert” Carbonnel: a Kartagene driver in the European KZ2 top 10 Anthoine Hubert: already one year ago
027 2020 CALENDAR
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NEWS NSK - 12 SPOTS TO BE WON AT THE ROTAX GRAND FINAL
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Zuera - FIA Karting - European Championship OK, OK-Junior An Australian conquering Europe Kerpen - Deutsche Kart Meisterschaft German Championship Genk - Rotax MAX Challenge Euro Trophy
Pierre Gasly wins the F1 Grand Prix of Monza
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KARTCOM NEWS #60
INTERNATIONAL ZUERA - FIA KARTING EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP OK, OK-JUNIOR
INTERNA ADRIA EUROPE
Adria - FIA Karting - European Championship KZ, KZ2 Adria - FIA Karting - Academy Trophy Sarno - FIA Karting - European Championship OK, OK-Junior Kerpen - Deutsche Kart Meisterschaft German Championship Genk - FIA Karting - European Championship KZ, KZ2
201 CARS Nogaro - FFSA Academy - French F4 Championship German F4 Championship starts with a podium for Victor Bernier
217 VIDÉO First event of the French Junior Championship at Anneville
149 NATIONAL
National Series Karting Angerville
Anneville - FFSA Academy - French Junior Championship
Tribute to Anthoine Hubert from F1
Angerville - National Series Karting
FIA Karting Sarno highlights
Salbris - FFSA Academy - French Junior Championship Salbris - FFSA Karting - French Endurance Championship
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ATIONAL - FIA KARTING EAN CHAMPIONSHIP KZ, KZ2
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INTERNATIONAL GENK - FIA KARTING EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP KZ, KZ2
INTERNATIONAL SARNO - FIA KARTING EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP OK, OK-JUNIOR
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EDITORIAL
THE 2020 SEASON IS BEING PLAYED OUT ON IN RELATION TO THE PANDEMIC
After a rather encouraging August in terms of entries at international and national competitions, September begins with a wake-up call. Indeed, the FIA Karting meeting at Genk saw a very significant decrease in attendance with only 12 KZ, 32 KZ2 and 26 Academy. Never seen before!
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KARTCOM NEWS #60 E
verybody was expecting a rebound of infections after the summer holidays. The number of cases has risen again in several European countries during this period of conviviality and relaxation, especially as testing is now much more widespread. Although motor sport has not let its guard down, it is suffering the consequences, especially in karting, where the calendar is very full. Everyone’s responsibility remains a determining factor for the community. Faced with the understandably increased vigilance of certain countries, infection control was reinforced at the request of the Belgian authorities for the Genk event of the European KZ and KZ2 Championships as well as the Academy Trophy. A recent negative PCR test was essential to enter the competition, which is still being held without an audience, and a mask must be worn at all times. The FIA has specified new rules along these lines, which will be generalised from the Wackersdorf
meeting onwards. Nothing wrong with the principle, it is a very good thing to ensure the viability of the races. On a practical level, it sometimes becomes complicated to go from one event to the next with a negative test within the time limit. With general demand rising sharply and infrastructures not keeping up with the pace everywhere, the delay can vary between 12 hours and five days at a cost of between €0 and €120, depending on the region, to obtain the results of a test that must be renewed for each race. It is not simple, but it is a necessary evil in the current situation. Aware of the problem, the CIK-FIA has also put in place a procedure to give the karting community the opportunity to be tested quickly and free of charge between Belgium and Germany, venue of the next European OK and Junior competition. The sharp drop in entries at the Genk event is not solely attributable to these
reinforced health checks. On the one hand, travel remains difficult from some parts of the world. On the other hand, the general situation is complex enough to explain why participants who can no longer win prefer to stay at home, instead of making a long trip with no hope of a rewarding result. Returning to the racing, the awarding of the European KZ and KZ2 titles gave rise to particularly intense and spectacular clashes in Belgium, while the first two events of the European OK and Junior Championships were particularly hotly contested, sometimes even with a little too much enthusiasm from some participants. It would also seem that various national competitions are enjoying success in this recovery period, despite the density of events on the calendar for this second part of the season. The next two months will undoubtedly be crucial for the short-term future of karting.
+ KARTCOM NEWS #60
Communication document Produced by the company KSP Reportages 79 avenue Victor Hugo, 94290 Villeneuve le Roi - France +33 1 46 82 60 12 +33 6 08 26 61 11 office@kartcom-news.com
PUBLICATION MANAGER
TRANSLATION
EDITORIAL MANAGER
ADMINISTRATION
ART DEPARTMENT
REPORTS & PRESS RELEASES
Philippe Kalmès Frédéric Billet Vitor Lopes
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Guillaume Veuve • Chris Walker • Philippe Kalmès • Vitor Lopes
Mary-Ann Horley Cristina Kalmès, Annie Dujols FFSA Press Department • FIA Karting • Kartcom • Renault Sport
PHOTOGRAPHY
FIA KARTING AWARDS
Vitor Lopes
STARS & AWARDS 2012
KSP Photo Agency ( Guillaume Veuve, KSP Agency chosen as FIA Karting Vitor Lopes & Philippe Kalmès ) • “BEST PHOTOGRAPH” in 2007 • DPPI • Renault Sport • Kart!im 2008 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2015 • 2017 • 2018 and 2019 VIDEO
CIRCULATION
Free - 33,000 copies of this digital magazine are distributed.
Departmental price ( 94 ) “Commercial dynamics” ( 94 )
A N Y T O T A L O R P A R T I A L R E P R O D U C T I O N I S S T R I C T LY F O R B I D D E N W I T H O U T P R I O R A U T H O R I S A T I O N F R O M K S P R E P O R T A G E S .
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Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet
NATIONAL SERIES KARTING
12 SPOTS AT THE ROTAX GRAND FINAL TO BE WON Join Team France and defend the tricolor at the biggest kart final in the world: the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals!
J
ust like the Olympic Games, only the best ROTAX drivers from each country are invited to participate in this global event.
Each invited driver receives a free new complete kart drawn at random (chassis and engine), all slick and rain tyres as well as fuel and oil for the entire meeting.
ROTAX also provides all the drivers with a trolley as well as all the necessary tools for the tuning and maintenance of the kart during the event.
12 RMC GRAND FINALS INVITATIONS ARE TO BE WON AT THE NSK 2020 CHAMPIONSHIP: CADET :
3 INVITATIONS* FOR THE 1ST, 2ND AND 3RD OF THE NSK CHAMPIONSHIP.
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NATIONALE :
3 INVITATIONS* FOR THE 1ST, 2ND AND 3RD OF THE NSK CHAMPIONSHIP.
MAX SENIOR :
2 INVITATIONS* FOR THE 1ST AND 2ND OF THE NSK CHAMPIONSHIP.
www.vegatyres.com
MAX MASTERS : 1 INVITATION* FOR THE 1ST NSK CHAMPIONSHIP.
DD2 :
2 INVITATIONS* FOR THE 1ST AND 2ND OF THE NSK CHAMPIONSHIP.
DD2 MASTERS :
Register for the NSK Championship to win your invitation by clicking here. Places are limited. * Subject to seat allocation by BRPRotax and to meet the age and licensing requirements of the RMCGF category in which the driver is invited.
Jori Delli - Ph: Sirio Serughetti - Art Direction: Guido Monfrini / Makelab.it - Styling, Make- up & Hairstyling by Ladydiabolika - Outfit by Folý Lingerie - Location: Cross+Studio (MI) - Riproduzione vietata - Imposta di pubblicità a cura di chi lo espone in pubblico - Backstage:
The 2020 RMC Grand Finals will take place at Portimão - Portugal - from Saturday 23rd to Saturday 30th January 2021.
www.vegatyres.com/video-backstage
1 INVITATION* FOR THE 1ST OF THE NSK CHAMPIONSHIP.
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Gennaio Febbraio Marzo Aprile Maggio Giugno Luglio Agosto Settembre Ottobre Novembre Dicembre
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NEWS
Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet Info FFSA Karting
NEW WEBSITE FOR
APEX TIMING WE ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE LAUNCH OF OUR NEW WEBSITE AT WWW.APEX-TIMING.COM ! Discover all the features included to manage any leisure venue and the additional modules dedicated to karting centres. You will be convinced by our flexible and easy to use software solution. Are you looking for a complete solution adapted to your activity? Without any doubt, we can meet your needs!
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KARTCOM NEWS #60
KARTING
2020
FFSA KARTING
GRAND PRIX
ENTRÉE
GRATUITE
CHAMPIONNAT DE FRANCE LONG CIRCUIT KZ2 – KZ2 MASTER – KZ2 GENTLEMAN (1/3) Refonte couleur logotype ITAKASHOP
www.actionkarting.fr
88 PANTONE 485C
Black
NEWS
Info KARTCOM - FrĂŠdĂŠric Billet
SWS FINALS IN DUBAI: SEE YOU IN FEBRUARY 2021 Due to worldwide travel restrictions related to Covid-19, the Dubai Kartdrome and the 3MK Events team have decided to postpone the SWS Finals originally scheduled for 22-24 October 2020 to February 2021, 25-27.
R
egistrations will be re-opened to be finalized from September 1st, 2020. Pilots/teams already qualified for 2020 by the 2019 ranking will get an automatic postponement to 2021. They will also receive a letter from 3MK Events in the next few days.
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NEWS
Info FIA Karting © Photo KSP - Philippe Kalmès
ACCIDENTAL DEATH OF YOUNG DRIVER
KONSTANTIN KAPETANIDIS Konstantin Kapetanidis, a 19-year-old German Driver, has been racing in International Competition in the KZ2 category since last year. He was entered in the 2020 FIA Karting European Championship – KZ2 and was due to take part in the first Competition on the Adria circuit with Michele Lenzo’s Novalux team at the wheel of a Lenzokart / TM Racing / Vega.
K 11
onstantin died in a motorcycle accident on Thursday 6th August 2020. Konstantin was very much appreciated in the karting Competition scene. Sincere condolences to his father, who accompanied him to all the races, his family and his loved ones.
KARTCOM NEWS #60
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NEWS
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KARTCOM NEWS #60
Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Vitor Lopes
ANGERVILLE RENAMED
CIRCUIT INTERNATIONAL
ANTHOINE HUBERT
T
he international circuit Gabriel Thirouin d’Angerville, previously named after its founder, is now named the Circuit International Anthoine Hubert. This makes sense given the long history that linked the young French driver, who died last year in an F2 accident, with the track and the Angerville club. During the NSK event, the photo of Anthoine now adorning the control tower was revealed at the same time as the name change on Sunday 23rd August during a sober and very moving ceremony. In the presence of Hubert’s family, many friends and supporters, Michel Guignard, President of CNK and Christian Genty, President of ASK Angerville, said a few words, also leaving room for meditation. Despite the sadness, Angerville has paid a beautiful tribute to one of its most feted drivers.
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NEWS
Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Philippe Kalmès
CARBONNEL A KARTAGENE DRIVER IN THE EUROPEAN KZ2 TOP 10
This year Arthur Carbonnel has an extensive international programme in KZ2 on a Sodi/TM from the CPB Sport team. He has just put in an extremely convincing performance at the opening of the European Championship at Adria. It is a pity that a penalty for excessive noise deprived him of a well-deserved 8th place on the Final finishing line.
A
rthur is one of the first to have benefited from the Kartagene Driver Programme. The Salbris association supported his debut in Cadet, then in National. It is always satisfying to see Kartagene-trained drivers achieve good performances internationally.
In Adria, Arthur found a good pace from Qualifying by achieving the 2nd fastest time of his group. Ranked 14th overall, he competed in solid heats to come back to 8th position, 1st out of the French. Combative and fast in the Final (4th fastest time), he fought long and hard for the top spots. He was 8th at the
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finish, but an astonishing penalty for exceeding the noise limit by one decibel unfortunately sent him back to 13th position. Nevertheless, he competed at the front of the class, which made Kartagene proud, as they always follow the racing from a distance.
Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet
RECOMMANDATIONS SANITAIRES RECOMMANDATIONS SANITAIRES SPORT AUTO & KARTING SPORT AUTO & KARTING
Dans le cadre de la pratique du sport automobile et du karting post état Dans le cadre de la pratique du sport automobile et du karting post état d’urgence sanitaire, il est préconisé le respect des gestes barrières suivants, d’urgence sanitaire, il est sanitaire préconisé le respect des gestes barrières suivants, qui complètent la doctrine définie par les autorités compétentes. qui complètent la doctrine sanitaire définie par les autorités compétentes.
POUR TOUTES LES ACTIVITÉS À PARTIR DU 20 JUILLET 2020 METTRE À DISPOSITION DU GEL HYDROALCOOLIQUE ET VEILLER AU PORT DU MASQUE
SENSIBILISER ET S’ENGAGER À NE PAS PARTICIPER AUX ACTIVITÉS EN CAS DE SYMPTÔMES
• Port du masque obligatoire en lieux clos & semi-clos (parcs, voie des stands...) • En extérieur, celui-ci est recommandé en fonction des mesures prises par les autorités locales.
Tels que fièvre, toux, fatigue inhabituelle, céphalées, et/ou si contacts récents avec une personne contaminée au Covid-19 (suspectée ou confirmée).
RAPPELER LES GESTES BARRIÈRES (ET LES APPLIQUER) • Par affichage ; • Par information préalable des consignes spécifiques (email, site internet, bulletin d’inscription).
PRÉSENCE SPECTATEURS • L’opportunité d’accueillir des spectateurs, ainsi que leur gestion est à définir avec les autorités locales compétentes.
PRIVILÉGIER ET ASSISTER AU BRIEFING DÉMATÉRIALISÉ OU EN EXTÉRIEUR Éventuellement par micro.
RESPECTER LA DISTANCIATION PHYSIQUE • Aménager les locaux, baliser par adhésif ; • Lorsque cela est impossible : prévoir des dispositifs de protections (plexiglas, visière, masque, gants, etc.) ; • Limiter les échanges de documents et les contacts lors des contrôles.
TRAITER DE MANIÈRE ADAPTÉE LES DÉCHETS SOUILLÉS
DÉSINFECTER RÉGULIÈREMENT LES POINTS DE CONTACTS SUSCEPTIBLES DE TRANSMETTRE LE VIRUS • Dans les locaux et dans les véhicules lorsqu’ils sont mis à disposition ; • Les équipements de protection individuelle (EPI) après chaque utilisation.
FILIÈRE COVID-19 HYGIÈNE & ÉQUIPEMENTS • Inciter à venir avec ses équipements personnels et dans la tenue adaptée ; › interdire les prêts et les échanges de matériel. • Maintenir l’accès à des toilettes avec point d’eau pour se laver les mains.
OUVERTURE DES RESTAURANTS ET DES LIEUX DE CONVIVIALITÉ Tout en respectant les normes nationales et locales.
Prévoir un local ou à défaut un véhicule, équipés de masques, gants, blouses, gel hydroalcoolique, permettant d’isoler un éventuel malade : • Exemple : en attente d’une évacuation décidée par le SAMU Centre 15 ou pour éventuellement procéder à un test (PCR).
GÉRER LES FLUX Limiter les effectifs au strict nécessaire (organisation, officiels, accompagnateurs...).
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NEWS
Info FIA Karting Š Photo KSP
ANTHOINE HUBERT A YEAR ALREADY
On 31st August 2019, Anthoine Hubert lost his life on the Spa Francorchamps circuit in a terrible accident at the wheel of his Formula 2. Since then, the hashtag #AH19 has constantly gathered tributes from all over the world with an unwavering fervour. The emotion of the sudden death of a promising 22 year old driver is still present in motor sport, and his loss has continued to deepen in all those who knew, rubbed shoulders with or simply crossed paths with him.
F
rom his first success in karting at the age of nine, Anthoine stood out from other hopefuls with his quietness, straightforwardness and the personal values passed on by his family. As calm as he was determined, he was able to attract the support of loyal partners as much through his driving talents as through his rare humanity. Anthoine Hubert is sorely missed in the world of karting and motor racing. The CIK-FIA joins in the tribute to be paid to him by the entire sporting community this weekend at the 2020 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, and bears witness to the emotions that are still strong for his parents, his brother and his relatives..
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NEWS
Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Philippe Kalmès
GASLY
WINS THE F1 GRAND PRIX OF MONZA Pierre Gasly has just taken a magnificent victory with his Honda-powered Alpha Tauri at the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Monza. A historic victory, as a Frenchman had not won a Grand Prix for nearly a quarter of a century after Olivier Panis won in Monaco in 1996.
A
few months after his first podium in Brazil, Pierre confirmed his rise to prominence with Red Bull’s second team. The only other victory for Toro Rosso (former name of Alpha Tauri) had been with Sebastian Vettel on the same circuit of Monza. Pierre Gasly is a pure product of the French karting and automotive industry. Trained at the FFSA Academy like Jean-Eric Vergne, Sébastien Bourdais, Franck Montagny, the late Anthoine Hubert and many others, he overcame many difficulties before reaching the top. His fighting spirit was forged at an early age in karting, where he was part of
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the FFSA 10-15 Programme before joining the FFSA Karting French Team as a prelude to his single-seater career. At Monza, Théo Pourchaire secured his first pole position in the FIA F3 Championship before slipping off the track. 9th on the grid, falling to 17th place at the start of the race, Théo then climbed back up to 3rd place. Although he is a rookie, he has seven podiums and two wins this season with the ART Grand Prix team and is 4th in the standings before the final race. In Formula Renault Eurocup, Victor Martins made sparks fly at the Nürburgring. He
started by taking his 12th and 13th pole positions of the season, a record, and scored two victories with the fastest lap in each race. With 10 wins to date, another record, Victor leads the provisional Eurocup standings.
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PIERRE GASLY
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THÉO POURCHAIRE
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VICTOR MARTINS
CALENDAR
2020 CALENDAR SEPTEMBER 13/09
Wackersdorf
European Championship
OK / OK-JUNIOR
13/09
Magny-Cours
Championnat de France
F4
13/09
Siena
Italian ACI Karting Championship
20/09
Castelletto
IAME – Euro Series
20/09
Lonato
WSK – Euro Series
20/09
Salbris
National Series Karting
27/09
Anneville
Championnat de France Endurance
ELITE / ESPOIR / CADET / MINIME
27/09
Haute
Saintonge Championnat de France
KZ2 (LONG CIRCUIT) / KZ2 GENTLEMAN (LONG CIRCUIT) / KZ2 MASTER (LONG CIRCUIT)
27/09
Wackersdorf
Deutsche Kart Meisterschaft
27/09
Zandvoort
Championnat de France
27/09
Adria
Italian ACI Karting Championship
27/09
Mariembourg
IAME – Series Benelux
27/09
Wackersdorf
DEKM
KZ125 / X30 / X30 JUNIOR / ROK SENIOR / ROK JUNIOR X30 JUNIOR / X30 MINI / X30 SENIOR 60 MINI / OK / OK-JUNIOR / KZ2 CADET / DD2 / DD2 MASTER / MINIME / NATIONALE / ROTAX MASTER / ROTAX MAX
KZ2 / OK / OK-JUNIOR F4 60 MINI / MINI / X30 / X30 JUNIOR / ROK SENIOR / ROK JUNIOR / KZ2
X30 MINI / X30 CADET / X30 JUNIOR / X30 SENIOR / X30 MASTER / X30 GENTLEMAN / X30 SUPER SHIFTER E-KART
OCTOBER
27
04/10
Lonato
World Karting Championship
04/10
Lonato
International Super Cup
04/10
Lonato
Academy Trophy
04/10
Septfontaines
Championnat de France
GENTLEMAN / HANDIKART / MASTER / SENIOR
04/10
Le Castellet
Championnat de France
F4
11/10
Laval
Championnat de France
KZ2 / KZ2 GENTLEMAN / KZ2 MASTER / FÉMININ / JUNIOR
11/10
Mariembourg
IAME – Euro Series
11/10
Ledenon
Championnat de France
17/10
Lonato
ROK CUP International Final
18/10
Ampfing
Deutsche Kart Meisterschaft
18/10
Spa (Auto)
Championnat de France
18/10
Ampfing
DEKM
25/10
Le Mans (Auto)
European Championship
KARTCOM NEWS #60
KZ KZ2 ACADEMY
X30 JUNIOR / X30 MINI / X30 SENIOR SUPERKART MINI ROK / JUNIOR ROK / SENIOR ROK / EXPERT ROK / SUPER ROK / SHIFTER ROK / EXPERT PLUS ROK KZ2 / OK / OK-JUNIOR F4 E-KART SUPERKART
25/10
Adria
Rotax Max Euro Trophy
ROTAX DD2 / ROTAX DD2 MASTER / ROTAX JUNIOR / ROTAX SENIOR
25/10
Aunay-les-Bois
Championnat de France
JUNIOR
25/10
Lonato
Trofeo delle Industrie
25/10
Castelletto
Italian ACI Karting Championship
60 MINI / OK-JUNIOR / KZ2 / X30 JUNIOR / X30 SENIOR 60 MINI / MINI / X30 / X30 JUNIOR / ROK SENIOR / ROK JUNIOR / KZ2
NOVEMBER 01/11
Saint Amand
Championnat de France
CADET / MINIME / NATIONALE
01/11
Ledenon
Championnat de France
KZ2 (LONG CIRCUIT) / KZ2 GENTLEMAN (LONG CIRCUIT) / KZ2 MASTER (LONG CIRCUIT)
01/11
Portimao
Champions of the Future
01/11
Ostricourt
IAME – Series Benelux
08/11
Portimao
World Karting Championship
08/11
Angerville
Championnat de France
ENDURANCE ELITE / ESPOIR / CADET / MINIME
08/11
Ledenon
Championnat de France
F4
15/11
Lonato
Trofeo Andrea Margutti
60 MINI / OK-JUNIOR / KZ2 / X30
15/11
Le Mans
Championnat de France
F4
22/11
Mariembourg
IAME – Series Benelux
X30 MINI / X30 CADET / X30 JUNIOR / X30 SENIOR / X30 MASTER / X30 GENTLEMAN / X30 SUPER SHIFTER
22/11
Lyon
Championnat de France
KZ2 (LONG CIRCUIT) / KZ2 MASTER (LONG CIRCUIT) / KZ2 GENTLEMAN (LONG CIRCUIT) / JUNIOR
29/11
Adria
WSK – Open Cup
29/11
Portimao
International IAME Games
60 MINI / KZ2 / OK / OK-JUNIOR X30 MINI / X30 CADET / X30 JUNIOR / X30 SENIOR / X30 MASTER / X30 GENTLEMAN / X30 SUPER SHIFTER OK / OK-JUNIOR
60 MINI / OK / OK-JUNIOR / KZ2 X30 MINI / X30 JUNIOR / X30 SENIOR / X30 PRO / X30 MASTER / KZ-I
DECEMBER 13/12
Sarno
Sarno WSK – Final Cup
13/12
Portimao
Rotax Max Challenge International Trophy
60 MINI / OK / OK-JUNIOR / KZ2 DD2 / DD2 MASTER / MICRO MAX / MINI MAX / ROTAX JUNIOR / ROTAX SENIOR
WWW.KARTCOM.COM 28
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NUMÉRIQUE ET GRATUITE, RETROUVEZ TOUS LES MOIS LA NOUVELLE REVUE SIGNÉE KSP REPORTAGES
NUMÉRIQUE ET GRATUITE, RETROUVEZ TOUS LES MOIS LA NOUVELLE REVUE SIGNÉE KSP REPORTAGES
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NEWS | KSP GRAND | REPORTAGES | INTERVIEW | INTERNATIONAL | NATIONAL | PRODUITS | AUTO | VIDÉO
NEWS | KSP GRAND | REPORTAGES | INTERVIEW | INTERNATIONAL | NATIONAL | PRODUITS | AUTO | VIDÉO
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K A R T I N G
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LA WSK SUPER MASTER
RESTONS VIGILANTS !
SARNO EN OUVERTURE DE LA WSK EURO SERIES
CHAMPIONS OF THE FUTURE EN ORBITE À ZUERA
ÉTOILE MONTANTE : ENTRETIEN EXCLUSIF AVEC JAMES WHARTON
O N L I N E
WINTER CUP ROTAX
K A R T I N G
ADRIA ET LONATO, EN PREMIÈRE LIGNE DE LA SAISON SPORTIVE
NOUVEAU
SITE INTERNET
M A G A Z I N E
57 INTERVIEW AVEC
ANTHONY ABBASSE
WWW.KARTCOM.COM
BAT DES RECORDS À LONATO
WINTER CUP
COVID-19
LE KARTING EN PAUSE POUR UNE DURÉE INDÉTERMINÉE 1
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RETOUR EN SCÈNE RÉUSSI POUR LA
REPORTS ET FERMETURES SE SUCCÈDENT À TRAVERS LE MONDE
REPRISE DE LA COMPÉTITION
DOUBLE MEETING WSK SUPER MASTER À ADRIA
K A R T I N G
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BIREL ART CONFIRME SA RÉPUTATION EN KZ2
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O N L I N E
K A R T I N G
M A G A Z I N E
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INTERVIEW
Info FIA Karting © Photo KSP - Philippe Kalmès
KAJUS SIKSNELIS
A SUCCESSFUL APPRENTICESHIP IN THE FIA KARTING ACADEMY TROPHY Now 15 years old, Kajus Siksnelis comes from Lithuania where basketball is much more popular than motorsport! So the young kart racer did not hesitate to travel across Europe to make progress and build his reputation. The revelation of the FIA Karting Academy Trophy in 2018, he continued in the Competition the following year to win the title. His rise to prominence was also confirmed by a particularly successful 2019 FIA Karting World Championship - Junior, as the Lithuanian took 3rd place on the podium in Finland. He has chosen OK for this season at the top level. Where did your interest in karting come from? - My father raced in karting several years ago, it was in Intercontinental A if I remember correctly. As for me, I started when I was eight years old. Unfortunately, karting is not yet well developed in Lithuania and we
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competed in a few races in Italy in the Mini category in 2015. In 2018 my career started to include another dimension, with regular participation in the major international Competitions in Europe. Alongside the OK-Junior category, I had the chance to represent Lithuania in the FIA Karting Academy Trophy.
What did this Trophy bring you? - I liked it very much, because you have to rely on yourself first and foremost. Everyone has the same equipment and starts the Competition on an equal footing with his or her opponents. It’s never easy, the slightest detail counts, in Free Practice, the Heats or in the Final! Only when everything is in place is it possible to aim for a good result. In 2018, I was already in the top 10 in my second race on the Lonato circuit. The following year, I had a better understanding of this unique environment and I managed to manage my season better. I found myself up against talented rivals such as Robert De Haan and Christian Ho, but I was able to win the title thanks to the two podiums I achieved in Sarno and Lonato.
What do you see as the main differences with OK-Junior? - In terms of equipment, it’s very similar. On the other hand, you learn to work in a team that supports you, encourages you and congratulates you when you get a good result. That was with the Ward Racing Team last season and this year with the Exprit Racing Team. They are very professional teams. Either way, it was a great opportunity to have been able to race in both OK-Junior and Academy.
Were you looking forward to resuming racing after the interruption due to the health crisis? - Of course. I took advantage of this period to do sports regularly, about three or four times a week. But nothing beats the adrenaline of karting. Especially since I moved up to OK in 2020. I need to drive and make progress. The engine is very powerful, the tyres have a lot of grip, so you need to learn how to use the equipment, to be confident and to find the right feeling. I hope to improve throughout the European season, to aim for the best possible result at the FIA Karting World Championship in Portimao in November. After that, I want to switch to single-seaters and go as far and as high as possible.
What was the influence of your coach, Simas Juodvirsis, who is also from Lithuania? - Simas has a very significant list of achievements, including a CIK-FIA KZ2 European Championship in 2012. He knows the environment perfectly and it is an advantage to speak the same language. It’s often useful for him to act as an intermediary with the team. He taught me a lot, he helped me understand the importance of the physical, mental and strategic aspects of racing.
And what is your favourite circuit? - I like Sarno very much, where I reached the podium in the FIA Karting Academy Trophy, as well as Alahärmä in Finland, where I finished P3 in the Final of the FIA Karting World Championship - Junior after starting 16th. The track is hilly, interesting and spectacular at the same time.
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Info FIA Karting © Photo KSP - Philippe Kalmès
INTERVIEW WITH
CARLOS GIL “I THINK A LOT OF DRIVERS WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO COMING BACK TO ZUERA.”
As the manager, along with his brother Narciso, of three circuits in Spain, Zuera, Vendrell and Tenerife, Carlos Gil has been involved in karting for 45 years! He returned to FIA Karting Competition with great pleasure, when the European Championship for the OK and OK-Junior categories restarted at the beginning of August. Can you remind us of your background? - I was karting for about ten years and I was Spanish Champion five times. At the international level, my best memory is still the CIK-FIA European Championship in ICA in Ugento, Italy in 1991, when I came back to 2nd position!
Today, your family business manages three circuits. Can you tell us about them? - The story goes back to 1975, when we created the Vendrell circuit in Catalonia. With the success of this venture, we had the opportunity to launch another complex on the island of Tenerife in 1988. As for Zuera, the track already
existed when we bought it and we developed it. Today I spend most of my time in Vendrell, but I frequently have to visit the other two tracks.
Do you have any new projects? - The current economic situation is not the best compared to what we have experienced in recent years. In this context, our priority objective is to secure the financial equilibrium of our three circuits, while at the same time looking for new ideas for further expansion in spite of the current crisis.
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For new projects, we remain attentive, but I think it is better to wait! As far as the Zuera circuit and the FIA Karting Competitions are concerned, we will host a European Championship again in 2021, so why not another World Championship afterwards?
Why did it take four years to return to FIA Karting Competition? - We restructured at group level to develop the activity of our circuits which took some effort for us. My son Carlos has just finished his education at university and he is going to work full time with my brother Narciso and I. Now we have more time, so we have asked the Spanish Federation, the FIA and the promoter RGMMC to organise another big international Competition in Zuera.
This was your first experience with RGMMC in FIA Karting. Are you satisfied with the way the Competition went? - Yes, I am very satisfied. We have an excellent relationship with James Geidel, the person in charge of RGMMC. I knew him when he was a young boy when he was racing in karting. From that time on, I had the opportunity to bond with his family. Later, we worked together very often during many Competitions. He is an excellent promoter. We have often been able to see this, as he also manages the Spanish Championship in conjunction with our federation.
It’s often spectacular at Zuera, so you must be pleased... - Yeah, I think the track still offers a lot to see. There are several places to overtake and it suits all categories perfectly. On the one hand, the track is fast, but the corners are also very interesting. The drivers are happy to come here. In these conditions, it is a pity that the coronavirus crisis has disrupted this great Competition: a few more than 50 drivers were not able to go to Spain and we were not able to host the public, while being forced to limit the people accompanying the competitors.
Do you have any special memories of the Competitions held here? - On the one hand, the CIK-FIA has often trusted us to organise World and European Championships, which we are very proud of. On the other hand, the suspense often lasts until the last lap of the Final. We all had a lot of excitement. From a more personal point of view, I obviously keep an image in my head, of my son Carlos’ 2nd place in the CIK-FIA European KF2 Championship in 2011, three years before his victory at the Rotax Grand Final in Valencia. Albert, my other son, has also distinguished himself many times in Zuera. In addition, I had the pleasure of seeing him on the podium of the Champions Cup, a Race in Vendrell.
Weren’t you surprised to see the age and size of some of the drivers in OK-Junior? - It is quite impressive to see such young drivers in an FIA European
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Karting Championship. The evolution of karting is like that. They have trained a lot to get to this level and at each Race they show that they are capable of handling this situation. It’s while walking around the paddock that you realise that drivers change quickly from year to year, sometimes it’s hard to get to know them. On the other hand, I’m more used to being with the team managers I’ve known for a long time and I still enjoy talking to them.
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INTERNATIONAL
THE EUROPEAN CO FINALLY STA 41
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OMPETITION ARTS
FIA Kart. EUROPEAN CHAMP. OK & Junior 1/3 - Zuera
KEY POINTS Organiser
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FIA Karting
Promoter
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RGMMC
Location
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Circuito Internacional de Zuera, Espagne – 1699 m
Date 31 juillet – 2 août 2020
Entries 130 pilotes – 2 catégories First FIA Karting event of the year • Serious respect of infection-control rules • Good participation for the recovery • LeCont Tyres • Very lively races • Nice warm weather
Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Vitor Lopes & Philippe Kalmès
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OK-JUNIOR
TAPONEN, THE EARLY LEADER
V
alerio Rinicella (Parolin/TM) stood out by setting the fastest lap times ahead of Brando Badoer (KR/ Iame) and Igor Cepil (KR/Iame). Badoer retained his 2nd place after the heats ahead of Rinicella, but Arvid Lindblad (KR/Iame) took the lead. Lindblad, Rinicella and Badoer took turns leading the Final until Tuukka Taponen (Tony Kart/Vortex) moved up from 11th position to dominate the Final and win. Starting in 13th place, Ugo Ugochukwu (KR/Iame) was 2nd in front of Badoer while Alex Powell (KR/Iame) was ahead of Lindblad in the top five. After a good meeting, Evan Giltaire (Sodi/TM) finished 9th, Arthur Rogeon (Exprit/Vortex) 22nd and Augustin Bernier (KR/ Iame) 23rd with a gain of 13 places.
Provisional ranking of the FIA Karting European Championship - Junior after Zuera :
1
1
2 33 44 55 2
43
Tuukka Taponen (FIN)
27 points
Brando Badoer (ITA)
25 points
Arvid Lindblad (GBR)
21 points
Ugo Ugochukwu (USA)
20 points
Alex Powell (JAM)
19 points
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OK
ANTONELLI AGAINST BARNARD
T
aylor Barnard (KR/Iame) was on pole position in front of Norton Andreasson (Tony Kart/Vortex) and Andrea Kimi Antonelli (KR/Iame). Barnard remained the leader in the heats, followed by Hannes Janker (KR/ Iame) and Nikita Bedrin (Tony Kart/Vortex). The Russian took the lead in the Final until Antonelli surpassed him on lap 5. Barnard came back to 2nd place, but the order no longer changed in the top three despite the small gaps, and Antonelli took a nice victory. Joe Turney (Tony Kart/Vortex) regained eight places by finishing 4th in front of Laurens van Hoepen (Birel ART/TM). Qualified 17th, Marcus Amand (KR/Iame) retired in a tangle after only two laps.
Provisional standings of the FIA Karting European Championship - OK after Zuera :
1
1
2 33 44 55 2
Kimi Antonelli (ITA)
32 points
Taylor Barnard (GBR)
30 points
Nikita Bedrin (RUS)
24 points
Hannes Janker (DEU)
18 points
Laurens Van Hoepen (NLD)
17 points
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Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Philippe Kalmès
TOUGH EUROPEAN COMPETITION IN THE OVERHEATED ZUERA DESERT
At the Zuera circuit, the first meeting of the European Championship did not bring the results expected by the RFM team, following the performances two weeks earlier at the same track in the Champions of the Future series. While Gravlund made good progress in OK, Ten Brinke had to retire in the Final, as did Irfan in Junior. Slater’s 12th position in OK-Junior reflects only a small part of the team’s potential, which was demonstrated by impressive recoveries during the heats.
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I
n the hot Zuera conditions, the RFM drivers progres was complicated from the start by disappointing performances in Timed Practice. The Qualifying sessions were not at all favourable to them on the very fast Spanish circuit. As a direct consequence, they had to fight in the middle of the pack during the Qualifying Heats, an exercise that involved undeniable risks. Most of the Juniors succeeded in this complex phase by making breathtaking comebacks. With a win and a fastest lap in the race, Dion Gowda regained 14 places to 8th in the heats. Freddie Slater valiantly climbed to 12th place, a remarkable 23-place gain. Coskun Irfan started in 50th position and qualified in 29th
position (+21 pl). Edgar Anpilogov moved up 13 positions, but it was not enough to put him among the finalists. A newcomer to the team on this occasion, the Spaniard Lucas Fluxa Cross could not qualify for the Final either.
he had to give up the fight with four laps to go. After his disappointment in the Champions of the Future series, Sebastian Gravlund did everything he could to finish the Final and reached his goal in 22nd position.
Irfan was eliminated from the Final on the first lap, while Gowda fell to 28th. The Singapore driver gave his all to get back on race and finally finished 16th, while Slater fought in the top half of the field, posted the third fastest time of the race and finished 12th.
The FIA European Karting Championship will continue in Sarno from 21st to 23rd August and the British team will have a thirst for revenge.
In OK, Thomas Ten Brinke began to climb back up the standings during the heats, achieving three top-five finishes. He gained a total of 12 places and started from 11th in the Final. Unfortunately,
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Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Philippe Kalmès
BIREL ART
IN AT THE DEEP END OF THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP The eagerly awaited FIA Karting Championships kicked off in Spain on the international circuit of Zuera with the OK and OK-Junior categories. The Birel ART Racing team had prepared perfectly for this important competition and the chassis performance was one of the constants of this meeting, which put the competitors to the test due to high air temperatures. At the end of a hard-fought race, the top 10 was in reach in the two Finals on Sunday afternoon.
I
n Aragon, Birel ART Racing fielded a strong team of nine drivers. “In the particular infection control situation we are experiencing at the moment, several of our drivers were not able to make the trip to Spain, which was a disappointment for the whole team,” admitted team manager Luca Filini. “Despite everything, our objectives were high in Zuera and the technical staff worked tirelessly to enable everyone to take on this event in the best possible conditions.”
MAYA WEUG AT THE TOP ON SPANISH SOIL In OK, Ireland’s Alexander Dunne was particularly brilliant throughout the qualifiers. Ranked 8th in the
heats after a clear run, he had the unpleasant surprise of getting caught up in an incident in the Final. The team’s best result in this category went to Maya Weug, who was particularly prominent at Zuera. The Spaniard, who wears the colours of the Richard Mille Young Talent Academy, confirmed the performances recorded during the previous preparation events. Fast from the very first laps of the Final, she managed to climb from 15th to 9th place! As for the British driver Clayton Ravenscroft, the Finn Nikolas Pirttilahti and the Thai Thanapongpan Sutumno, they had to deal with a complicated Qualifying session, which did not allow them to show their full potential. However, Pirttilahti finished with a remarkable Final by moving up from 29th to 13th place!
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KUCHARCZYK IN THE LEADING PACK RK, one of the brands of the Birel ART Group, was represented in Spain by Tymoteusz Kucharczyk. The young Pole made magnificent progress in the heats, with 6th, 4th, 2nd, 8th and 3rd places. Alas, a penalty for an unhooked spoiler forced him to settle for 11th position on the Final grid. Determined to keep up the momentum, Kucharczyk came back to 7th place, while still being among the fastest in the Final. The Italian Cristian Bertuca was full of hope after his perfect Qualifying performance. While he was on his way to score his first points in the European Championship, he fell back to 19th in the Final following a spoiler penalty. His Czech team-mate Adam Kowalskia gained further experience in this top-level competition. “The Final result doesn’t really reflect the performance of the equipment, which was very efficient on this fast circuit and in the extreme heat of Spain,” analysed Luca Filini. “The Birel ART Racing team would like to thank its partner TM Racing and congratulate the Charles Leclerc by Lennox Racing team. The team was able to demonstrate the efficiency of the Birel ART chassis. In OK, Laurens Van Hoepen and Oliver Gray had a great race to cross the finish line neck and neck in 5th and 6th positions. By putting four drivers on Birel ART equipment in the top 13 in the premier class, we once again demonstrate the quality and performance of our equipment.”
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Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Philippe Kalmès
LECONT
THE QUALITY AND EFFICIENCY OF LECONT TYRES CONFIRMED IN SPAIN As a long-time partner of FIA Karting, LeCont made a major contribution to the success of the first of the three events of the OK and OK-Junior European Championships. The Italian brand had the difficult task of supplying the tyres for these two very demanding categories, with two types of rubber: “Prime” and “Option”. At Zuera in Spain, the intensity of the races and the satisfaction of drivers and teams alike once again highlighted the LeCont products.
T
he FIA Karting Championships started in a special infectioncontrol situation. When the first event in Zuera concluded, all the participants were in agreement about the success of the international competition. It was a great show, thanks to the uniquely long and fast Spanish track, which offers multiple overtaking opportunities and incessant sporting challenge!
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CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY “This winter, when we heard the results of the tenders, we were very pleased to see that the FIA Karting had reiterated its confidence in us by entrusting us with the supply of the two European Championships for OK and Junior, which
was a first for our brand,” said Paolo Bombara, Marketing Manager at LeCont. “But since then, the Coronavirus has been around. Production stopped for several weeks and we had to completely revise our planning and logistics. Nevertheless, we managed to cope with this difficult situation.” All in all, the feedback from drivers and teams was excellent, both at the opening of the WSK Euro Series in Sarno and the two successive events in Zuera, in the Champions of the Future series and at the OK and OK-Junior European Championships. “In both Italy and Spain, our tyres were put to the test: intense heat with asphalt temperatures in excess of 50°C, fast corners, powerful braking and a large number of races. In the end, there were no problems that disrupted the racing, which was our priority.”
ENSURING SPORTING FAIRNESS Of course, responding to a call for tenders is always significant, and it is true that, about eight months ago, no one imagined that they would be living through the current crisis, with all the economic difficulties that have resulted: event cancellations, a drop in the number of entrants due to the difficulties of moving from one country to another, or even savings sometimes made by certain teams in terms of the volume
of tyre purchases in order to reduce costs. In this difficult context, LeCont was keen to stay the course and continue to offer the best possible service to competitors competing in the various karting events in 2020. “The most important thing is that the competitions have restarted and the karting world has pulled together so that almost all the races scheduled for this season can take place, in strict compliance with health regulations of course. I would like to take this opportunity to remind you
that the new regulations put in place at the end of the 2019 season are completely satisfactory. From now on, the finalists will all be starting with a new set of tyres in the Final, which guarantees greater fairness both in this important race and in the closing heats. I also note that the lower tyre consumption demonstrates the quality of our production, proof of the efficiency of our products in terms of performance and longevity.�
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ANTONELLI AND TAPONEN WIN! No less than 15 Qualifying Heats were scheduled in OK-Junior, before the 25 km Final, while OK had 10 heats and a 30 km Final. In both cases, the LeCont “Option” and “Prime” tyres performed perfectly on the demanding Zuera track. In the younger category, Tuukka Taponen won by a distance, while Ugo Ugochukwu narrowly overtook Brando Badoer for 2nd place. In OK, Kimi Antonelli spared no effort to win the Final in front of Taylor Barnard and Nikita Bedrin. Each time, during the Finals, the drivers managed to improve on the times set 15 days earlier in the Champions of Future series. Ugo Ugochukwu averaged 1’01”820 in OK-Junior, while Kimi Antonelli was timed at 1’00”082! And when the mercury reached 42.4° C in the shade on Friday, Taylor Barnard achieved pole position in under a minute, with 59”939, an average speed of over 102 km/h! Recognised for its high-tech and innovative products, omnipresent at the international and national level, more than ever LeCont wishes to continue its investment in karting and ensure the satisfaction of its competitors.
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THE ABSOLUTE WEAPON... #KSPREPORTAGES #SONYALPHA9 #SONY400MMF28
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Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Philippe Kalmès
PAROLIN
POLE POSITION AND TOP SIX IN OK-JUNIOR IN THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP WITH RINICELLA 57
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Parolin Racing Kart caused a sensation in Zuera with the remarkable competitiveness of its official karts. Rinicella’s pole position in OK-Junior was like a thunderbolt in the Aragonese desert, and the rest of the competition confirmed the Italian brand’s leading potential. The many ups and downs of a very eventful competition then turned the tables, but Rinicella finished 6th in the Final, while Morgatto and Sääskilahti deserved to be congratulated for their formidable comeback in the OK heats.
“W
e have a lot to be happy about at the start of the European Championship,” said Marco Parolin. “It was a tough competition and there was no shortage of disappointments in the on-track clashes. However, Rinicella’s rise to prominence is a sure sign. He confirmed that his pole position was not due to luck by staying in the top three in the Junior heats. Trentino confirmed our excellent competitiveness with a solid run in the category. In OK, our drivers were not able to confirm in Qualifying the performances they were capable of during Free Practice. Despite this unfavourable starting situation, the fact that Morgatto and
Sääskilahti were able to gain more than 20 places each and qualify for the Final is a very good thing for the team. Our objective is to learn from this event and to approach the Sarno meeting with greater ambitions.”
THE REVELATION OF RINICELLA IN OK-JUNIOR The young Italian driver had already made a name for himself in Champions of the Future, but he took another step forward during the first round of the European Junior Championship. Thanks
to good management of the Qualifying session, he was able to show the speed of his Parolin-TM Racing kart by taking pole position with a lead of a tenth. He followed up with four good heats, two wins and two 2nd places. He crashed to 15th at the beginning of his last heat, but managed to regain eight places in four laps. The battle was fierce during the 15 laps of the feature race. Rinicella fought first in the top three, led the race for three laps before conceding a little bit of ground afterwards. His 6th position at the finish and in the provisional standings gives him great opportunities for the rest of the season. Also fast during Qualifying, Giovanni Trentin has also made good progress since Champions of the Future. After consistent heats, he crossed the finish line in 13th place before dropping four places after a penalty for leaving the lane at the start. Maxwell Dodds was well on his way up from his modest 36th Qualifying position, but had to interrupt his run after the fourth heat. Chilean Nicolas Ambiado was discovering the Junior category after a few European races in 60 Mini in previous years and was completing a strong apprenticeship at European level.
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WHARTON OUT, MORGATTO AND SÄÄSKILAHTI TAKE OVER James Wharton’s 17th fastest time in Qualifying gave the Australian hope of a comeback during the heats. Unfortunately, two unfavourable results out of four races prevented him from reaching the Final. Hugo Sasse also narrowly missed out on the Final, which was decided by an unhooked spoiler penalty. Matheus Morgatto’s chances looked slim with his 42nd position in Qualifying. However, the Brazilian perfectly exploited the potential of his machine to regain 22 places during the extremely competitive heats and reached 21st place in the Final with a great fighting spirit. The Finnish driver Henri Sääskilahti had a similar scenario, as he brilliantly negotiated his heats in the second half of the field and climbed from 56th to 32nd position in this difficult exercise. Unfortunately, he was forced to retire in the Final.
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Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Philippe Kalmès
JAMES WHARTON AN AUSTRALIAN CONQUERING EUROPE
A brilliant Australian driver, James Wharton is competing in his first season in the international OK category in 2020 at the age of 14. He has been a member of the official team of the Parolin Racing Kart factory since last year. His experience of this top category was interrupted for four months due to coronavirus.
K
nown for his speed and fighting spirit on the track, he quickly regained his bearings as soon as racing resumed at the beginning of July. Although his results so far have been affected by various problems, often of a technical nature,
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he has nevertheless achieved extremely convincing performances. Courageous and hard-working, he is motivated by a strong ambition to be among the best in international karting.
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PERFORMANCE AND REGRETS IN ZUERA Somewhat unsuccessful since the resumption of competition at the beginning of July with the WSK and Champions of the Future series, James Wharton was hoping to take his revenge at Zuera in the first of the three events of the 2021 FIA Karting European Championship. In the scorching heat of northern Spain, the Australian managed his Qualifying session well, finishing 17th out of a total of 66 drivers. In the first heat, after a perfect start, James Wharton managed to take the lead of a very lively field, but an incident led to his retirement with two laps to go. Forced to minimise risk taking after this mishap, he secured 8th place in the next heat, before falling into a pile-up at the start of the next race. And despite a superb 5th place in his last heat, he just missed out on the Final, with many regrets. “You have to put the disappointment behind you and look to the future,” said James. “In the meantime, I’d like to thank Bell Racing for the delivery of my new helmet and Lucky Design for the beautiful design.”
ABOUT JAMES WHARTON James Wharton is a 14-year-old Australian kart driver currently competing internationally in his first season in the premier class, OK, with the official Parolin Racing Kart factory team. James started racing karting in Australia at the age of seven. He then shone in the most important single-brand world challenges before making his debut in FIA Karting competition. 13th in the World Junior Championship in his first season in 2018, he also won the KA 100 Junior class in Las Vegas at the SKUSA SuperNationals. In 2019, in his first full season in OK-Junior, he achieved top results: 9th in the European Championship, 4th in the Italian Championship and 2nd in the legendary Winter Cup in Lonato. Despite an injury, he was fighting for victory in 2nd place in the World Championship when he was stopped by a mechanical problem. He was again victorious at the SKUSA SuperNationals in Las Vegas in the X30-Junior category. An official Parolin Racing Kart driver, James is involved in the development and tuning of the equipment thanks to a very good rapport with Albino and Marco Parolin. His discovery of OK, the top category in karting, was interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. He restarted competition in July 2020 with the aim of making it into the international top five. James Wharton plans to continue his career as a single-seater driver with a first step into F4 as soon as he reaches the required age.
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HEATED BATTL THE DKM KIC
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LES FOR CK-OFF
DKM 2020 1/4 – Kerpen
KEY POINTS Organiser
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DMSB
Location
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Erftlandring, Kerpen, Germany - 1107 m
Date 7th to 9th August, 2020
Entries 110 drivers - 4 categories
Return of DKM • Advanced infectioncontrol protocol • New remote control system • Satisfactory entries • Intense races and twists • Very high temperatures • Slight rain on Sunday • Vega tyres for all
Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo LRN - Loredana Ivancov
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OK-JUNIOR
DOUBLE FOR HAANEN
G
ermany’s Herolind Nuredini (Tony Kart/Vortex) was the fastest of the 37 OK-Junior drivers in the Timed Practice and won his two heats ahead of Dutchman Kris Haanen (Tony Kart/TM) and Austrian Kiano Blum (KR/Iame). Haanen won both Sunday’s races against Nuredini and Britain’s Daniel Guinchard (Tony Kart/TM). The Dane Mathias Bjerre Jakobsen (Tony Kart/Vortex) finished 4th in Race 1 in front of Blum who took back the 4th position in Race 2, followed by the Belgian Tom Braeken (KR/TM).
DJKM Championship standings after two of the eight races:
1
1
2 33 44 55 2
67
Kris Haanen
65 points
Herolind Nuredini
60 points
Daniel Guinchard
38 points
Kiano Blum
34 points
Tom Braeken
28 points
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OK
DOUBLE WIN FOR HAVERKORT
G
ermany’s Moritz Wiskirchen (KR/Iame) created a surprise by taking pole position at home among the 26 participants and staying in the lead after the heats. But last year’s Junior Champion Kas Haverkort (Tony Kart/TM) from the Netherlands found a way to steal the victory from him at the end of Race 1, while Germany’s Daniel Gregor (Kosmic/Vortex) finished 3rd. Haverkort then controlled his opponents in Race 2 as mechanical problems cleared the field. Finland’s Juho Valtanen (KR/Iame) and Germany’s Ben Dörr (KR/Iame) fought their way back into the top 3 after their problems on Saturday. Gregor and Britain’s Luca Griggs (Tony Kart/TM) rounded out the top five.
DKM Championship standings after 2 of the 8 races:
1
1
2 33 44 55 2
Kas Haverkort
55 points
Moritz Wiskirchen
40 points
Daniel Gregor
36 points
Juho Valtanen
27 points
Luca Griggs
27 points
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OK DSKM
VICTORY OF EXPERIENCE WITH FEDERER AND PEX
T
hirteen drivers took the start in KZ2 and the Italian Fabian Federer (Maranello/TM) was the fastest in Qualifying. However, he was losing places in the heats and it was Dutchman Jorrit Pex (KR/ TM) who took the lead and won Race 1. Switzerland’s Jean Luyet (CRG/TM) took 2nd place ahead of Germany’s Valentino Fritsch (Birel ART/TM). In the second race, Federer, who had to give up in Race 1, quickly came back to the front to take the victory. After Stan Pex (KR/ TM) retired, his brother Jorrit took 2nd place, while German Alexander Schmitz (Birel ART/TM) was 3rd after his retirement in Race 1.
DSKM Championship standings after 2 of the 8 races:
1
1
2 33 44 55 2
71
Jorrit Pex
63 points
Jean Luyet
43 points
Fabian Federer
42 points
Valentino Fritsch
35 points
Alexander Schmitz
32 points
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LONG-AWAITED O THE ROTAX EURO TR
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OPENING OF ROPHY AT GENK
Rotax Max Challenge Euro Trophy 1/4, Genk
KEY POINTS Organiser
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Camp Company
Location
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Circuit Horensbergdam, Genk, Belgium - 1360 m
Date 7th to 9th August, 2020
Entries 136 drivers - 6 categories
Launch of the 2020 Euro Trophy • Limitation of the number of participants by the authorities • Nine tickets to be won for the RMC Grand Final • Micro and Mini outside the Championship • Very hot weather in Qualifying • Rain on Sunday
Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo Timo Deck
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MICRO MAX
DOUBLE VICTORY FOR MEES HOUBEN
B
ritain’s Scott Marsh (Dan Holland Racing) posted the fastest time. However, after the heats, he had to give up 1st place to Max Sadurski (Energy). The Dutchman won all the heats and started the last day as the big favourite. On the slippery track, he only finished in 4th and 2nd place, earning him 2nd place overall. Meanwhile, his compatriot Mees Houben (GKS Lemmens Power) outclassed his rivals in the wet and took the double victory. The podium was completed by Dutchman Jake Menten (Evo).
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MINI MAX
FIRST VICTORY FOR TAYM SALEH
R
eno Fernon Francot (GKS Lemmens Power) set the tone for the Mini MAX at the beginning of the weekend. The Dutchman was the fastest in Qualifying and was perfect in the heats. It was only in the rain on Sunday that the favourite lost ground. However, his team-mate Taym Saleh (GKS Lemmens Power) took the lead. In his very first Mini race, the German won on Sunday by taking the maximum number of points ahead of Slovenia’s Vidmar Aljaz (AKK sport style) and the Dutchman Thijmen Houben (GKS Lemmens Power).
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JUNIOR MAX
RILLAERTS AND GEHARDS SHARE THE VICTORIES
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elgian Kai Rillaerts (JJ Racing) was the fastest in Qualifying and kept the lead after the heats. But in the first rainy Final, Briton William Macintyre (Sodi Vitesse), who started from 6th place, fought for the lead and crossed the finish line with a clear gap. However, he was disqualified for a weight problem. Rillaerts inherited the victory. In the second Final, Dutchman Tim Gerhards (SP Motorsport) quickly took the lead of the race and won by a clear margin. Rillaerts had to settle for 2nd place, which was enough to win the race. Gerhards took 2nd place on the podium ahead of his compatriot Bruno Mulders (CRG).
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KZ2 SENIOR MAX
DYLAN LAHAYE WINS ON HOME SOIL
T
he reigning Champion, Sweden’s Mathilda Olsson (Strawberry Racing), was the benchmark at the beginning of the weekend both against the clock and in the heats. However, she fell back to 4th place in the rain on Sunday. Belgium’s Dylan Lahaye (GKS Lemmens Power) took the lead by winning both Finals in a dominant manner. He took the top step on the podium, while Dutchman Storm Broer (SP Motorsport) and Danish driver Mads Riis (Daems Racing Team) rounded out the top three.
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ROTAX DD2
GLENN VAN PARIJS WINS AT HOME
W
hile nearly half of the competitors missed their track time, Poland’s Sebastian Janczewski (Tony Kart) was the fastest in Qualifying and remained undefeated - even after the heats. In the rain on Sunday, Janczewski fell back in both races and had to give up victory to Austria’s Manuel Tenschert (KSM Racing Team) and Belgium’s Glenn van Parijs (Bouvin Power) who won the day’s standings over Tenschert and Silas Rytter (RS Competition)
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KZ2 DD2 MASTERS ROTAX
VICTORY FOR SEBASTIAN RUMPELHARDT
C
hristophe Adams (Sodi) set the benchmark on his home circuit. After taking pole, he also won all the heats. However, on the wet track, he suffered a technical problem in the first Final and finished in 7th place. Meanwhile, Poland’s Slawomir Muranski (46Team) and Germany’s Sebastian Rumpelhardt (RS Competition) shared the victories, with Rumpelhardt winning the second, higher-scoring Final, rewarding him with his victory over Muranski. 3rd place went to Germany’s Thomas Schumacher (KSB Racing Team).
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IRLANDO AND GUSTAVSS HIGHLIGHT BIREL ART
KARTCOM NEWS #60
SON
FIA Kart. EUROPEAN CHAMP. KZ & KZ2 1/2 - Adria
KEY POINTS Organiser
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FIA Karting
Promoter
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RGMMC
Location
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Adria Karting Raceway, Italy - 1302 m
Date 14th - 16th August, 2020
Entries 83 drivers - 2 categories First FIA Karting KZ-KZ2 event of the year • Serious respect of infectioncontrol rules • Tribute to Konstantin Kapetanidis • Vega Tyres • Hot weather and humid air • Difficult overtaking on this circuit
Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Philippe Kalmès
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IRLANDO TAKES THE ADVANTAGE AFTER A DUEL WITH PUHAKKA KZ
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P
ole position winner Alessandro Irlando (Birel ART/ TM) was beaten in the heats by Simo Puhakka (Tony Kart/Vortex) while reigning World Champion Marijn Kremers (Ricciardo/TM) made a strong impression on his return to karting. Irlando and Matteo Vigano (Birel ART/TM) started the Final in front of Puhakka. The threeway fight lasted for most of the race without the positions changing.
Vigano was unlucky and had to give up due to a mechanical failure with two laps to go. Irlando won without any trouble, Puhakka took 2nd place and Riccardo Longhi (Birel ART/TM) joined them on the podium. Kremers and Fabian Federer (Maranello/TM) completed the top five, while Adrien Renaudin (Sodi/TM) moved up to 7th position. Jeremy Iglesias (Formula K/TM) suffered from a performance deficit throughout the meeting.
Provisional ranking of the FIA Karting European Championship - KZ after Adria :
1
1
2 33 44 55 2
Alessandro Irlando
34 points
Simo Puhakka
30 points
Riccardo Longhi
21 points
Marijn Kremers
21 points
Noah Milell
13 points
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KZ2
GUSTAVSSON SUPERB COMPETITIVENESS
T
he poleman Danilo Albanese (KR/Iame) won three heats but retired once and was late to the pregrid for the Final. Leclerc by Lennox Racing team driver Viktor Gustavsson (Birel ART/TM) won 4 races before winning the Final with a nice lead of more than 6’’ and the fastest time. Simone Cunati (Birel ART/TM) and Giuseppe Palomba (Birel ART/TM) secured a hat-trick for the Lissone brand. Paavo Tonteri (Tony Kart/Vortex) took 4th place and Tom Leuillet (Praga/TM) finished in the top five after a nice run. Arthur Carbonnel (Sodi/TM) was deprived of his 8th place for excessive noise (13th), Hubert Petit (Sodi/TM) finished 9th and Nomblot 27th.
Provisional ranking of the FIA Karting European Championship - KZ2 after Adria :
1
1
2 33 44 55 2
Viktor Gustavsson
35 points
Simone Cunati
29 points
Giuseppe Palomba
24 points
Paavo Tonteri
20 points
Leonardo Marseglia
15 points
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Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Philippe Kalmès
HARD EUROPEAN TEST FOR
NOAM ABRAMCZY AT ADRIA
The European KZ2 Championship started during the weekend of 15th and 16th August at the Italian circuit of Adria. During this event, the Formula K Racing Team had to face persistent problems of competitiveness against the performances of its adversaries. Noam Abramczyk approached this European competition with great determination, but this was not enough to open the doors to the Final.
A
t just 15 years of age, Noam is competing in his first international season in the gearbox kart category this year. In mid-July, when the competition resumed after the coronavirus interruption, he reached 24th position in the Final of the WSK Euro Series at Sarno. Things didn’t go so well in the European Championship on the Adria circuit. Physically and mentally strong, he gave his best in the face of an unfavourable situation. Despite the efforts and professionalism of the Formula K Racing Team, the performance was not up to scratch in the high temperatures of Adria. Even the team’s leader, Jérémy Iglesias, was in trouble throughout the weekend in KZ. For Noam, the competition started with a modest 43rd time in Qualifying. Starting from the 9th row in the Qualifying Heats, he was continually fighting to try to regain ground. He came very close to qualifying for the Final.
“Because of Covid-19, Noam is in need of a track time in a very tough category that he is learning,” explained his coach Romain Wozniak. “He had been testing in Adria a few months ago, but it wasn’t enough. This lack of testing also penalised the whole team. Noam showed excellent fighting spirit, a positive point to his credit. But on a track where overtaking is very difficult, it wasn’t enough to make up for the lack of performance of the equipment. However, this is a year of learning for Noam and all experiences, even difficult ones, are useful for his future.” The rest of the season remains fraught with uncertainty. Due to an upsurge in infections, the programme of upcoming races is unclear at the moment. In any case, different options are being investigated, the goal being to take part in as many competitions as possible. Noam’s progress is unquestioned, and his mastery of KZ2 is very interesting for a rookie in these complicated circumstances. The priority of the moment is to adapt to the changing health situation in order to slow down his career as little as possible.
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Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Philippe Kalmès
BIREL ART
DOMINATES EUROPEAN KARTING AT ADRIA
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challenge. I am happy to see that our drivers and our increasingly professional technical staff have met this challenge masterfully,” said team manager Luca Filini. “The drivers we have entered in this meeting in KZ and KZ2 have always been at the front of the field. I would like to thank our partners and in particular our engine manufacturer TM Racing”.
KZ: IRLANDO THE EARLY LEADER OF THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP
The KZ World Champions of 2019, the Birel ART Racing Team has just started its FIA European Karting Championship campaign with a masterful victory by Alessandro Irlando. This success was completed by the third step of the podium for Riccardo Longhi and 4th place for Marijn Kremers at the wheel of his Ricciardo Kart. The Birel ART chassis proved to be just as effective in KZ2. Viktor Gustafsson easily won the Final in the colours of Charles Leclerc with the Lennox Racing team, while Giuseppe Palomba was 3rd! Birel ART Racing Team left the Adria Karting Raceway satisfied with their work as the Italian brand was victorious in both
From Friday, Alessandro Irlando marked his territory by taking pole position. The Qualifying Heats saw the Italian maintain his front row position for the Final, with Marijn Kremers, Matteo Vigano and Riccardo Longhi just behind him in 6th position. On Sunday afternoon, Irlando made a perfect start to the Final and went on to win unchallenged. “The equipment worked perfectly throughout the meeting, the Birel ART team did a fantastic job and the performance of my TM Racing engines did the rest. I have a special thought for Claudio Flenghi, the founder of the TM brand, who recently passed away,” said Alex. Still very fast, as evidenced by his fastest lap, Riccardo Longhi joined him on the podium in 3rd position. Marijn Kremers was celebrating his first race with a Ricciardo Kart chassis with 4th place... A great group shot for the Italian factory in this very high level category!
categories. “Before arriving in Adria, we were confident about the performance of our equipment, but each race is a new
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KZ2: TRIPLE FOR BIREL ART CHASSIS! In addition to the performances from Birel ART Racing Srl, several other teams took advantage of the chassis from the Lissone factory. The Swedish driver Viktor Gustavsson won all his races with the colours of the Leclerc by Lennox Racing team: four heats and the Final with the fastest lap in the race! Behind him, Simone Cunati (Modena Kart ASD) and Giuseppe Palomba completed the triumph of the Birel ART chassis, a real benchmark in the gearbox categories. Leonardo Marseglia, who teamed up with Palomba in the official team, also put himself in the spotlight throughout the KZ2 meeting, managing to take the chequered flag in 7th position.
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AMERICA’S Z
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ZILISCH DOMINATES
FIA Karting ACADEMY TROPHY 1/3 - Adria
KEY POINTS Organiser
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FIA Karting
Promoter
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RGMMC
Location
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Adria Karting Raceway, Italy - 1302 m
Date 14th - 16th August, 2020
Entry 32 drivers - 1 category First round of the FIA Karting Academy Trophy • 19 drivers missing due to travel difficulties • Spectacular races • Vega Tyres • Hot weather and humid air
Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Philippe Kalmès
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ACADÉMIE
REVELATION OF ZILISCH
K
eanu Al Azhari (ARE) was the fastest in the Qualifying Practice sessions ahead of Jonathan Weywadt (DNK). Connor Zilisch (USA) and Maxime FuronCastelain each won two heats and followed each other in the intermediate standings ahead of Alex Powell (JAM), Weywadt and Macéo Capietto (FRA). Zilisch continued his demonstration in the Final, winning by more than 4” and setting the fastest time. Furon Castelain finally came back to 2nd place after some great battles, with Weywadt on the third step of the podium against Capietto and Rafael Modonese (PER).
Provisional ranking of the FIA Karting Academy Trophy 2020 after Adria.
1
1
2 33 44 55 2
101
Connor Zilisch
35 points
Maxime Furon Castelain
29 points
Jonathan Weywadt
24 points
Macéo Capietto
19 points
Alex Powell
14 points
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Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Philippe Kalmès
MAXIME FURON CASTELAIN
PUTS THE LUXEMBOURG FLAG ON THE PODIUM OF THE FIA KARTING ACADEMY TROPHY Proud to represent his country in the FIA Karting Academy Trophy, Luxembourg hopeful Maxime Furon Castelain fulfilled his mission perfectly at the opening event on the Italian circuit of Adria. Very fast, but also extremely consistent, combative but calm, Maxime concluded his faultless run on the second step of the Final podium. His 2nd position in the provisional Trophy ranking opens up great prospects for him.
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“I
’m very happy with my weekend,” explained Maxime as he dismounted the podium. “When we arrived in Adria, the aim was to be at least in the top three. The goal was achieved, and my 2nd place is a great start to the Trophy. The conditions were tough because of the high ambient temperature and humidity. 20 laps in the feature race is a long time with temperatures like that. I am proud to represent my country, Luxembourg, in this international competition. I would like to thank ACL Sport and my team Forza Racing with Dean and Callum.” A unique competition, the FIA Academy Karting Trophy pits young talents from all over the world at the wheel of strictly identical karts, Exprit/Vortex/Vega. The tuning possibilities are reduced and
the engines are regularly swapped to ensure the greatest possible fairness. In the Academy, it is the driver who counts and all the credit goes to them. The analysis of Maxime’s performance shows his incredible speed. He set the fastest time in each of his Qualifying Heats and confirmed in the Final with the second fastest time on the grid. All this with four different engines! He remained the fastest driver of the meeting until the end. Maxime had to deal with a starting position on the outside line in each of his races. This is a significant disadvantage on a track like Adria: “It’s not easy to get back on the right line at the start, you often lose positions at the start of the race. In the Final for example, when
I started from the front row, I found myself in 5th position. I had to avoid the clashes that are always possible in this situation and then try to move back up each time while remaining calm. It’s not easy to manage, but it’s very instructive for overtaking in the leading group. In the end, the satisfaction is all the greater.” A podium at this level is a confidenceinspiring result. Next week, Maxime will continue with the second round of the European Championship on the Sarno circuit, another important race where he will have even greater ambitions.
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SPIRITS HEAT UP AT SARNO
KARTCOM NEWS #60
FIA Kart. EUROPEAN CHAMP. OK & Junior 2/3 - Sarno
THE KEY Organiser
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FIA Karting
Promoter
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RGMMC
Location
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Circuito Internazionale Napoli, Sarno, Italy - 1547 m
Date 21st - 23nd August 2020
Entries 122 drivers - 2 categories Drivers overly nervous • Numerous crashes • Hotly contested races • LeCont tyres • Fine warm weather
Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Philippe Kalmès
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OK-JUNIOR
UGOCHUKWU BACK IN THE HUNT
M
axwell Dodds (Parolin/TM) took the pole in the Qualifying, but Ugochukwu (KR/Iame) was in front at the end of the heats with his four victories. Dodds found himself locked on the outside of the track at the beginning of the Final. Ugochukwu kept the advantage and gradually broke away from Tuukka Taponen (Tony Kart/Vortex). Arvid Lindblad (KR/Iame) made good progress and took 2nd place with three laps to go. Ugochukwu took the victory with a lead of more than six seconds, whereas the battle raged behind. On the last lap, Freddie Slater (Kosmic/Vortex) took his chance and finished 2nd against Lindblad. Taponen only finished 4th. Karol Paciewicz (Tony Kart/Vortex) moved up from 15th to 5th place. Evan Giltaire (Sodi/TM) lost some ground and finished 25th. Ugochukwu took the advantage in the provisional classification, but Taponen and Lindblad remained close in the top three.
Provisional classification of the FIA Karting European Championship - Junior after Sarno :
1
1
2 33 44 55 2
109
Ugo Ugochukwu
55 points
Tuukka Taponen
48 points
Arvid Lindblad
44 points
Valerio Rinicella
30 points
Freddie Slater
26 points
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BARNARD UNBEATABLE OK
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T
aylor Barnard (KR/Iame) also won his four heats after taking pole position in the Timed Qualifying sessions. He was ahead of Joe Turney (Tony Kart/ Vortex) and Juho Valtanen (KR/Iame) at the beginning of the Final, but Andrea Kimi Antonelli (KR/Iame) came back very strongly. Barnard had had time to build up a gap of nearly two seconds when Antonelli reached 2nd position on the 7th lap. Barnard maintained a very high rhythm and Antonelli wasn’t able to reduce the gap sufficiently.
Barnard won the race with nearly 9 tenths of a second advantage on his rival. Turney finished 3rd, Nikita Bedrin (Tony Kart/Vortex) came back to 4th, whereas Rafael Camara (Exprit/TM) managed to regain 10 places to 5th position. Marlon Hernandez (KR/Iame) managed to take 24th position. Barnard took over the lead in the provisional classification, but Antonelli isn’t far behind.
Provisional classification of the FIA Karting European Championship - OK after Sarno :
1
1
2 33 44 55 2
Taylor Barnard
65 points
Andrea Kimi Antonelli
58 points
Nikita Bedrin
40 points
Joe Turney
37 points
Laurens Van Hoepen
24 points
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Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Philippe Kalmès
RFM
MANY POSITIVES FROM THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP AT SARNO The RFM team did an excellent job at Sarno during the second round of the OK and OK-Junior European Championship. While the incidents were constant during the races, the drivers from the British team showed impressive progress during the entire weekend. Slater finished 2nd in Junior, Ten Brinke was in the OK top six and most of the other drivers made remarkable place gains.
N
ear Naples, it wasn’t just the air that was hot. The races were the scene of many collisions. The well-advised RFM drivers managed the situation particularly well to take advantage of the competitiveness of their Kosmic/Vortex karts and to achieve very interesting results. After relatively average Qualifying sessions, they managed to come back to the top of the classification despite some spoiler penalties.
A BRILLIANT 2ND PLACE FOR SLATER IN OK-JUNIOR
victory and two 2nd places allowed him to get into the top 10 despite a retirement. With a superb finish in the Final, he mounted the second step of the podium and moved back into the top five of the Championship.
THE REVELATION ANPILOGOV
Until then relatively unknown, the young Ukrainian Edgar Anpilogov has done a great job in Sarno. 31st in Qualifying, then delayed by an incident in the first heat, he managed an exceptional Final by moving up 19 places to 14th position.
PStarting in 18th position, British driver Freddie Slater had some excellent Qualifying Heats: one
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British driver Coskun Irfan made significant progress in the heats, despite a retirement, finishing twice in the top four. Thanks to a very good Final, he regained a total of 19 positions to finish 16th. Singaporean driver Dion Gowda was very strong in the pack during the Qualifying Heats. Thanks to an incredible gain of 25 places, he started from 17th position for the Final. The last race was more complicated for him and he finished only 26th with a spoiler penalty. The Spaniard Lucas Fluxa Cross began to regain ground in his first three heats, but the last two were less favourable for him and he didn’t qualify for the Final.
TEN BRINKE AT THE EDGE OF THE TOP FIVE IN OK Dutch driver Thomas Ten Brinke achieved his best OK performance to date at Sarno. He was first in the leading group at the end of the heats, combining speed and consistency. A spoiler penalty c him narrowly miss the top five. This didn’t prevent him being very competitive in the Final. He remained in the top four for a long time and concluded in 6th position neck and neck with three of his rivals. After his retirement at Zuera, he made a 21-place jump in the Championship classification. Danish driver Sebastian Gravlund was also very fast. Starting from a long way back, he managed a 26-place climb during some strong races. He fought for a long time in around 15th position in the Final and crossed the finish line in 17th position, but a spoiler penalty relegated him to 20th place. www.rfm.team
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Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Philippe Kalmès
BIREL ART
LEGITIMATE DISAPPOINTMENT AT THE FOOT OF VESUVIUS
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The European Championship race at Sarno for the OK and OK-Junior categories had started well for the Birel ART brand, with a promising Qualifying and several drivers at the front of the field. Unfortunately, there were many collisions in the hot weather near Naples. The hopes of the Birel ART Racing team were dashed throughout the Heats and Finals, to the great regret of the whole team, although they are already focused on the upcoming competitions... On Sunday evening, team manager Luca Filini couldn’t hide his disappointment. “We were really happy with the performance of our drivers in Free Practice, especially in OK. This was confirmed in Timed Practice, with four Birel ART chassis in the top 10! Alexander Dunne was 6th ahead of Maya Weug out of a total of 56 drivers, while the Leclerc by Lennox Racing team, our neighbours in
the paddock, also placed several drivers at the top of the table. Our chassis was very competitive! However, the incidents started to take effect and our drivers dropped down the hierarchy. And in the Final, we hoped that they would be able to come back up, but it didn’t end as we would have liked. After our victory in Adria the week before, the races are following in quick succession and they
don’t look alike, unfortunately.”
ANOTHER TOP 10 FOR KUCHARCZYK Tymoteusz Kucharczyk continues to put on a great show in OK-Junior. Contrary to several other drivers, the Pole managed a clear round in the Heats, moving up from 20th to 5th position, thanks to 3rd, 4th, 2nd and 4th places. Unfortunately, from the very first laps of the Final, he was jostled and fell in the hierarchy. Ranked 6th in Spain three weeks earlier, this time he had to be satisfied with 10th place, but he remains a solid 9th in the provisional Championship.
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Starting 16th in the Final, the Italian Cristian Bertuca had a good start and could hope to score some points, before having to retire. The weekend was even more difficult for his compatriot Andrea Frassineti.
OK: MORGATTO COMPETITIVE FOR HIS DEBUT WITH BIREL ART Despite Heats that finished in 2nd and 3rd position for Spanish driver Maya Weug, in 4th and 5th position for Brazilian Matheus Morgatto or in 3rd, 4th and 5th position for Irish driver Alexander Dunne, the drivers from the Birel ART Racing team weren’t able to maintain these positions during the rest of the meeting, due to several race incidents. However, nobody gave up, starting with Morgatto, who crossed the finish line of the Final in 11th position, after having started 16th. In Sarno, the Italian team was able to celebrate the progress of British driver Clayton Ravenscroft. Serious and efficient in the heats, he went from 20th to 16th place during the Final. A spoiler penalty pushed Alexander Dunne back to 22nd position. As for Maya Weug, she was very disappointed to have been involved in a collision shortly after the start. The best result of the Birel ART-TM Racing teams finally went to Dutch driver Laurens Van Hoepen (with the Leclerc by Lennox Racing team), who was 9th.
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Info KARTCOM -- Renaud Didier © Photo KSP - Philippe Kalmès
NEW LAP RECORDS FOR LECONT IN OK AND OK-JUNIOR QUALIFYING AT SARNO
At the 2020 FIA Karting European Championship in Italy, the lap records for the Sarno international circuit near Naples fell in the OK and OK-Junior categories, demonstrating the great competitiveness of LeCont tyres, both in the Premium and Option versions. The perfect running of the competition and the intensity of the racing also highlighted the consistency of the Italian tyres and the identical quality from one set to another. Comments from the teams and drivers can confirm this consistent observation.
J
ust three weeks after the Spanish meeting at Zuera, the FIA Karting European Championship for the OK and OK-Junior categories continued at Sarno, Italy. With its challenging track for machines and the high ambient heat, the tyres were put to the test. “Compared to the Zuera race, where the long fast section allowed the tyres to cool down a bit, the tyres were put under more strain at Sarno, where fast corners alternate with heavy braking,” said the Kosmic team. “The temperature of the rubber is still very high, but we haven’t noticed any overheating. The tyres were very satisfying.”
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QUALITY RECOGNISED BY USERS As the team manager of Ward Racing, which uses Tony Kart-Vortex equipment, Joakim Ward was also very enthusiastic. “The 2020 homologation tyres are definitely some of the best tyres I have had the opportunity to work with. Year after year LeCont really cares about the quality of its products. In OK, I would even be in favour of using even softer compounds, which would make the category more selective than it already is.”
European OK Champion in 2018, German driver Hannes Janker had a lot of fun at Sarno with his KR-IAME, even though his Final was stopped abruptly after a collision. “The tyres are effective from the very first lap, and then remain consistent throughout the heats.” An opinion shared by the young French driver Arthur Rogeon (Exprit-Vortex), who is entered in OK-Junior. “The tyre offers a lot of grip, with excellent braking stability, it’s very pleasant to use.”
RECORDS FALL IN SARNO THANKS TO LECONT British driver Taylor Barnard took pole in OK with 55”506 at an average speed of over 100 km/h, whereas his compatriot Maxwell Dodds set the fastest time on Friday with 57”459. The officials of the Sarno circuit confirmed that the lap records had been broken in both categories. In OK, this represents an improvement of more than a full second, the previous record being already held by LeCont with 56”520. Furthermore, in an OK-Junior heat on Saturday, Arvid Lindblad improved the Junior time of 57”459 by turning in a lap of 57”443.
ANOTHER NEW RECORD! “These times didn’t surprise me,” commented Cash Van Belle, team manager at IPK. “LeCont did an excellent job. Personally, I have always liked working with their tyres, both in KZ and in the direct drive categories. When a driver comes back from a practice session or a heat, you only have to look at the tyre to see how the chassis worked: if the driver used it well, if he slipped too much or if the grip was too much. It’s important to be able to “read” a tyre.” Simone Sorio, a renowned technician from the Energy Corse team, said: “At this level of competition, we really need quality tyres and equivalent performance from one set to another, in order to work
in the best conditions throughout the sessions. At the moment this really is the case with LeCont. In addition, their degradation is slow and steady. This can be seen in particular by looking at the wear indicators, which show the significant thickness of the rubber on the carcass.” Following his victory in Italy, the Briton Taylor Barnard took the lead in the European Championship at the expense of the Italian Kimi Antonelli. The title should be decided between the two drivers from 11th to 13th September in the Final at Wackersdorf, Germany. In OK-Junior, Ugo Ugochukwu took the victory with style. The American is the new overall leader ahead of Finnish driver Tuukka Taponen and Briton Arvid Lindblad.
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Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Philippe Kalmès
PAROLIN
ANOTHER STEP FORWARD AT SARNO With another pole position and a top six for Maxwell Dodds in OK-Junior at Sarno, Parolin Racing Kart was looking like they would achieve the Zuera scenario again. However, the circumstances were very different in the second round of the OK and OK-Junior European Championship. Parolin’s performances and results in this very difficult competition were much more consistent in both categories. Three drivers in the top five of the Timed Qualifying and five victories in the Junior heats were outstanding aspects. In OK, despite numerous hazards, James Wharton in particular highlighted himself with a brilliant comeback of 15 places in the Final.
“I
t was a very tough weekend on the track”, commented Marco Parolin. “But our overall competitiveness was even better than at Zuera. The drivers and the team did a great job and the balance is very positive. Dodds had an outstanding run at the front of the OK-Junior class and I am convinced that he would have been able to finish in an even more convincing position. Rinicella proved that he is now to be counted on in the top 10. Trentino’s 4th fastest time and his two heat wins are also very encouraging. Al Dhaheri has made a successful debut in the Junior class despite adversity. In OK, Wharton was in great form, undoubtedly able to finish in the top five, but he was a victim, like many others, of numerous crashes that changed the face of this event. Anyway, Parolin
showed its strength in both categories and this is very positive for the rest of the season.”
DODDS IN THE SPOTLIGHT IN OK-JUNIOR Maxwell Dodds opened the score with a magnificent pole position among the 66 participants of the Sarno race. He confirmed with two race wins and three top three finishes, which allowed him to take 2nd place overall and to start from the front row for the Final. This place sometimes turns out to be a poisoned chalice. This was the case on the Neapolitan circuit because the young Briton was baulked on the first lap and only finished the first lap 10th. He
reduced his handicap as the laps went by before being involved in a crazy fight in the very last laps. His 6th position allowed him to join the provisional top 10 of the Championship.
RINICELLA CONFIRMS A hero of Zuera two weeks earlier, Valerio Rinicella was again convincing at Sarno. He started in 5th position in Qualifying and held the rhythm in the heats with among others a victory and two 2nd places. 6th at the beginning of the Final, he was attacked several times and was dropped, but he came back up each time and finished 9th with the 5th fastest time of the race. Thanks to his perseverance, he is now 4th in the Championship.
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Two other Junior drivers from Parolin Racing Kart also managed to qualify for the Final, which can be a great achievement considering the number of incidents that marked this competition. Giovanni Trentin had started in 4th position in the Qualifying Practice which allowed Parolin to count three drivers in the top five. He then won two heats, but two crashes sent him back to 24th position for the beginning of the Final. He was pushed on the first lap, but he came back up again before another incident forced him to retire. Rashid Al Dhaheri was taking part in his first race since the restart, but also his first race in OK-Junior. Despite some problems in the pack, he drove two interesting laps and finished positively by regaining eight places in the final. Nicolas Ambiado showed a good level of performance with his 29th Qualifying time, but several contacts in the heats deprived him of the Final.
OK: WHARTON EMERGES FROM THE TURMOIL
James Wharton was on his way to an excellent performance with his 8th fastest time. He achieved two good Heats, including a 2nd place. Unfortunately, two crashes caused him to fall back to 27th place for the Final. Despite the intensity of the race, he made an incredible comeback of 15 places by finishing 12th. Henri Sääskilahti was also delayed by a retirement in one heat. 25th on the Final grid, he had a difficult race and didn’t reach the finish line. For his return to international competition after two years away, the Italian Mario Schettino was confronted with a chaotic situation in which he didn’t manage to qualify.
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Info KARTCOM - Renaud Didier © Photo KSP - Philippe Kalmès
JAMES WHARTON A MAGNIFICENT GAIN
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the Parolin Racing Kart team”, said the Australian driver. “Everything was in place for the Timed Practice and I was able to set the 2nd fastest time in my group, which placed me 8th overall out of a total of 55 competitors.”
A 15-PLACE RISE IN THE FINAL! On the very fast international circuit of Naples, the Qualifying Heats were to be much harder than usual, with many crashes in the pack. “A lot of drivers were very nervous this weekend. Generally, it is important to ensure consistent results in the heats to ensure a good place on the starting grid for the Final. For my part, I was involved in incidents twice, which meant I dropped to 27th in the intermediate classification.” However, his result in the A/C heat showed his level of performance, with 2nd place under the chequered flag.
Competitiveness and combativeness are the two words that could sum up the weekend of the talented driver James Wharton, racing in the FIA Karting European Championship in the OK category. During the second event in Sarno, Italy, the young Australian made one of the best progressions of the 36 finalist drivers, coming back from 27th to 12th place! James Wharton has scored his first points and doesn’t intend to stop there...
F
or James Wharton, the race at Sarno started with significant performances in the Free Practice
On Sunday afternoon, James Wharton continued his effort throughout the 30 km of the Final of the OK category. “My start was excellent! Afterwards, I raced at a fast pace and I gained several more places. All in all, it was a good race. Thank you to the team, to my engine builder and to all my partners!” With 12th after starting from 27th place, James could be proud of his progress in this very tough situation. At just 14 years old, he is taking part in his first OK season and was able to register his first four points in Italy in the FIA European Karting Championship. Next stop Wackersdorf in Germany from 9th to 13th September for the final event...
sessions. “Throughout the sessions we have constantly improved our lap times thanks to the important work done with
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KERPEN V REPLACES MÜ
V2 ÜLSEN
DKM 2020 2/4 – Kerpen
KEY POINTS Organiser
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DMSB
Location
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Erftlandring, Kerpen, Germany - 1107 m
Date 28th-30th August, 2020
Entries 108 drivers - 4 categories
Kerpen replaces cancelled Mülsen race • Advanced infection-control protocol • Proximity control system • Entries hold up • Variable weather • Vega tyres for all
Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo LRN - Loredana Ivancov
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OK-JUNIOR
ANOTHER DOUBLE FOR HAANEN
A
newcomer, Dutchman Nathan Ottink (Tony Kart/ TM) took the pole position, but his compatriot Kris Haanen (Tony Kart/TM) came back in the heats while German Maxim Rehm (Tony Kart/Vortex) was 3rd. There was a tough battle in Race 1 between Haanen, Rehm and Germany’s Herolind Nuredini (Tony Kart/Vortex). Nuredini (Tony Kart/Vortex) was the winner on the track, but was demoted because of an unhooked spoiler and victory went to Haanen ahead of Rehm and Austrian Kiano Blum (KR/Iame). Blum took the lead of Race 2, then he was relayed by the Danish driver Mathias Bjerre Jakobsen (Tony Kart/Vortex), but Haanen again took 1st place and won in front of Nuredini and the Belgian Tom Braeken (KR/TM).
DJKM Championship ranking after four of the eight races :
1
1
2 33 44 55 2
131
Kris Haanen
130 points
Herolind Nuredini
94 points
Kiano Blum
69 points
Tom Braeken
57 points
Daniel Guinchard
56 points
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OK
VALTANEN AND GRIGGS WIN THE DAY
F
inland’s Juho Valtanen (KR/Iame) dominated the early part of the meeting with his pole position, two heat wins and a victory in Race 1 despite having already put on his new tyres. His German teammate Moritz Wiskirchen (KR/Iame) was 2nd against the Briton Luca Griggs (Tony Kart/TM). The German Ben Dörr (KR/Iame) led Race 2 for a long time, but Griggs was the fastest and eventually won. German Niels Tröger (Mach 1/Iame) was 2nd ahead of Valtanen.
DKM Championship standings after 4 of the 8 races :
1
1
2 33 44 55 2
Juho Valtanen
88 points
Luca Griggs
77 points
Moritz Wiskirchen
75 points
Daniel Gregor
56 points
Kas Haverkort
55 points
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DSKM
DOUBLE VICTORY FOR STAN PEX
D
utchman Jorrit Pex (KR/TM) opened the fight in pole position, but Italy’s Fabian Federer (Maranello/TM) regained the lead in the heats. However, Stan Pex (KR/TM) was immediately ahead of his opponents at the start of Race 1 and won in front of his older brother. Poland’s David Liwinski (Birel ART/TM) finished 3rd ahead of Federer. The Pex brothers again finished 1st and 2nd in Race 2, while Germany’s Alexander Schmitz (Birel ART/TM) moved up to 3rd place ahead of Switzerland’s Jean Luyet (CRG/TM). Federer did not finish the race.
DSKM Championship standings after 4 of the 8 races:
1
1
2 33 44 55 2
135
Jorrit Pex
118 points
Stan Pex
85 points
Fabian Federer
78 points
Jean Luyet
67 points
Alexander Schmitz
61 points
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KREMERS AND GU EUROPEAN CHAMPION
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USTAVSSON NS IN BELGIUM
FIA Kart. EuropeAN CHAMP. KZ & KZ2 2/2 - Genk
KEY POINTS Organiser
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FIA Karting
Promoter
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RGMMC
Location
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Circuit Horensbergdam, Genk, Belgium - 1360 m
Date 4th - 6th September, 2020
Entries 44 drivers - 2 categories 2nd FIA Karting KZ-KZ2 event • Strong infection-control protocol • Many drivers absent • Very interesting races • New hierarchy • Vega Tyres • Cool weather
Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Vitor Lopes & Philippe Kalmès
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KZ
VICTORY FOR STAN PEX, KREMERS CHAMPION
N
oah Milell (Tony Kart/Vortex) was on pole position ahead of Stan Pex (KR/TM), but the two drivers clashed from the start of the first heat, which changed the face of the event. Official Birel ART driver Marijn Kremers (Ricciardo/TM) won the heat and finished this phase in the lead, while Alessandro Irlando (Birel ART/ TM) was 7th and Simo Puhakka (Tony Kart/Vortex) 8th. Stan Pex quickly took the lead in the Final, but Kremers did not let go of him, keeping an eye on the position of his rivals in the pack. Stan Pex won, but Kremers’ 2nd place was enough for him to be crowned Champion. Jorrit Pex (KR/TM) was back in 3rd place ahead of Milell, Adrien Renaudin (Sodi/ TM) and Bas Lammers (Sodi/TM).
Final standings of the FIA Karting European Championship - KZ
1
1
2 33 44 55 2
139
Marijn Kremers
51 points
Alessandro Irlando
45 points
Simo Puhakka
41 points
Stan Pex
37 points
Riccardo Longhi
37 points
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KZ2
GUSTAVSSON CROWNED, TREFILOV WINS
T
eam Leclerc by Lennox Racing driver and championship leader Viktor Gustavsson (Birel ART/TM) was on pole position. The competition was then punctuated with many incidents and David Trefilov (Maranello/TM) took the lead in the heats then won the Final. Simone Cunati (Birel ART/TM), Leonardo Marseglia (Birel ART/TM) and Tom Leuillet (Praga/TM) retired. Giuseppe Palomba (Birel ART/TM) moved up to 5th while Paavo Tonteri (Tony Kart/Vortex) moved down to 9th. Gustavsson came back to 2nd in front of Kristijan Habulin (TB Kart/TM) to secure the title comfortably. Arthur Carbonnel (Sodi/TM), who had broken down in Qualifying, reached an incredible 4th position (+11 places in the Final). After several setbacks, Jean Nomblot (Sodi/TM) and Hubert Petit (Sodi/TM) finished 6th and 7th. Thomas Landais (Birel ART/TM) was 14th, Thomas Imbourg (Sodi/TM) 21st. Very fast, Senna Van Walstijn (Sodi/TM) was one of the big losers of the weekend.
Final standings of the FIA Karting European Championship - KZ2
1
1
2 33 44 55 2
Viktor Gustavsson
62 points
Simone Cunati
38 points
David Trefilov
35 points
Giuseppe Palomba
35 points
Paavo Tonteri
35 points
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ZILISCH WIDENS
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THE GAP
FIA KARTING ACADEMY TROPHY 2/3 - Genk
KEY POINTS Organiser
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FIA Karting
Promoter
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RGMMC
Location
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Circuit Horensbergdam, Genk, Belgium - 1360 m
Date 4th - 6th September, 2020
Entry 26 drivers - 1 category 2nd round of the FIA Karting Academy Trophy • Strong infection-control protocol • Many drivers absent • Very interesting races • Vega Tyres • Cool weather
Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Vitor Lopes & Philippe Kalmès
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ACADEMY
ZILISCH IN FRONT OF MICOURIS
O
n his home turf, Tom Braeken (BEL) set the fastest time. Zachary David (PHL) then regained the lead in a very competitive heat in which Theo Micouris (GBR) was the fastest while wotime winner Macéo Capietto (FRA) crashed in the last one. Connor Zilisch (USA) went from 17th to 2nd and escaped to win the Final and is now the solid leader of the Trophy. Capietto, who was 2nd for a long time, could not resist Micouris’ comeback from 7th to 2nd. However, the Frenchman moved up to 2nd in the standings. Albin Stureson (SWE) made a strong start in 4th place while Rafael Modonese (PER) came back from 16th to 5th ahead of David. 2nd at Adria, Maxime Furon-Castelain (LUX) was unlucky at Genk.
Provisional ranking of the FIA Karting Academy Trophy after the second competition at Genk
1
1
2 33 44 55 2
145
Connor Zilisch
69 points
Macéo Capietto
41 points
Jonathan Weywadt
30 points
Maxime Furon-Castelain
29 points
Alex Powell
29 points
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OPENING OF
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F SEASON FOUR IN NORMANDY
FRENCH CHAMP. Junior 1/5, Anneville
KEY POINTS Organiser
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FFSA Academy
Location
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Circuit Lucien Lebret, Anneville, France - 1217 m
Date 28th-30th August, 2020
Entry 24 drivers - 1 category
Fourth season of Junior Karting • Turnkey formula from FFSA Academy • One-make • Exprit/Vortex/Vega karts • Record field of 24 drivers • Vayron starts in the lead • Fine warm weather
Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Vitor Lopes
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VAYRON
ON POLE POSITION
E
lliott Vayron perfectly managed the timed session and set the fastest time - 50’’872 - in front of Alessandro Giusti and Micah Barthélémy.
GIUSTI
TAKES THE LEAD IN THE HEATS
A
lessandro Giusti shone by winning the two Qualifying Heats, while Enzo Peugeot and Elliott Vayron tried in vain to counter him and followed him in that order.
VAYRON
DOUBLE VICTORY
E
lliott Vayron took the lead over Alessandro Giusti from the start of the Prefinal and won against his rival while Enzo Peugeot finished 3rd. Vayron remained the undisputed leader in the Final and scored a fine victory. Giusti went off the track and retired while Enzo Peugeot, who was fighting with Gaspard Simon, was penalised. William Nicouleau took 2nd place ahead of Simon. Yoan Gay-Bardiaux was 4th and Loris Cléricy 5th.
Provisional standings of the French Junior Karting Championship after the first round
1
1
2 33 44 55 2
Elliott Vayron
48 points
William Nicouleau
35 points
Gaspard Simon
33 points
Alessandro Giusti
24 points
Enzo Peugeot
22 points
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Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Vitor Lopes
PROMISING DEBUT IN FFSA ACADEMY JUNIOR FOR
ANTONIO LEITE The first round of the French Junior Championship was not easy for the French-Brazilian driver Antonio Leite. Despite repeated setbacks in the heats, he was able to rectify the situation during the Final phases and show his real potential.
F
or his third season of racing, Antonio was able to train against tough competition by participating in four international WSK events in OK-Junior with the VDK Racing team. His experience was notably enriched with two qualifications in the Final, at Adria and Sarno. On the circuit of Anneville, Antonio started with an interesting 6th time in the French Junior Championship. The Qualifying Heats then brought their share of disappointment. In a nervous pack, he did not see the finish of either of the two races and fell to 19th place in the intermediate classification. Far from being discouraged, he took advantage of his FFSA Academy coach’s advice and refocused himself for the Final stages. Antonio was very determined and attacked in the Prefinal and moved up 12 places to 7th. He continued his comeback in the Final and crossed the finish line in a very rewarding 5th place. A 5’’ spoiler penalty then dropped him back to 11th place without taking anything away from his merit.
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Fast and mentally strong, Antonio can look forward to the rest of the Championship with legitimate ambitions. Next appointment at the end of August on the circuit of Salbris.
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Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Vitor Lopes
ALEXANDRA HERVÉ STARTS 2020 STRONGLY
For Alexandra Hervé, the resumption of racing was at Anneville, in Normandy. The young Valdoisienne quickly found her bearings in the French Junior Championship and concluded this first meeting with confidence in 8th position in the Final.
“I
found it difficult to get on the pace during the tests,” confided Alexandra. “I wasn’t comfortable with my driving position. I asked the FFSA Academy mechanics to adjust my steering wheel setting. From the first heat on, I was able to concentrate on the battle on the track, which was a big effort for me because the boys really don’t like it! When you’re a girl in a pack of boys, you have to fight even harder. In the end, I’m very satisfied to finish in the top 10, the season is going well.”
on Saturday evening with a gain of eight positions. Racing resumed on Sunday morning with the Prefinal where Alexandra lost ground. After analysing her race with her coach from the FFSA Academy, she approached the Final with her characteristic fighting spirit. While many drivers were overexcited, Alexandra remained focused and climbed into the top 10 in a very competitive category. In the end, she finished in 8th place, by far her best result in the Junior class, and was justifiably proud to have regained 10 places in the Final.
So the tests were not very positive with notably 20th in Qualifying. However, Alexandra kept a cool head. From the first heat, she climbed back up the field, confirming her place in the second and finishing 12th
Confident in her possibilities, Alexandra is looking forward to the next French Junior Championship event at the end of August at Salbris.
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Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Vitor Lopes
CLÉMENT FIDRIE STARTS WITH A TOP 10 IN FFSA JUNIOR
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to counterbalance his large size. All in all, this is a very interesting challenge for his future driving career. The results of this first weekend of racing show that Clément is able to compensate behind the wheel. His progress on Normandy soil was not however free of ups and downs... Clément started with a very average time in Qualifying, but he had already regained several places during the first Qualifying Heat. Unfortunately, he was caught in a collective collision on the first lap of the following heat and had to retire. Determined to make up for the ground lost during the Prefinal, he unfortunately dropped his spoiler in the battle, which earned him a regulatory penalty of 5’’. Not at all discouraged, he started well motivated in the Final. This time, he avoided the traps of the race and reached a very nice 10th position thanks to a gain of 12 places.
Like many drivers, Clément Fidrie was eagerly awaiting the resumption of racing, especially as his debut in the French Championship was on the agenda. The 15-year-old teenager from the Bouches-du-Rhône region has experienced a growth spurt in recent months and he is now a size that corresponds more to a Senior category than to FFSA Junior.
T
aking this new situation into account, he has been working even harder with the coaches at the FFSA Academy to develop an
The weekend thus ended better than it had started for the driver racing in the colours of Trade Overseas, delighted to have overcome the difficulties and full of confidence for the next round, from 28th to 30th August on the circuit of Salbris, in the region Centre Val de Loire.
appropriate strategy. Dominated in pure performance potential by smaller opponents, he must now find solutions in terms of driving and race management
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GREAT ENTRY FOR T OF THE 2020 S
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THE LAUNCH SEASON
National Series Karting 1/2 – Angerville
KEY POINTS Organiser
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3MK Events
Location
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Circuit International Anthoine Hubert, Angerville, France - 1198 m
Date 21st - 23rd August, 2020
Entries 206 drivers - 7 categories
First NSK meeting of 2020 • More drivers than in 2019 • Strict infection-control protocol • Nice organisation and friendly atmosphere • Nice weather, not too hot • Ceremony in tribute to Anthoine Hubert
Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Vitor Lopes
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MINIME
THE REVELATION OF BIENAIMÉ
E
louan Bienaimé (Energy/Iame) made his mark on this event by winning all four heats and the Final. Only Matthéo Dauvergne (Energy/Iame) was able to follow the pace of the leader in the last race and managed to attack him. 3rd place went to poleman Andy Consany (Sodi/Iame) ahead of Hugo Martiniello (Exprit/ Iame) after a great battle.
2020 NSK Provisional Rankings - Minime
1
1
2 33 44 55 2
161
Elouan Bienaimé
172 pts
Matthéo Dauvergne
156 pts
Andy Consany
141 pts
Hugo Martiniello
128 pts
Enzo Perrot Thomerot
124 pts
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CADET
BOUVIER UNBOTHERED, BUT NOT WITHOUT MERIT
M
axence Bouvier (Sodi/Rotax) simply won it all at Angerville, despite the presence of Louis Iglesias (Praga/Rotax) and Arthur Dorison (Sodi/Rotax). Iglesias finished 2nd in the Final, 6 tenths behind the winner. After an intense fight on the last lap, Dorison recovered 3rd place after the disqualification of Clément Outran (KR/Rotax), while Pacôme Weisenburger (Sodi/Rotax) came 4th and Adam Rahali (Sodi/Rotax) 5th.
2020 NSK Provisional Rankings - Cadet
1
1
2 33 44 55 2
Maxence Bouvier
175 pts
Louis Iglesias
156 pts
Arthur Dorison
146 pts
Adam Rahali
112 pts
Pacôme Weisenburger
112 pts
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NATIONALE
SPIRGEL OUSTED, GIUSTI WINS
I
t’s always disappointing to watch the favourite fall at the beginning of the Final. But that’s what happened to Mattéo Spirgel (Redspeed/Rotax) who had dominated until he got caught on the first lap. Alessandro Giusti (Kosmic/Rotax), a regular at the front, finally regained the lead and won after a long fight with Leo Poncel (KR/Rotax) and Enzo Peugeot (Kosmic/Rotax). Arthur Poulain (Kosmic/ Rotax) finished 4th and Mehdi Lassoued (Exprit/Rotax) 5th, while Sprigel moved up to 17th with the fastest lap.
Provisional Rankings for 2020 NSK - National
1
1
2 33 44 55 2
165
Alessandro Giusti
188 pts
Léo Poncel
170 pts
Enzo Peugeot
160 pts
Arthur Poulain
146 pts
Medhi Lassoued
134 pts
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ROTAX MAX
FOURQUEMIN AT THE FINISH IN FRONT OF LESITRA
B
elgium’s Luca Leistra (Tony Kart/Rotax) stayed in 1st place from Timed Qualifying to the Prefinal. Paul Fourquemin (Sodi/Rotax) was always right behind him without being able to take the lead, while Dylan Léger (Tony Kart/Rotax) joined them after the heats. Fourquemin made a splendid start in the Final, Léger was 2nd, but Leistra was back in the hunt for the leader. Fourquemin however kept control and won by 6 tenths of a second. The fight was intense behind the leaders. Nolan Lemeray (Tony Kart/Rotax) finally moved up to 3rd in front of Léger and Arthur Roché (Kosmic/ Rotax) took 5th place.
Provisional standings of the 2020 NSK - Rotax Max
1
1
2 33 44 55 2
Paul Fourquemin
188 pts
Luca Lesitra
187 pts
Dylan Léger
162 pts
Nolan Lemeray
160 pts
Arthur Roché
154 pts
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ROTAX MAX MASTERS
RICCI TAKES FLIGHT
T
homas Ricci (Tony Kart/Rotax) proved unbeatable in the Masters, although François Peurière (Tony Kart/Rotax) was his closest rival for a long time. Ricci was going for another solo run at the front of the final, when Charles Seguin (Tony Kart/Rotax) attacked Peurière for 2nd place and Eric Chapon (Alpha/Rotax) came back into the fight after a couple of frustrating runs. Ricci won by a wide margin, Seguin secured 2nd place and Chapon finished 3rd ahead of Peurière and Clément Morin (Kosmic/ Rotax).
Provisional standings of the 2020 NSK - Rotax Max Masters
1
1
2 33 44 55 2
169
Thomas Ricci
175 pts
Charles Seguin
152 pts
François Peurière
144 pts
Clément Morin
132 pts
Éric Chapon
126 pts
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MAX DD2
PICOT DOMINATES WITHOUT EXCEPTION
N
icolas Picot (Tony Kart/Rotax) was one step ahead of the competition and won everything by a substantial margin. Alexis Coursault (Birel ART/ Rotax) was in pursuit during the heats, but Brian Ancher (Tony Kart/Rotax) made a great comeback in the Final to take 2nd place on the last lap, three seconds behind the winner. Antoine Barbaroux (Sodi/Rotax) was on the podium while Coursault and Anthony Millet (Kosmic/Rotax) completed the top five.
Provisional ranking of the 2020 NSK - Max DD2
1
1
2 33 44 55 2
Nicolas Picot
175 pts
Antoine Barbaroux
146 pts
Brian Ancher
144 pts
Alexis Coursault
144 pts
Lucas Joly
128 pts
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MAX DD2 MASTERS
LOUVEAU RETURNS TO MASTER
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ot only did Paul Louveau (Tony Kart/Rotax) dominate the DD2 Masters, but he regularly joined the best under-30s. Olivier Paris (Sodi/Rotax) often followed the pace not far from the leader and logically finished 2nd. Christophe Adams (Sodi/Rotax) was 3rd ahead of Bruno Dos Santos (Sodi/Rotax) and Franck Lavergne (Sodi/Rotax).
Provisional Ranking of the 2020 NSK - Max DD2 Masters
1
1
2 33 44 55 2
173
Paul Louveau
175 pts
Olivier Paris
156 pts
Christophe Adams
146 pts
Bruno Dos Santos
136 pts
Franck Lavergne
128 pts
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THE HIERARCHY BECOME CLEARER IN SOLOGNE
KARTCOM NEWS #60
ES
FRENCH CHAMP. Junior 2/5, Salbris
KEY POINTS Organiser
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FFSA Academy
Location
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Circuit International de Salbris, France - 1477 m
Date 28th-30th August, 2020
Entry 23 drivers - 1 category
Second event of the season • Turnkey formula from the FFSA Academy • One make Exprit/Vortex/Vega karts • Unusual Qualifying session • Peugeot and Giusti back in the Championship • Variable but dry weather up to Prefinal • Tribute to Anthoine Hubert
Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Vitor Lopes & Philippe Kalmès
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POULAIN
IN POLE POSITION
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n a timed session more like a race, Arthur Poulain remained focused on his goal to set the fastest lap of 1’00’’073, ahead of Léo Poncel and Oscar Py.
PEUGEOT
LEADER OF THE HEATS
L
éo Poncel won against Arthur Poulain in the first heat while Enzo Peugeot came back to 3rd position. Alessandro Giusti took advantage of an incident between Elliott Vayron and Enzo Peugeot to win the second heat ahead of William Nicouleau and Romain Andriolo. Peugeot nevertheless took control followed by Giusti and Poulain.
PEUGEOT AND GIUSTI IN THE SPOTLIGHT
A
lessandro Giusti began by winning the Prefinal against Enzo Peugeot and William Nicouleau. The track was wet at the start of the Final and Peugeot escaped far in front of his opponents to win the race with more than 15’’ of a lead. Giusti regained 2nd place just before the finish and Elliott Vayron was 3rd.
August 31, a very sad anniversary
1
1
2 33 44 55 2
Elliott Vayron
74 points
Enzo Peugeot
71 points
Alessandro Giusti
68 points
William Nicouleau
64 points
Gaspard Simon
55 points
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Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Philippe Kalmès
ANTHOINE HUBERT
AUGUST 31, A VERY SAD ANNIVERSARY
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In the history of the FFSA Academy, 31st August, 2019 will be remembered as a fateful date, that of Anthoine Hubert’s death. Without needing to consult the calendar, every 31st August to come, the thoughts of the members of the federation will now be focused more than on any other day of the year on the memory of this promising driver, this extraordinary young man, who left his mark on all those who had the good fortune to approach him with his kindness, intelligence and talent.
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n the aftermath of the tragic accident that cost him his life in F2 on the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, Christophe Lollier, director of the FFSA Academy, had these words that are still relevant today: “We’ve been following Anthoine since the age of 12, and it’s a huge void. From the 1015 years Karting Programme to F2 this year under the colours of the FFSA French Team, he was a typical example of the FFSA’s path of excellence both on and off the track. Intelligent and thoughtful, Anthoine did a large part of his education at Le Mans Sud High School and at the FFSA Academy from
4th to BTS, passing of course through the scientific baccalaureate obtained with honours. Recently, he was still helping us in karting in the framework of the French Junior Championship by
advising young drivers while working towards his coaching diploma. Beyond his talent and his kindness, we lost a friend.”
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Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Philippe Kalmès
ROMAIN ANDRIOLO ALREADY IN THE TOP 10 OF FFSA ACADEMY JUNIOR
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13th in the French Cadet Cup in 2018, Romain Andriolo had a good 2019 season in X30 Junior by winning the Occitanie Pyrénées League Championship. At the age of 14, he decided to participate in the French Junior Championship with the FFSA Academy this year. During the second event at Salbris (41), he already recorded significant progress as he ranked 10th in the Final despite several spoiler penalties and was 9th in the provisional standings.
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he French Junior Championship is a turnkey formula implemented by the FFSA Academy. Fairness of the one-design equipment and training of young drivers are the two main features. The powerful Exprit/Vortex karts of the OK-Junior type allow for a level playing field between the 24 participants, while experienced coaches monitor and advise the academicians throughout the season.
fights that multiplied on a track with little grip where the rain tyres were out. 8th on the line, his unhooked spoiler cost him two places.
Salbris’ assessment shows that once his race strategy has been adjusted in terms of contacts in the battle, Romain will be able to progress well in the Junior hierarchy and to compete with the best. For the moment he is in 9th position in the intermediate classification of the Championship, a gain of four positions since the first event. Romain thanks his partners for their appreciable support: Motul, Andriolo Automobile, Big Mat, Gariso, Ligue de Karting Occitanie Pyrénées, ASK 31, HGK and Distinxion. He will see them from 9th to 11th October on the Laval circuit (53) for the third race of the season.
Romain started well at Anneville in Normandy at the beginning of August, finishing 12th in the Final. At the second event on the Salbris circuit, his performance level moved up another notch. He first set the 9th fastest time, but finished 13th in the first Qualifying Heat after receiving a 5” penalty because of his spoiler which dropped in the scuffle when he crossed the finish line in 8th place. He made up for it by making a superb 9-place comeback in Heat 2 by finishing 4th after battling in the top three. Romain started in 8th place and came back to 4th in the Prefinal, but another spoiler penalty brought him back down to 8th place. He had a great start in the Final and we saw him fighting in the top three on the second lap. He then lost a bit of ground in the middle of the intense
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Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Philippe Kalmès
CONFIRMATION AT SALBRIS FOR
ANTONIO LEITE One month after the launch of the French Junior Championship in Normandy, last weekend Antonio Leite participated in the second of the five events on the circuit of Salbris (41). The Qualifying Heats, at least the first one, were again not very favourable to Antonio. But as at Anneville, it was in the final stages that he gave his best, this time reaching the top five, a guarantee of potential in full development.
J
in Heat 2, where he took back 13 places to finish 10th with the 2nd fastest time. Despite this great effort, he was 18th in the heat ranking.
He opened the score in 11th position in the Qualifying Practice during a session which was rather confusing for the majority of the participants. As of the first lap, fate had an unpleasant surprise in store for him: a broken chain put an end to his race after seven laps. He started last
Antonio kept his concentration for the Final stages and was determined for the Prefinal. He got off to a good start and then overtook and reached 6th position, a significant gain of 12 places in 12 laps. The Final was going to be tricky after a rain shower, the track was still slippery and the rain tyres were on. Antonio quickly regained his pace and was 3rd for eight laps before moving up to 2nd for the finish. A big battle in the chasing pack in the last few corners of the race cost him
ust returned from Italy where he had taken the start of the second round of the European OK-Junior Championship, a competition that was a little crazy and full of incidents on the circuit of Sarno, Antonio took the wheel of his Exprit/Vortex No. 18 in the French Junior Championship run by the FFSA Academy at Salbris.
his place and he finally finished 5th, close to the podium. Despite slight disappointment at the time, this second Junior event highlighted Antonio’s qualities and potential and he was able to take advantage of the advice provided by the FFSA Academy coaches to raise his performance level. He progressed in 8th position in the Championship standings and the rest of the season promises to be very interesting from the third meeting scheduled at Laval from 9th to 11th September.
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Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Philippe Kalmès
CLÉMENT FIDRIE INTERESTING PERFORMANCES POORLY REWARDED AT SALBRIS
Overall, Clément Fidrie was more competitive than previously at the second round of the French Junior Championship, which took place from 28th to 30th August on the Salbris circuit, despite the intensity of the clashes at all levels. He could not however repeat his achievement of Anneville in the top 10 of the Final and had to be satisfied with a 15th place at the end of the meeting at Salbris.
C
lément has nevertheless worked hard with the coaches of the FFSA Academy to compensate for the handicap of his size in Junior competition. His intelligent management of Qualifying Practice was enough to take 12th against the stopwatch at Salbris. He progressed again during the first Qualifying Heat, this time reaching the top 10. The second heat was more difficult to negotiate and he lost ground in the intensity of the clashes. Ranked 13th at the end of the heats on Saturday evening, this position was where he would start the Prefinal on Sunday morning. Confident at the beginning of the race, Clément had to give up a few places in the second half and finished 17th in the Prefinal. No doubt he was still a little too
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tense in the close fights that there was no lack of at Salbris. He first got his bearings on the slippery and tricky track in the Final, which was run on rain tyres, before going on the attack. He then climbed back up to 13th position in preparation for the finish. Unfortunately, a group attack by his rivals on the last lap caused him to lose some of the benefit of his efforts and he finally finished 15th. Salbris’ difficult experience will allow Clément to develop new strategies in battle and allow him to approach the third meeting at Laval, in Mayenne, from 9th to 11th October with greater ambitions.
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NEW ERA F ENDURANCE IN
FOR FRANCE
FRENCH CHAMP. Endurance 1/3, Salbris
KEY POINTS Organiser
+
FFSA Karting
Location
+
Circuit International de Salbris, France - 1477 m
Date 28th-30th August, 2020
Entries 25 teams - 4 categories
First event of the season • Championship relaunched under the aegis of FFSA Karting • Excellent entry for the recovery Two 3-hour Elite/Espoir races • Mojo D2XX and W5 tyres • 90 minute run for Minime/Cadet • Vega Tyres • Variable times, wet track for Race 2
Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Vitor Lopes & Philippe Kalmès
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ÉLITE
BORDEAUX MALEVAUT SPORT HONOURED
V
ivien Cussac-Picot and Nicolas Picot with the No. 17 Bordeaux Malevaut Sport (Tony Kart/Rotax) made a big hit by taking the Elite pole position and then winning the two three-hour races. However, the No. 76 Circuit de l’Europe 2 (Sodi/Rotax) of Franck Chateauneuf and Charles Collignon never got very far in 2nd place. Ranked 3rd and 4th, the No. 5 Team LGB (Tony Kart/Rotax) of Arnaud Bouilland and Bruce Lorgère-Roux took 3rd place in the event, ahead of the No. 8 Kartrunner (Tony Kart/Rotax) of Alexandre Léotta and Julien Toscano and the No. 24 Kartagene Wintec (Sodi/Rotax) of Lukas Papin and Gwenaël Loison.
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ESPOIR
WINTEC KARTAGENE AHEAD OF TEAM VAL DE LOIRE 1
I
n Espoir, the performance was there thanks to the new weight limit and the best were on a par with the Elite category. The No. 100 Team Val de Loire 1 (Kosmic/Rotax) of Lucas Delaunay, Eliott Couche Guillou and Kevin Chaussis won Race 1, while the No. 124 Wintec Kartagene (Sodi/Rotax) of Camille Mcfarlane, Corentin Rousseau and Pierre Garat won in the very last laps of Race 2, taking 2nd place in the overall standings. The No. 176 Team SF Automatech (Tony Kart/Rotax) of Raphaël Narac, Tom Cavée and Edgar Pierre came in 3rd.
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CADET
RAPHANEL AND MÉRIEUX WINNERS
T
he 11 Minime/Cadet teams competed against each other on Saturday in a single 90-minute race. The battle for victory in the Cadet category was tight between the No. 221 Birel ART France Kartcom (Birel ART/ Rotax) of Arthur Raphanel and Kimi Mérieux and the No. 276 Circuit de l’Europe 3 of Tom Langlois (Birel ART/Rotax) and Louis Humbert (Sodi/Rotax). The 221 finally won with a 45” lead over the 276, while Julien Freze and Thomas Dreux (CRG/Rotax) took 3rd place on the podium with the No. 237 Team Cadets Val de Loire.
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MINIME
BIENAIMÉ AND MARCHAND WIN
T
eam No. 388 JHM (Energy/Iame) of Elouan Bienaimé and Maël Le Marchand distinguished themselves in Timed Practice as well as in the race by winning, one lap ahead of the team No. 328 Galaxy Compétition (Energy/Iame) of Tom Martinez and Matthéo Dauvergne and team No. 302 Cochet Baziret of Louis Cochet (Sodi/ Iame) and Louis Baziret (Parolin/Iame).
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Info KARTCOM - Frédéric Billet © Photo KSP - Philippe Kalmès
KARTAGENE AT THE ENDURANCE MEETING AT SALBRIS
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When you know about Kartagene’s passion for endurance, you understand better why the first meeting of the 2020 French Championship at Salbris was important. In partnership with Rodolphe Besnard’s Wintec team, one Kartagene team was entered in the Elite category and another in the Espoir category, the latter winning the 12 years and older category, while finishing 4th overall. In the Cadet class, two drivers who trained with Kartagene were in 3rd position and a very young Minime driver, from the Kartagene Rookie program, was making his competition debut.
CAMILLE MCFARLANE, CORENTIN ROUSSEAU AND PIERRE GARAT AT THE TOP OF ESPOIR Satisfaction was the order of the day with the team No. 124 Wintec Kartagene (Sodi/Rotax). Although the team is still in the running-in phase and several race management points need to be improved, Camille Mcfarlane, Corentin Rousseau and Pierre Garat were on the pace of the competition throughout the weekend. The 124 set the 2nd fastest time and 3rd fastest in Saturday’s 3-hour Race 1, while the 124 improved on Sunday in the second 3-hour race as track grip varied according to the rainy period. We even saw it at the top of the overall standings for a moment. In the final minutes, Wintec Kartagene reeled in the leader and won with a 3’’ lead on the line, with the fastest time, in 4th place in the scratch classification, which allowed them to win the overall victory in both races and take the lead in the Championship.
ELITE: PERFORMANCES AND SETBACKS FOR LUKAS PAPIN AND GWENAËL LOISON Team No. 24 Kartagene Wintec (Sodi/ Rotax) was constantly close to the best throughout the meeting. He set the 7th fastest time, 8 tenths from pole position, and then came back to 5th position in Race 1. In Race 2 he was the fastest while the track was slippery and he lapped less than a tenth of a second from the winner. Unfortunately, a collision causing a breakdown delayed Lukas Papin and Gwenaël Loison at the start and the four lap delay could never be made up.
JULIEN FREZE AND THOMAS DREUX ON THE PODIUM IN THE CADET CLASS
thus stay in contact with the leaders of the Championship.
CHENIER TAKES HIS FIRST STEPS IN COMPETITION Introduced to karting last year thanks to the Kartagene Rookie School, an annual training course on 4-stroke leisure karts, Bryan Chenier (Parolin/Iame) made his debut in competition during the French Endurance Championship. Racing with the only female of the Ambre Chaussis grid in the team No. 324 Minime Val de Loire, Bryan was not the fastest of the category, but he had the pleasure of taking the finish of his first competition, his head full of unforgettable memories and determined to do better at the next opportunity.
The two drivers of the No. 237 Team Cadets Val de Loire (CRG/Rotax) had followed the winter programme at Kartagene. They faced serious competition by showing good speed and effectiveness during the 90 minute race. Julien Freze and Thomas Dreux fought until the end to keep the 3rd place and
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JAPANESE DOMINATIO
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ON AT NOGARO
FRENCH CHAMP. F4 1/7, Nogaro
KEY POINTS Organisateur
+
FFSA Academy
Location
+
Circuit Paul Armagnac, Nogaro, France - 3636 m
Date 21st - 23rd August, 2020
Entry 14 drivers - 1 category
FFSA Academy Championship • New Renault Sport 1.3 turbo engine • Pirelli Tyres • Very international field • Satisfactory entry levels for the circumstances • Three races during the weekend • Fine weather
Info KARTCOM - Renaud Didier © Photo KSP - Guillaume Veuve
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The first race weekend of the 2020 season began with Japan’s Ayumu Iwasa on pole position ahead of his compatriot Ren Sato and France’s Isack Hadjar.
I
wasa and Sato confirmed their speed in Race 1 with a victorious double, while Hadjar embodied their most serious opponent. Marijn Kremers (NLD) and Sami Meguetounif (FRA) competed in the top five. With its inverted grid for the top 10, Race 2 gave the opportunity for Lev Lomko (RUS) to climb on the top step of the podium in front of Valentino Catalano (DEU) and Ivan Peklin (UKR). Iwasa and Sato repeated their performances in Race 3 by taking a new winning double. It should be noted that Hadjar had to retire on lap five due to technical problems. Romain Leroux (FRA) made a nice comeback from 8th to 3rd place by passing Rafael Villagomez (MEX) then Kremers who finished in the top five.
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Provisional ranking of the FFSA Academy French F4 Championship after Nogaro (1/7) 1
1
2 33 44 55 6 7 8 9 10 2
Ayumu Iwasa (JPN)
59 pts
Ren Sato (JPN)
38 pts
Rafael Villagomez (MEX)
26 pts
Marijn Kremers (NLD)
26 pts
Ivan Peklin (UKR)
24 pts
Valentino Catalano (DEU)
22 pts
Isack Hadjar (FRA)
19 pts
Lev Lomko (RUS)
16 pts
Romain Leroux (FRA)
15 pts
Sami Meguetounif (FRA)
10 pts
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Info KARTCOM - Renaud Didier © Photo KSP - Guillaume Veuve
A FIRST PODIUM IN FIA-F4 FOR UKRAINE’S
IVAN PEKLIN With his participation in the 2020 French F4 Championship, Ivan Peklin (age 18) is starting a new stage in his career, which began several years ago in karting. The Ukrainian has scored numerous podiums in his country, including two championships, and he also represented the colours of Ukraine at the FIA Karting Academy Trophy in 2016. The 2018 season was very important, with many international events in the very difficult and challenging KZ2 category. The following year he chose to race in single-seaters.
H
is debut was marked by remarkable performances in the East Asian and United Arab Emirates Championships. Ivan Peklin learned circuits that regularly host Formula 1 Grands Prix, such as Sepang in Malaysia and Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi. He also participated in the selection of future motor sport hopefuls organised by former F1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve’s Feed Racing Academy. Ivan managed to be one of the six finalists selected among
several dozens of participants from 10 different countries. Within the framework of the GT4 meeting at Nogaro that the FIA French F4 Championship started from 21st to 23rd August. This international reference competition is managed by the academy of the French Motor Sports Federation and has the particularity of putting all drivers on an equal footing. A single team manages the Mygale single-seaters
powered by a Renault Sport Turbo engine and equipped with Pirelli tyres. “This first meeting was very positive for me, with a lot of driving during the week and an excellent level of performance,” commented Ivan, “My progress was significant between Free Practice and Qualifying, where I set the 4th fastest time. Race 1 was quite difficult, I couldn’t do better than 7th. On the other hand, I was more able to attack in Race 2, with a starting grid decided by the reverse order of the top 10 in Race 1. The fight was intense until the end and I managed to climb on the third step of the podium after setting very fast lap times. It was very satisfying. I gave it my all again in Race 3, because I only started 9th. Even though overtaking is difficult at Nogaro, it ended with a 6th position with a gain of three places.” Ivan Peklin is now 5th in the provisional Championship with high ambitions for the rest of the season.
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Info KARTCOM - Renaud Didier © Photo KSP - Guillaume Veuve
NOAH ANDY A FIRST TOP 10 FOR HIS SINGLE-SEATER DEBUT IN F4
After two years spent in the French Junior Championship at the FFSA Academy - the federal training centre - Noah Andy became an experienced karting driver. The 16-year-old from Reunion Island, who didn’t hesitate to move to mainland France to pursue his career as a professional driver, took on a new challenge of single-seaters in the French F4 Championship. His first meeting was at Nogaro, where Noah demonstrated his ability to progress. After a clear round, he ended up taking 10th place in the last race of the weekend!
T
he long period without racing due to the off-season, then the lockdown following the coronavirus crisis, finally ended for Noah Andy! The Reunionese driver was eager to get on track again and especially to take part in his very first F4 race. This category, regulated by the
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International Automobile Federation, represents an ideal gateway for a kart driver wishing to progress through the different levels of motorsport. “Coming directly from the French Junior Karting Championship, entering the F4 category with the FFSA Academy was a logical next step in my career,”
said Noah. “This championship enjoys an excellent reputation. Drivers such as Pierre Gasly, Anthoine Hubert and Jean-Eric Vergne have come from it. The line-up is international and very strong. I know that I have a lot to learn and I am determined to give 100% to get the best possible results.”
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THREE CLEAR ROUNDS FOR NOAH Thanks to tests organised by the FFSA Academy during the week, Noah Andy was able to get even more familiar with the Mygale F4 powered by a turbocharged Renault Sport engine and equipped with Pirelli tyres. Friday’s free and timed practice sessions were relatively difficult, but the three races increased his motivation tenfold. “I got off to a great start in Race 1, I fought to the end to resist the pressure from my rivals and managed to finish 11th. Race 2 wasn’t the easiest because I lost a place from my starting position.” Thanks to constructive work with the FFSA Academy’s technical staff and good tyre management, Noah Andy was able to close the gap with the best in Race 3, while demonstrating good attacking. “I’ve had some great duels against drivers like Cabirou, Tangavelou and Lomko, who I managed to contain even though he had just won the previous race,” he said. Noah finally took the chequered flag in 10th position, scoring his first ever point in the French FIA-F4 Championship. The next round is at Magny-Cours from 11th to 13th September.
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Info KARTCOM - Renaud Didier © Photo KSP - Guillaume Veuve
OWEN TANGAVELOU
MAKES HIS DEBUT IN FIA-F4 SINGLESEATERS WITH THE FFSA ACADEMY Owen Tangavelou is a young, passionate and ambitious driver, who started his automotive training in 2020 in the French Formula 4 Championship. Originally from Meudon in the Paris region, he has had a different career path from the other competitors he will have to face this season, as he started kart racing late. But Owen is a determined driver and a fighter, ready to make sacrifices to succeed in his chosen discipline.
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hile it is possible to race in karting even before the age of 10 in the Minime category, Owen Tangavelou only discovered racing in 2019 at the age of 14. “From
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my first races, I’ve been racing against drivers more experienced than me,” Owen admits. “That always made me want to progress quickly and show my abilities. I first had the opportunity to race in KFS (Karting Formula Sport),
a formula that favours driving skill, as all the drivers line up with identical equipment. As the races went on, my performances kept improving.” In 2019, this young motorsport hopeful would also manage to enter the top five in a Brittany - Pays de la Loire Championship event in the National category, where most of the best French drivers aged 12 to 16 years old were racing.” Racing in a single-seater in a formula that ensures sporting fairness being one of the wishes of Owen and his supporters, it was quite natural that he turned to the French F4 Championship managed by the FFSA Academy, the federal structure that ensures the training and detection of the most promising drivers. “In 2020, the goal is clearly to learn my job as a driver and to progress during the races. That’s why I started a two-year programme, in order to reap the benefits of this apprenticeship next year.” Owen Tangavelou’s season started at Nogaro as part of the famous Easter Cup, postponed to the summer due to the pandemic. “It was a very constructive week thanks to the significant driving we did. Driving an F4 cannot be improvised! First of all you have to adjust your driving position perfectly and then there are a lot of things to assimilate, braking and aerodynamics for example. What made me happy is to have constantly progressed and to have never made big mistakes. The Mygale-Renault Sport Turbo-Pirelli single-seater that we have at our disposal is very efficient. At Nogaro, we were faster than the Aston-Martins, Mercedes, Alpines and BMWs that make up the French GT Championship field.” As Owen could expect, the standard of the French F4 Championship is still extremely high this year, with repeaters, World and French karting champions and drivers who have driven in F4 in other foreign championships. 13th in the official Qualifying session after an encouraging 10th place in Free Practice, Owen has been building up his strength over the weekend. “The 12th and 13th places in Races 1 and 2 didn’t really reflect the lap times I was able to achieve, especially in Race 1. Race 3, on the other hand, was better, with a climb from 13th to 9th place and excellent pace during the 55 km race. I also set the 5th fastest time in the race. I was still very fast at the end of the race despite the worn tyres. After this very positive first experience, I know that I can do even better in the next races.”
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Info KARTCOM - Renaud Didier © Photo Gruppe C GmbH - Alexander Trienitz
GERMAN F4 CHAMPIONSHIP STARTS WITH A PODIUM FOR
VICTOR BERNIER
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The 2019 French F4 Junior Champion in the FFSA Academy series, Victor Bernier has decided to enter the ADAC German Formula 4 Championship this season, another important step in the World Karting Champion’s career... “Last winter, we had several options and we deliberated for a long time before heading to Germany, where the standard is very high,” commented Victor. “We had a very good contact with Thibaut Mérindol’s R-ACE GP team. Since then the relationship has been excellent, we have had very successful test days and this was confirmed during the first round of the Championship at the Lausitzring.”
V
ictor Bernier demonstrated his talent from the first free practice session, taking 2nd place in the ranking, then 4th in the following one. “The track is quite old and bumpy, but I managed to adapt quite quickly. On Saturday morning, the two Qualifying sessions were very hard fought. I was only four tenths behind the pole position time, but I had to settle for 8th place. Luckily I improved my lap time in the second session, which ended in 4th position.” Victor was to experience this progress during the whole weekend, with constantly improving positions during the three races. “My start wasn’t very good in Race 1, but I managed to climb back up as the laps went on to finish 7th. The second race was better, I crossed the finish line in 4th position. The podium was close! Race 3 was difficult to manage, because it started to rain. I wanted a pit stop to put
on rain tyres, especially when the safety car came out. In the end, I managed to finish with the slicks, while coming back to 2nd position. Now, this first podium has to be the first of many...” Already 3rd in the provisional Championship, the young French hopeful draws a positive balance of this first event with R-ACE GP. “This year, every point will be important, because my objective is clearly to reach the final podium and even to fight for the title. Some drivers are repeating in this competition and will be difficult to beat, but I am determined to do my best”.
2020 CALENDAR 19 - 20 SEPTEMBER - HOCKENHEIM 24 - 27 SEPTEMBER - NÜRBURGRING 16 - 18 OCTOBER - RED BULL RING 30 OCTOBER / 01 NOVEMBER - ZANDVOORT 06 - 08 NOVEMBER - OSCHERSLEBEN
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FIRST EVENT - JUNIOR KARTING First event of the French Junior Championship at Anneville
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KARTCOM NEWS #60
NSK Angerville
National Series Karting Angerville
R VIDEO
ANTHOINE HUBERT F1 Tribute to Anthoine Hubert from F1
FIA Karting Sarno
FIA Karting Sarno highlights
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