Vroom Kart International #183 - September 2016

n. 183 september 2016 € 5.00

international

karting

photo fm press

w w w.v r o o m k a rt.c o m

FANT

4

STIC

Marco Ardigò (Tony Kart/Vortex – KZ), Fabian Federer (CRG/Modena Engines - KZ2), Pedro Hiltbrand (CRG/Parilla – OK) and Finlay Kenneally (FA Kart/Vortex - OK Junior) win the European Championship, the most important CIK-FIA event with more rounds.

TALKING TO VICTOR MARTINS / ANTONIO GIOVINAZZI CLOSE UP SAFETY FIRST SPECIAL YOUNG DRIVERS’ PROGRAMS

TRACK TEST

AYRTON BECHERINI TESTED THE NEW MIR RIB PROTECTOR WITH DR RACING

VROOM ALL THIS AND MUCH MORE

Magazine, Web, Digital version, Multimedia, news from the world and much more...

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CONTENTS SEPTEMBER 2016 12

28 SPECIAL

CIK-FIA EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP

COLUMNS

18

72 VROOMBOX 98 2016 INTERNATIONAL RACING CALENDAR

NEWS

6 MONDOKART 12 CLOSE UP SAFETY FIRST TALKING TO 14 VICTOR MARTINS 18 ANTONIO GIOVINAZZI 22 SPECIAL YOUNG DRIVERS’ PROGRAMS

RACE REPORTS

28 CIK-FIA KZ / KZ2 / OK / OK JUNIOR EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS – GENK (BEL) 54 ROTAX MAX EURO CHALLENGE – SALBRIS (FRA) 58 US GRAND NATIONALS – SONOMA (USA) 62 ROTAX MAX AUSTRALIAN PRO TOUR – PUCKAPUNYAL (AUS) 66 NEW ZEALAND ROTAX MAX CHALLENGE – WELLINGTON (NZ) 68 MSA KARTMASTERS BRITISH GP – GRANTHAM (UK)

TECHNICAL SIDE

76 BENCH TEST PART 2 82 TRACK TEST DR S97 / MIR RIB PROTECTOR 92 TELEMETRICKS CHANGING SEEMS EASY

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mondokart NEWS & PREVIEWS

MODENA ENGINES ANNOUNCES COMMERCIAL AGREEMENT WITH DANILO ROSSI A bright commercial future for the MODENA ENGINE Karting Division has been assured for the medium term with an innovative agreement being announced today.

Under the agreement, Danilo Rossi undertakes the full development of the Karting Division of the engine manufacturer Modena Engines with the DR Racing Kart organization appointed as global authorized wholesaler securing further significant market penetration.

Modena Engines' Managing Director, Antonio Gerardi was clearly delighted with this announcement.

"To Modena Engines, karting represents a major technical challenge, which at the same time has an important communicative function for the company as a whole, as well as for its products.

With a view to these two objectives, the new agreement, offers ideal conditions and clearly highlights the Modena Engines karting strategy."

For information contact: info@drracingkart.it info@modena-engines.it

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MODENA ENGINES USA OFFERS RENTAL PACKAGES FOR SKUSA SUPERNATIONALS

COMPLETE RENTAL PACKAGES AVAILABLE FOR COMPETITION IN THE ELITE KZ2 CLASS

Modena Engines USA will be offering complete engine rental packages for the upcoming Superkarts! USA SuperNationals 20.

The event, which is just under two months away, takes place on a temporary course at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Nevada and draws top drivers from around the globe. Modena will be offering rental packages for the KK1 and the MKZ engine models, both of which are highly competitive in the KZ2 class.

Modena Engines has already made a strong name for itself in the four short years since its inception. This year, the brand claimed the title of European Champion in KZ2, with Fabian Federer beating out the competition on his CRG-Modena package.

Here in the US, Modena is consistently on the podium in the Gearup F Series. Most recently, it took the top spot at the last round with Rory Van der Steur winning onboard a Kosmic-Modena. Modena Engines has also made a name for itself at the SKUSA SuperNationals event, where it has been present in competition for the last two years.

The engine package, designed and produced in Italy, boasts a compact design that allows for a wide range of chassis movement and space for the driver. Known for its reliability in a variety of racing conditions, the engine' s performance is enhanced by a rear-tilted cylinder and an efficient lubrication system.

If you are interested in renting a Modena engine package for the SuperNationals event, contact Phil Davis at info@modenaenginesusa. com or Fisher Racing Engines at fisherracingengines@hotmail.com.

mondokart NEWS & PREVIEWS

THRILLING WEEKEND

The 2016 season ends with two exciting events on the same weekend in the same country: Italy. Let’s find out more about the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals and the ROK Cup International Finals …

Single make series work well, and these two championships are a practical demonstration: kart drivers from all over the world will race on a levelled field with a reasonable budget and enjoy the thrill of a global competition.

In this year the two most iconic single make series in the world have their international finals on the same weekend, in the same country: ª rokkersº are racing in Lonato while their colleagues in the Rotax MAX Challenge will hit the renewed circuit in Sarno, both finals are scheduled for the 21st and 22nd of October.

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Similar concepts, but important differences¼

ROTAX MAX CHALLENGE GRAND FINALS 2016 The 17th edition of the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals will be held in Sarno on the renewed ª Circuito Internazionale di Napoliº . More than 50 countries represented by 360 drivers who will heat up the Italian track to fight for the world title. It' s the third time that Italy hosts the Rotax Grand Finals: in 2008 and 2010 they raced at La Conca.

In 1997 BRP launched a new engine for fun driving: the Rotax 125

MAX. Two years later they launched the first national series; the Rotax MAX Challenge, and the year after they introduced the Rotax MAX 125 Junior and organized the first Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals. The Rotax 125 MAX DD2 was introduced in 2002: an innovative engine whose drive system had no chain and a 2-speed gearbox; then in 2004 and 2007 came the Rotax 125 MAX Mini and Micro.

This year the final round dedicated to Rotax classes will also open to the Micro and Mini categories, thanks to a recently announced

decisions on behalf of the FIA World Motor Sport Council and the CIK to allow younger drivers to race outside their home countries: drivers, who hold a national licence, will be able to take part in national competitions outside their home countries, with the permission of their ASN and, the RMCGF remains a national competition with international participation, allowing young drivers to participate.

Chassis are provided

by RMCGF' s tecnical partners: BirelART will support the Rotax 125 MAX DD2 and 125 Mini

2015 ROTAX CHAMPIONS NATIONS CUP 1st United States of America 2nd South Africa 3rd The Netherlands 125 JUNIOR MAX 1st Florian Venturi 2nd Mathias Ramirez-Barrero 3rd Caio Collet 125 MAX DD2 MASTERS 1st Ryan Urban 2nd Jim Ringelberg 3rd Gabriel Zughella 125 MAX 1st Alex Alex 2nd Lucas Selliken 3rd Jordan Sherratt 125 MAX DD2 1st Ferenc Kancsar 2nd Andreas Backman 3rd Mads Thomsen

2015 ROK CHAMPIONS ROK MINI 1st Leonardo Marseglia 2nd Carlton Crawford 3rd Mattia Michelotto ROK JUNIOR 1st Danny Carenini 2nd Stuart White 3rd Francesco Pagano ROK 1st Szymon Szyszko 2nd John Norris 3rd Daniele Barbero ROK SUPER 1st Danilo Albanese 2nd Alessandro Vantini 3rd Lorenzo Travisanutto ROK SHIFTER 1st Giacomo Pollini 2nd Mattia Vita 3rd Mattia Lugli

provides Praga chassis for the Rotax 125 Junior MAX and 125 Micro MAX classes, and Sodikart will support the Rotax 125 MAX class as well as the 125 MAX DD2 Masters category with its chassis.

Official tyre supplier is Mojo Tyres.

ROK CUP INTERNATIONAL FINAL 2016 The South Garda Karting circuit will be once again the stage for the Rok Cup International Final that is going to welcome ª rokkersº from all the world. The Rok Cup started in 2003 when Vortex decided to set up a single make series for its engines, basing the series on four pillars: easy to use, high performance, low maintenance costs and stable regulations. Right from the first edition, the Rok Cup grew in the numbers of drivers and countries involved, and now the Rok Cup International Final is attended by over 300 ª rokkersº from all the continents. It started in Italy and has expanded throughout Europe, then it crossed ocean and reached Africa, Asia, America and Australia.

During its evolution, the Rok Cup introduced new engines and categories: the Rok Junior engine was introduced in 2005 and the following year (2006) the Mini Rok and Super Rok engines completed the range. In 2013, they presented the Rok Shifter. Last year the range was completed with the introduction of the 2015 Micro Rok and Rok DVS.

2016 ROTAX CLASSES ROTAX 125 MICRO MAX

ROTAX 125 MAX

Age Licence Chassis Weight Engine Power

Age Licence Chassis Weight Engine Power

from 8 to 10 years International C Praga Piccolo EVO 105/115 kg* Rotax 125 Micro MAX EVO 8 hp at 7,500 RPM

over 15 years International C Sodi Sigma RS 165 kg Rotax 125 MAX EVO 30 hp at 11,500 RPM

ROTAX 125 MINI MAX

ROTAX 125 MAX DD2

Age Licence Chassis Weight Engine Power

Age Licence Chassis Weight Engine Power

from 10 to 13 years International C BirelART C28-Y 125/135 kg* Rotax 125 Mini MAX EVO 15 hp at 8,500 RPM

* depending on national regulations

ROTAX 125 JUNIOR MAX Age Licence Chassis Weight Engine Power

from 13 to 16 years International C Praga Dragon EVO XS3 145 kg Rotax 125 Junior MAX EVO 23 hp at 8,500 RPM

From the age of 15 International C BirelART CRY30-RX – DD2 173 kg Rotax 125 MAX DD2 EVO 34 hp at 12,000

ROTAX 125 MAX DD2 MASTERS Age Licence Chassis Weight Engine Power

over 32 years International C Sodi Sigma DD2 177 kg Rotax 125 MAX DD2 EVO 34 hp at 12,000

2016 ROK CLASSES Drivers with Italian racing licence:

ROK MINI Age Licence

Engine Weight

from 8 to 13 years National D National C Junior International C Junior Rok Mini 110 kg

Drivers with racing licence released by a foreign ASN:

ROK MINI Age Licence

Engine Weight

from 9 to 13 years National + ASN’s autorizzation International C Junior + ASN’s autorizzation (if required) Rok Mini 110 kg

ROK JUNIOR Age Licence Engine Weight

ROK SENIOR Age Licence Engine Weight

over 15 years International C Senior International B Rok GP 160 kg

ROK SUPER Age Licence Engine Weight

over 15 years International C Senior International B Rok DVS 155 kg

ROK SHIFTER Age Licence Engine Weight

over 15 years International C Senior International B Rok Shifter 180 kg

from 13 to 16 years International C Junior International C Senior Rok Junior 145 kg

22th October 2016 VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE 9

mondokart NEWS & PREVIEWS

OKKART Srl Registered office: Via Mozart, 50 - 04011 Aprilia (Italy) info@vroom.it - www.vroom.it Giuliano Ciucci Giuliani (Editor in chief) cggiuliano@vroom.it FABINA GAVILLUCCI (Executive editor) fgavillucci@vroom.it WALTER GUCCI wgucci@vroom.it MARIA VERRENGIA mverrengia@vroom.it SPECIAL COLUMNS Maurizio Voltini

RACE OF STARS BUILT UP FOR 2016

CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE A. Becherini, C. Schindel, Canadiankartingnews, Fast Company, FM Press, Lee Hanatschek, Kartpix.net, Bethany Lawson, B. Leong, Motorsport@Officineinprogress, OTK&MC, D. Paolicelli, D.Pastanella, R. Piccinini, Press.net, A. Roca, RGMMC, S. Suardi, I. Ward, C. Walker F. Weir SUBSCRIPTIONS info@vroom.it

Race of Stars International karting event will come to life again in October at the Gold Coast Motorsport Training Centre on Queensland’s iconic Gold Coast.

As a part of SuperFest surrounding the Castrol Gold Coast 600 Supercars event the invitational race has been expanded to three days on October 14-16.

SuperFest - an initiative of the Queensland Government, City of Gold Coast and Supercars Australia is a community events program that provides support to organisations and groups wishing to host events and projects that contribute to the festival surrounding the Castrol Gold Coast 600.

“It’s fantastic to be able to support the Race of Stars again in 2016, an event that has become one of the most exciting and anticipated off track events in the Gold Coast calendar,” said Supercars Australia Off Track Event Manager Shane Porter “We have visitors who fly in from all over the world to take part and its great to be able to get behind Karting Australia as part of the celebration in the lead up to the Supercars Castrol Gold Coast 600.”

The Race of Stars will see the young drivers from ten years of age through to the most experienced in the international-standard KZ2 class in action.

“Since the first event in 2013 the Race of Stars has been developed into the ‘jewel in the crown’ of Australian karting. It’s a one off event that has amazing appeal and we’re looking forward to another fantastic event

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in October,” said Karting Australia CEO Kelvin O’Reilly.“The Race of Stars is one of the most unique karting events in the world and provides a karting event that the Gold Coast community can proudly call their own. The involvement and support of Supercars through SuperFest is tremendous for the sport of karting.”

Ian Holm, owner and operator of the Gold Coast Motorsport Training Centre, welcomed the announcement of the event returning in 2016: “It is events like the Race of Stars that help make sure that the Gold Coast as a destination for motorsport drivers and fans from all across the world. All year round we have people coming to our venue talking about the Race of Stars and we’re delighted to be able to say it’s on again in October.”

After three successful events, that have attracted some of the World’s best drivers, Event Co-ordinator Lee Hanatschek believes that the 2016 event will again see Australia’s best line up against some of the world’s top drivers: “Throughout the past three years we’ve had the pleasure of seeing Australia’s best young drivers take on the world’s best and this year will be no different. By expanding to three days it will provide the opportunity for competitors to enjoy more track time on what is considered to be one of the most thrilling circuits in the country. It will also allow them to experience more of the Gold Coast while attending the event.”

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duction wholly or in part of texts and graphic material and translations of the same is forbidden unless prior authorisation has been given by publisher. All reports and illustrations received as contributions by the publisher will not be returned even if these are not published, and the magazine assumes no responsibility for their safety, even in case of rare examples. Neither dvoes the magazine assume any responsibility for articles published therein or any errors contained. All articles published are without patent right; furthermore articles bearing a registered trade mark will be used at contributors risk.

PROTECT YOUR CHASSIS KG CHASSIS PROTECTION KIT – FIT ALL –

• Can be mounted on any chassis • Manufactured using strong,smooth, low-friction material • Highly functional • Consistently effective by actual test

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close up

FRONT BUMPERS

SAFETY FIRST Like in all motorsport, the CIK-FIA is trying to improve safety in karting too, and reduce dirty play by clearing the issue concerning front bumpers. In the meantime, private promoters are working on their own solution for this problem…

REPORT: A. ROCA PICS: WAFEPROJECT /RGMMC PRESS OFFICE

In Adria, the duel up front between Karol Basz and Tom Joyner ended up in a contact that opened the way for the European title for Pedro Hiltbrand. This is motorsport and it happens. The strange thing was though, that no penalties were given and yet the accident was real, evident… There were no front fairing dislodged, so no penalties for anyone.

This fact gave rise to discussions in the paddock; maybe the new regulation was too simple: is just the single parameter of dislodged front fairing enough to guarantee a fair competition? Clearly, the answer was: no.

At the end of 2015 season, the CIK-FIA came up with this new regulation, but now they have seen that there’s a big problem concerning safety and fair play, so they have decided to change the rule to guarantee a fair competition. There will be a new homologation regulation concerning front fairings coming out for 2017; however, the new regulations for international karting events will be applicable as from 1st November 2016, which is before the CIK-FIA World Championship in Bahrain. The new regulations relate firstly to the front bumper tubes connected to the front fairing and to the control of its compliance with pushing tests, both to be approved at the end of the race.

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As you can see in the picture and from the Technical Drawing No. 8.2.0, the steel part of the front bumper is made of two tubes connected together. The new CIK-FIA regulation foresees that “there must be a clearance at all points between the front bumpers (lower and upper tube) and the front fairing of at least 27 mm at all times”. The size and shape of these bars will be more closely regulated. Moreover, the two corners of the upper bar must have a constant curve radius. The same applies for the lower bar. The length of the straight part of the lower bar must be between 300 and 310 mm (+/- 5 mm), and the straight length of the upper bar must be between 380 and 390 mm (+/- 5 mm), in relation to the longitudinal axis of the kart.

AHD has been developed in collaboration with Spanish electronic experts from Pixelcom; it consists of two sensors fixed to the rear bumper. They are made out of rubber and are screwed between the rear bumper and the metal plate. The sensors turn the rear bumper into a big pressure sensor that measures the intensity of impacts and pushing. A small transmitter sends the information and data via radio frequency (RF) technology automatically to race control, which can react to any unfair incident.

The sensibility of the system has been adjusted, meaning that the system distinguishes different intensities of impacts and registers only the most important ones.

"LIKE SOME OTHERS, WE HAVE NOT BEEN VERY HAPPY WITH THE CURRENT SOLUTION OF THE CIK-FIA FRONT FAIRING MOUNTING" SAYS JAMES GEIDEL - RGMMC VICE PRESIDENT "AHD OPTIMIZES THE PROCESS OF CONTROLLING AND PENALIZING. WE THINK THAT THIS IS AN IMPROVED STANDARD FOR ALL PARTIES OF KARTING. IT IS A USEFUL INSTRUMENT FOR ORGANISERS AND GUARANTEES ONCE AGAIN PURER RACING FOR DRIVERS." VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE 13

OUTSIDER “WORK IN SILENCE AND LET SUCCESS BE YOUR NOISE” THIS SAYING FITS PERFECTLY WITH VICTOR MARTINS A FRENCH DRIVER, RACING FOR VDK RACING WHO GRABBED THIRD IN THE CIK-FIA OK JUNIOR EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP. REPORT: A. ROCA / PICS: R. PICCININI / WAFEPROJECT

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TALKING TO VICTOR MARTINS

Everyone in the CIK-FIA paddock in Portimao was asking “who’s that guy?”

So, we decided to find out who Victor Martins actually is.

Victor Martins is a 15-year-old from Varennes-jarcy, Ile de France, he was a champion gymnast and started racing in 2014: from 2015 he is under the watchful eyes of the FFSA who spotted him when he was racing in France. From scratch to the European

championship podium in just three years… In 2016, Victor started the season with 20th in the WSK Super Master Series, some good results in the Iame X30 Challenge Europe and after he took a win in the DKM and two wins in the European championship, successes that took him close to the European title.

What’s happened to Victor Martins since

Portimao? Has anything changed?

“I changed my approach since the 2nd round of the European Championship in Adria with Julien Abelli (SIMUMOTION) and VDK Racing, we changed my preparation and my recovery time. And it worked out properly!”

What do you think after this amazing European championship?

“I’m happy with the end of the

VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE 15

TALKING TO VICTOR MARTINS

From a gym to racing: Victor Martins moves from national events to a world championship in just three years.

European Championship because I won two consecutive races, in Portimao and in Genk. But I' m also very disappointed with the beginning of my season because due to two stupid mistakes we lost points.º After being so close to the European championship, the next step is to win the World title in November, isn' t it? ª I' m in the right mood, but the race is still too far from now, so I' m going to work very hard for Bahrain.º OK, let' s go back to the beginnings: why

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karting? Where does your passion come from? ª It comes from my admiration for F.1 drivers. Before I was French gymnastic champion. Three years ago one of my father' s friends made me try karting and it started from there. I started karting in 2013 and racing in 2014. I finished 3rd in the cadet class at the French Championship in 2015 and 4th in the French Cup. Then, this year I started in OK-J with VDK Racing.º Any plans for the future?

ª My aim is to show the junior team that I have a professional approach so that they' ll give me a chance to pass to car racing.º Is there anyone outside your family who is important for your racing career? A mentor, a manager' or simply a person who gives you advice on your racing career? ª Yes, outside the VDK team, there is one person who is very important for my career, and who really tries to get the best out of me, his name is Julien Abelli whose company is ª Simumotionº , where there are different experts: mental, physics and diet. All his professional experts help with my training.º Can you tell us who Victor Martins is when he is not on the track? Have you got any hobbies or interests? ª Off the track I' m a normal lad who goes to school and see my friends. I like skiing and simulator. But I also have to follow my physical preparation 3 to 4 times a week.º

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TALKING TO ANTONIO GIOVINAZZI

Ace from Puglia FROM MARTINA FRANCA (ITALY) TO THE TOP OF INTERNATIONAL MOTORSPORT: ANTONIO GIOVINAZZI HAS COME UP STRONG WITH SUCCESSFUL RACING TO BECOME AN ITALIAN RISING STAR IN THE GP2, THE LAST STEP OF THE PROPAEDEUTIC CLASSES BEFORE MOVING TO THE TOP SERIES. REPORT: A. ROCA / PICS: PRESS.NET

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Besides the cute, circular, houses in this part of the world called the “trulli”, Martina Franca is a small town near Taranto, we know about it in motorsport because it’s where Antonio Giovinazzi, a Prema Powerteam GP2 driver was born. After a hard start in Monaco and Barcellona Antonio gets a double win in Baku proving his skill on a very particular and technical circuit.

From karting to karting: the “ace driver” who started off from the Touch & Go karting circuit in Martina Franca has now made his fortune in Asia and comes back to set the pace in the European F3. After a brief spell in the le Mans Series and Audi tester in the DTM, Antonio has found his way through to GP2, but whenever he can he’s happy to go back to a karting circuit as guest or fitted out for racing.

He first came in contact with karts when he was 3, then at the age of 7 he took part in his first regional racing events. From there on it has been a steady climb to success in the karting world right up to the WSK KF2 title win in 2011. They say you never forget your first love, and here you are in Lonato lapping with CRG: do you often practice with karts?

Sure, karting is the best way to practice for a racing driver and it’s always a pleasure for me to get into a kart. I’m thankful to CRG for having given me this opportunity to practice on such a splendid day in Lonato. It was great to go back to the good old days; I hope I get more chances to do so…

Have you ever had a chance of trying the new OK karts? If you have, can you tell us what differences you have noticed compared to the KF2?

I haven’t had the pleasure of trying an OK yet. I left karting when I was in KF2 and now I drive a KZ for practising. But, you never know, I will try an OK as soon as I get a chance to do so.

Let’s get back to you: is there another important family, besides your own family that has helped you with your racing career? The Gelaels. How did you get to

know them and how has your relationship evolved over the years?

True the Gelaels are a very important family for me, both in my life and in my career. I met Ricardo Gelael and his son Sean in 2011, when they were testing the PCR chassis for their team Sean GP; I was then PCR official driver.

It all started back then, the year after I was racing for their team for my last racing events in karting before making my debut in the single seater together with Sean, in the Formula Pilot China Series. I have a great relationship with a fantastic family like the Gelaels that has become stronger and stronger over the 5 years I spent in the single seater with Sean, we’re practically like brothers. If I am where I am now, I certainly owe them a lot and I will always be thankful to them...

What does leaving Martina Franca for Asia to follow a dream at the age of 19 mean to you? What have been the most difficult aspects of this adventure for you?

At first, it was very difficult to leave my birthplace, my family and my friends.

What made me do it was the reason for which I did it, my love for this sport and now I can say that I am very happy

for having done it and the way things have turned out, starting with my first championship in such a faraway place like Indonesia.

Three years in F.3, first with Double R and then with Carlin: in your opinion what has F.3 got compared to the GP3?

Three seasons in F.3 helped me a lot.

The chassis in F.3 is hard to drive being a car with lots of down-force and little horsepower: these are characteristics that require perfect drive style and great concentration, without counting the overall competition level, which has been very high over these past seasons. I’ve had to compete with lots of excellent drivers, as you can see from qualifying time stopped, so many within a few tenths. Also the way the engineers and mechanics work is really extraordinary, the level it’s reached now is very high. Yes, I’m really satisfied with the time I spent in F.3, it allowed me to build up from the bottom and this was very useful for me to go on to GP2.

DTM, Asia Le Mans Series and then GP2: tell u show things have changed for you to decide to go on to automobiles and even

VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE 19

TALKING TO ANTONIO GIOVINAZZI

F.3 as a trampoline to professional driving: lots of aerodynamic load and little power means you have to carry out accurate driving

Antonio and Sean shared the cockpit for the Asiatic and European Le Mans Series attempt the escalation for F.1 via the main way.

In fact, last year I got to know a lot of categories: besides being with F.3, I raced with Audi in DTM and I had my first experience also with LMP2,which in between the two seasons took me to the East again for the Asian Le Mans Series and then again to Europe, with the ELMS Series. Among the various brilliant experiences I have had there’s the DTM, which is very important because it offered me the opportunity to race for a factory like ’Audi, which is a great honour for me. Then this year I had the opportunity of taking part in the GP2 and with an important team like the Prema Racing, yet again, thanks to the Gelaels. The results confirm that I had taken the right decision.

At last GP2 with Prema: the season starts with four zeros then you made up for it at Baku. Got your confidence back and also good points at Silverstone: what was the Keystone for changing tendency so radically after the first four races?

In fact the season didn’t start as we had expected it to. After being with the top five in both sessions of pre20 VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE

important things that professional drivers require besides skilful driving? What advice would you give young kart drivers who look to professional racing?

I think that at the base of a driver’s formation there must be a good dose of humbleness, enough to enable him to keep his feet on the round and his head on his shoulders while aiming to achieve a dream, the greatest dream for any driver is F.1.At the same time you have to concentrate on work, hard work also on physical formation and you must be 100% fit in the technical sessions with the team engineers. championship testing, I was very unlucky with the two first races in Barcelona and Monte Carlo in Monte Carlo I was up front but then I had brake problems and this slowed me down. In Baku, it was the first weekend where everything went smoothly, no problems, and out potential soon came through, the results prove it. The weekend in Azerbaijan was a fantastic weekend, and this bucked us all up: since that moment we have continued to get good results and I hope we’ll continue to do so.

At the moment which are the most

Tell us about a typical day for Antonio Giovinazzi…

I do a lot of physical training during the day, and I still do it even after having moved closer to Prema. Then there is also technical training, which I do with engineers And in the past on a simulator. My life as a driver is 100% concentration, but that doesn’t mean without free time and relaxing with friends at the weekend. Obviously without exaggerating because I have to keep my concentration for the next race weekend.

THE LONG HARD PATH TOWARDS PROFESSIONAL DRIVING AND THE TOP SERIES OFTEN STARTS FROM KARTING, WHEN TALENT SCOUTS NOTICE VERY YOUNG SKILLED DRIVERS. REPORT: A. ROCA

THE LONG WAY TO

he last one in chronological order is the close relationship between Tony Kart and the Ferrari Driver Academy: a partnership that has been set up to form tomorrow’s champions and helping them through from the start guiding them long their first steps towards international karting. But, is this a novelty?

Absolutely not, there are lots of cases where young skilled kart drivers enter the orbit of official teams.

So we have dug into the menders of programs for young drivers whose roots go back to karting.

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YOUNG DRIVERS’ PROGRAMS

O THE TOP

MCLAREN YOUNG DRIVER PROGRAMME McLaren in the person of Ron Dennis, ex team principal of the Woking team, was one of the first organisations who believed in a karting breeding ground: in 1998 young man called Lewis Hamilton went to the English manager and asked if he could race for him and, seeing that seeing the skill of this young driver capable of finning with karts that weren’t the top, Dennis agreed and offered him a contract building up a program for him that went up to his debut in F.1 in 2007 and he won the world title in 2008 always in force with Woking. Lewis’ youth meets another young blonde driver from another social background, very different to his, Niko Rosberg’s son. The two live together under the MBM tent (MBM and for Mercedes-Benz-McLaren) which was run by Dino Chiesa and under the patron’s (Giancarlo Tinnini) watchful eye. The manager from Padova is the reference point of another talented driver in the McLaren breeding round in 2010: Nyck De Vries. The Dutch driver starts karting and stands out in 2007 in KF3 when he came second both in the Belgian championship and in the Dutch and got a place of honour in the Rotax Junior too. T following year he became the German champion and also won in the WSK. In 2009 he takes home the continental title, the WSK and the German title always in KF3. His career in karts continues up to 2011, the year when he passes to KF. At the moment the Dutch driver, born in 1995, is in force with the ART GP team in GP3 where he’s spending a very hard season, he’s having difficulty in letting his talent come through as it should.

“NYCK IS THE PERFECT COMBINATION OF TWO

DIFFERENT CHARACTERS

LIKE LEWIS AND NICO: HE IS PERFECT.” D. CHIESA

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YOUNG DRIVERS’ PROGRAMS DINO CHIESA, TEAM PRINCIPAL CRG A brief but necessary flashback on the two year period 2000-2001 and some differences between Rosberg and Hamilton: “MBM was set up at the end of 1999: already from 1997 Nico Rosberg was with CRG, and Keke asked me to set up a team for Formula and with the help of AMG

in which he lets Lewis Hamilton, already a McLaren protégé, makes his debut in international races. The team was to continue for three years, but already after two yeas the wins were sufficient for the two drivers to go on to car racing. We could say that the team had a double soul: a McLaren that responded to Lewis and an AMG/Mercedes represented

by Nico; however, there was no intromission in running the team.

Lewis was pure talent, Nico was a brilliant tester and was very good at setting up his kart. If we go over Rosberg’s career it’s true that he was an eternal second, but look at who his team mates were: Robert Kubica in CRG from 1998 to when he moved to MBM, and Robert was another crystalline talent; Lewis Hamilton in MBM and then also in

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F.1. Before being with Hamilton in the pit Nico had to deal with the likes of Michael Schumacher! If Hamilton hadn’t been from that generation of pilots, maybe now Nico would be three times world champion...!”

In 2010 McLaren takes on another young kart driver, Nyck De Vries.

“It may seem a paradox, but Nyck is the perfect union of two different characters like Lewis and Nico: he’s perfection, and that is what he looked to every time that he went near a kart. Already at the age of 13 he was a professional driver and he still is. This is the reason why he has won all there is to win: he is pure talent and leaves nothing to chance. The rest has come by itself.

After an excellent season last year in WSR 3.5 by Renault he has had to work hard to get used to a car again, which is slower, like the GP3: McLaren had set up another budget for another season in WSR, but having become a private series (run

by Alguersuari Sr.author’s note) they decided to change, but the budget was too low for GP2 and the has fallen back on GP3. It has taken him a while to get used to it, and lady luck left him on several occasions, otherwise he’d be up front fighting for the title.”

Lamborghini and Ferrari have recently officially entered the karting world; and the manager had something to say: It’s good to see that there is interest in the car racing world for karting, but I’d hate to think that these programs are simply

face value operations. I hope that the results will be concrete.

Lamborghini doesn’t have any previous experience in this sense, instead Ferrari with its Ferrari Driver Academy does, even if not officially in karting. Yet the program for young drivers at Maranello hasn’t managed to take anyone to the maximum formula… Instead, things are different for the programs set up by Red Bull, which has reached its aim, even if it has left behind a long trail of pilots. Helmut Marko has always told me that he isn’t interested in entering actively in karting: if they are fast once they have entered for the minor formulas, then they will think about it. Karting and cars are more distanced than what one may think.”

What characteristics should a driver have to be noticed by a talent scout?

“By now just speed isn’t enough: it could be a phenomenon, but intelligence and the will power to work are essential qualities. You only have to look at an F.1: they are jets!

First of all with all those controls on the steering wheel, if you want everything to work well, first you have to be an aeroplane pilot and then for cars if you want everything to work as it should! If you are a pure talent, maybe you can make it in karting, but going on to cars there are a lot more parameters and it means you have to work on them, if not you won’t get very far, and those who look for new Hamiltons for the future are aware of this. Karting still has a bit of allowance but car racing if pure professionalism.”

LAMBORGHINI KART DRIVERS PROGRAM The newborn Lamborghini Kart Drivers Program has as its peculiarity the aim of allowing kart drivers from the GT to grow for the future of the Sant’Agata Bolognese racing team. In January 2015 McLaren launched its program for GT drivers, but it doesn’t have its roots in karting.

Ferruccio Lamborghini’s firm has made a partnership with Danilo Rossi and his DR Racing tem: the five times karting world champion has been chosen as talent scout and reference team for Lamborghini in the world of karting. The program started around 11th July with the first day of training for DR drivers at the circuit in Adria, where Mirko Bortolotti was coach driver going from kart to the Huracan SuperTrophy to show the young drivers the differences (enormous) between a kart and a top level GT. Danilo’s hard task is to choose the future official drivers for the Lamborghini Racing Team, and we are sure that the expert team manager will do a brilliant job.

FERRARI DRIVER ACADEMY

“I AM VERY PROUD TO START MY COLLABORATION WITH FERRARI DRIVER ACADEMY WE’LL GIVE OUR SUPPORT WORKING VERY HARD WITH THE YOUNG DRIVERS”.

ROBERTO ROBAZZI, OTK GROUP PATRON

The Ferrari Driver Academy has officially entered the world of karting with a partnership with Tony Kart Racing Team. These two realities had already met even if not officially back in the days of Michael Schumacher, very close to the Robazzis set up: we all remember the participation of the more times over F.1 world champion in the 2001 CIK-FIA world champion where he took second behind Vitantonio Liuzzi. The tradition continues with his son Mick who has taken his first steps in international karting with the team from Prevalle and his brother Ralf who uses OTK material for his KSM Racing team.

“I am very proud to start my collaboration with Ferrari Driver Academy” says Roberto Robazzi, OTK

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YOUNG DRIVERS’ PROGRAMS RENAULT SPORT ACADEMY With experience in classes like F. Renault 3.5 and F. Renault 2.0 that have forged several professional drivers now on the scene, the transalpine firm was sure to be among those who set up a program for young drivers to train and “draw” up closet to the top racing formula. With this aim in mind, the RF1 Driver Programme was born in 2002, which was then run by Flavio Briatore.

In 2011 the F.1 Renault team changes into the Lotus Renault GP, and the name of the program

Above, Juan Manuel Correa on grid with Energy Corse. Now he races in F.4 with Prema Powerteam.

Right: Jehan Daruvala is the only driver racing for Force India Formula One Team Academy.

group patron “we’ll give our support working very hard with the young drivers. It will be a job that requires constancy and foresight, something that we have always believed in and invested in like Tony Kart has. We are proud to have become partners in this prestigious project that aims to form and train skilled drivers.

I would like to thank Ferrari for wanting to involve Tony Kart in the FDA project.”

In any case, there is a kart driver in FDA: the present European F3 driver Guan Yu Zhou has been in the Maranello program since June 2014, when he was still driving for Strawberry Racing competing in the Rotax Max Euro Challenge and in he CIK-FIA European championship in KF. Junior champion in 2012 in the Rotax Max Euro Challenge he doesn’t add any more titles to his karting results. After one year’s militancy with Prema in the Italian F.4, the move to the third series comes with the Motopark team.

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“follows suit” changes its name to LRGP Academy. The tormented name of this program doesn’t end here, because the following year it becomes Lotus F.1 Team iRace Professional Programme and

changes again for the 2013-2015 period Lotus F.1 Junior Team. In 2016 the programme for young Lotus drivers goes back under the protected wing of Renault and the name is Renault Sport Academy.

VIJAY MALLYA CREATED THE “ONE FROM A BILLION” PROGRAM FOR SELECTING AND PROMOTING THE MOST PROMISING DRIVERS OD INDIA.

Sun Yue Yang is the only kart driver now who is in this programme: the 15 year-old from China comes through the 2015 season where he stood out in KFJ in the most important international competitions, to start with, the Winter Cup South Garda then the WSK and then on to the titled CIK-FIA events.

The young Chinese isn’t the only one to have been spotted for moving u to cars: from 2012 to 2015 among the young talented drivers we see Dorian Boccolacci, racing in F. Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup now. Besides the transalpine in 2014 and 2015 there was Juan Manuel Correa in the programme, he is now with F.4 Italiana with Prema next to Vips and Schumacher.

Going further back in time, in 2011, five drivers had signed on together with Alexander Rossi, who had just won the 500 miles Indianapolis: Tanart Sathienthirakul, Matt Parry, Max Klinkby-Silver, Weiron Tan, Senna Iriawan and Daim Hishamuddin.

SAHARA FORCE INDIA FORMULA ONE TEAM ACADEMY Everyone knows that India is one of the up and coming courtiers for motoring sport. For this reason in 2011 the Force India F.1 team “looked high and low” through the kartodromes in India with the program “One from a Billion” for selecting and promoting the most

promising drivers that could race the following season with the Ricky Flynn Motorsport team in the British Super One Series. The winners were Arjun Maini, Tarun Reddy and Jehan Daruvala. Maini now races in the GP3 with the Jenzer Motorsport team, Reddy is in the English F.3 championship with the Fortec Team and Daruvala is the only driver still connected to the Force India that races in the F. Renaul Eurocup 2.0 with the Josef Kaumann Racing team.

MAZDA ROAD TO INDY DRIVER ADVANCEMENT PROGRAM Even if in a softer way without an official race program, also Mazda is looking for young talented drivers for its breeding ground: Andersen Promotion and MAXSpeed Group continue with their Mazda Road To Indy Driver Advancement Program that started in 2014. Two drivers will be chosen for two day’s testing on 8/9th October in the Cooper Tires USF2000 championship Powered

by Mazda. All participants who have taken part in a MAXSpeed Entertainment event in 2016 (Florida Winter Tour, US Open and United States Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Nationals) could be chosen after a written request sent to the talent scouts before the 31st August. The selection continues for up to 12 candidates who will have a video conference with a jury that includes drivers from Verizon IndyCar Series and the previous participants of the Mazda Road to Indy program Charlie Kimball and Spencer Pigot.

Together with these there will also be Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud, James Hinchcliffe and Gabby Chaves.

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EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP SPECIAL CIK FIA KZ/KZ2/OK/OKJ

There has been the curtain fall on the event with the most important rounds of the season, the Cik Fia European Championship of KZ and KZ2 gear class and the newborn OK and OKJ. As for the last two, we can say that thanks to the new engines we saw some exciting racing.

A winning debut, something we hadn’t seen for a long time. The gear class has confirmed and underlined the higher competition level, especially in KZ2, always rich with new protagonists.

Marco Ardigò wins his first KZ European title, Fabian Federer (Crg/Modena Engines) doubles his 2011 success and for the first time the engine from Modena takes home a Cik Fia title. Pedro Hiltbrand (Crg/Parilla) surprises everyone and takes home the OK European win, and so does the British driver Finlay Kenneally (FA Kart/Vortex) who overtakes the Dane Watt by just 2 points REPORT: GIULIANO CIUCCI GIULIANI - PHOTOS WAFEPROJECT

THE FANTASTIC 28 VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE

FOTO: FM PRESS

PEDRO HILTBRAND (CRG)PARILLA), MARCO ARDIGÃ’ (TONY KART/ VORTEX) FABIAN FEDERER (CRG/MODENA ENGINES), FINLAY KENNEALLY (FA KART/VORTEX) VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE 29

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP SPECIAL CIK FIA KZ/KZ2/OK/OKJ

THE FANTASTIC MARCO ARDIGÒ (Tony Kart/ Vortex) As soon as he crosses the line he’s so excited at this win he couldn’t be happier, a

long sought win, almost a suffered one, and until he’s well over the line you never rally know. And Karol Basz knows this too. Loads of words have been written about Marco Ardigò, and rightly so for a driver who has been the driver to beat in KZ for the past five years. But Marco’s race in Genk was perfect, without one error. Best practice time, second in prefinal and final winner during the prefinal he had allowed Abbasse lead to the end, in the final, he first allowed Iglesias to do so and then he went back to the lead and set the pace. Then Puhakka came up to breathe

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down his neck, Ardigò could have avoided keeping the lead. And the Finn Crg driver came up really fast and for race lead it really wasn’t even necessary to win to be able to get the title. But there was nothing he could do about it. He pressed hard with determination lap afar lap responding to Puhakka’s splendid acceleration. This is his visiting card for the next world championship, and he’s still the driver to beat.

fifth. Due to various mechanisms split time the Dutchman had to win, even a second place wouldn’t have been enough. And to lead on Viganò during this last and determinant occasion would have been a hard task for anyone. In any case, Federer deserves the title for the skill he proved to have in Essay and especially in Adria, when he took prefinal and final win leading on Stan Pex.

PEDRO HILTBRAND (Crg/Parilla) Tinini’s treatment has worked well and the Spaniard has repaid him this year. Winning this European hasn’t been at all easy. He has had to fight against the likes of Karol Basz and Tom Joyner both up from the direct drive class. In Zuera, home track, Hiltbrand stood out from the pack in Adria he won the prefinal and final. He was also lucky on that occasion because he was at the right place at the right time. Another characteristic of this Spanish driver is that he is good at driving on a wet track, just like his fellow countryman Alonso. Brilliant. He continued to make the most of his escalation and grabbed podium in Portimao too, so he came to Genk to fight against Joyner and Basz for the title. With the Pole’s early retirement from the prefinal things were easier, for him to gain final win, while Joyner was left to watch as fate was fulfilled as it had been written.

FINLAY KENNEALLY FABIAN FEDERER (Crg/Modena Engines) Federer grabs European KZ2 title for the second time, the first was in Wackersdorf in 2011 always on a Crg. Then after the unlucky break in KZ1, he comes back to the lime light in Kz2 thanks to his affirmation in Adria, which confirmed his first great performance in Essay. In Genk although unlucky he was still lucky. The electric problem that made him retire during the prefinal seemed like a joke. Instead, even without racing the final, his rival, Stan Pex, could do no better than

(FA Kart/Vortex) The 14 year-old British driver in force with RFM proved to have determination and speed. The Brit’s motto could be: we’ll see at the end. How can we contradict him seeing that he summed up the best final points without ever winning a final? The Winter Cup winner crossed the line first only for the prefinal in Zuera. Well, to be first in these events held on more rounds, especially in the Junior class you have to be competitive right from qualifiers. This is what Kenneally has done. In Portimao he could have ended it there, when he was the fastest in practice and first after the heat.

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EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP SPECIAL CIK FIA KZ/KZ2/OK/OKJ

THE MOST EXCITING INSTANT OF KZ FINAL: ARDIGÃ’ AND P

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PUHAKKA ARE AS FAST AS LIGHTENING!

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EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP SPECIAL CIK FIA KZ/KZ2/OK/OKJ

Ardigò-Viganò FAST DRIVING IS A QUESTION OF ACCENT? Maybe it is a question of accents, a similitude that we have never given much importance. Like at the top of the world scoreboard we still have a certain Davide Foré...

From what we have seen in Genk with Ardigò in KZ and Viganò in KZ2 who were fast and showed their skill wearing out their rivals who tried to attack them. There' s nothing more we can say about Ardigò, while as for Matteo Viganò, has the time has come to write a new and captivating chapter?

Just like the KZ final where Marco Ardigò had to press hard to get final win and with it the continental title leading on a brilliant Simo Puhakka, also in the Cadet gear class Matteo Viganò showed all his skill in speed keeping back a very fast John Norris, who was determined to ruin things for the driver from Bergamo. Something similar was also seen in time stopped by the two protagonists in the two classes. On the contrary, on this occasion, Viganò was the fastest on the Belgian track stopping 51º 292, compared 51º 300 stopped by Puhakka in KZ. So, besides gaining a fantastic win Matteo Viganò also stopped best time at the European Championship in Genk. A very important result for the Top Kart driver who had already given signs of premonition at the round held in Adria. In Genk he was practically perfect, no mistakes at all. He wasn' t just the fastest, but also very good at defending his place, pressing when necessary and answering Norris who came up fast and determined. Just for information, on lap four, Viganò retakes the lead after being on Lorandi' s tail for two laps, On lap six,

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Norris is in second place and Viganò is back in the lead. About 7 tenths separate the two. Tony Katy British driver Tony can' t do anything about it, 4 tenths to the Italian leader, but to make up for this he wears his tyres out before time. Viganò has raced the first part of the race trying to save his tyres for later when he pressed hard and got faster with each lap that passed. Then on to lap 15, the crucial part f the race, wit Norris convinced that he could make it and comforted by what he saw around him, now Viganò stops 51º 292 almost one tenth better than Norris.

A brilliant blow and Norris seems to have felt it too... Only 8 laps to chequered flag and the Brit seems unable to make up, his tyres won' t let him. In the end a good second separates the two.

Viganò kept his strong rival at bay also thanks to his thinking and the way he used his tyres. A real victory typical of any champion and thanks to this win he took European final podium place. After what we have seen in Genk and, besides Ardigò, at last it seems that we have another Italian driver who is fast and uses his wits.

CRG VS TONY KART

The duel continues

FOTO: FM PRESS

We certainly could not forget to mention two racing structures that won continental titles in Genk too.

The green team from Prevalle took a second important KZ continental title with Ardigò, while the AllBlack from Desenzano were happy to take home the first title of the new-born OK class with Spanish driver Hiltbrand. Then they both can celebrate for the one took in KZ2 with Federer (Crg/Modena Engines), assisted by Mark Siebeck’s SRP team. While the European OKJ title went to Kenneally (FA/Vortex) managed by Ricky Flynn. So we take the opportunity pf updating the results of titles won since 1964. Crg goes up to 75, Tony Kart 63. As for the European titles won in the past ten years, the Green team from Prevalle count 10 three of which in the gear class and 7 in the direct drive. While 9 from Crg are the sum of 6 titles taken in KZ1/KZ2 and 3 in the direct drive. Out of the engine manufacturers we have Vortex that goes up to 27 always counting from 2007, Iame 11, while Modena Engines write its name on the Cik Fia international scoreboard for the first time, thanks to Federer’s win in KZ2. Now we are waiting for the world championship to see who the winners of the 4 remaining titles for the 2016 season will be. Bets are accepted.

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EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP SPECIAL CIK FIA KZ/KZ2/OK/OKJ

OTHER PROTAGONISTS

PATRIK HAJEK (Kosmic/Vortex) He was fantastic in Zuera and took all there was to take. And in Genk something more was expected from him. He certainly couldn’t have expected to win, Ardigò wouldn’t have let him, but an overcast final makes us think about his potential, which didn’t stand out in Genk. We’ll have to wait and see what the world championship has in store.

JÉRÉMY IGLESIAS & ANTHONY ABBASSE (Sodi/Tm) The Sodi duo from France tried very hard

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KZ

Finalists at the last stage of the KZ Championship.

Abbasse and Iglesias (Sodi/Tm) are unable to block Ardigò (Tony Kart/Vortex). Crg duo Puhakka and De Conto did much better; they too now race on official engines from the firm in Pesaro. Right, Camponeschi, Lammers and Pex, in the accident just after the start

FLAVIO CAMPONESCHI

to keep up front and attack Marco Ardigò, well, at least they tried. There is still something to obtain, continuity in performance.

(Crg/Parilla) After the disaster in Zuera the Roman driver was unable to finish this European as he would have liked. A lucky accident at the start with Lammers and Pex blocked his chances. And yet there were all the ingredients necessary to do well. In the practice he was second only to Ardigò by 3/1000: nothing. A breakage in a heat didn’t allow him to get front grid start for the prefinal. Well, this is a European best forgotten.

But Camponeschi came back home satisfied, aware that the potential of his kart will guarantee his place among the World Championship protagonists. The important thing is to believe it.

PAOLO DE CONTO (Crg/Tm) All in all he hasn’t done at all bad. He’s always been up with the leaders from time practice to prefinal. He took final podium in Genk, his first of the season.

v KZ FINAL P

N Driver

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

2 9 19 4 8 14 5 7 17 18 23 16 22 11 12 94 25 6 92 93 3 10 1

Ardigo, Marco Puhakka, Simo De Conto, Paolo Iglesias, Jérémy Abbasse, Anthony Fore, Davide Hajek, Patrik Lennox-Lamb, Jordon Dreezen, Rick Carlton, Gary Camplese, Lorenzo Backman, Andreas Armstrong, Marcus Lundberg, Douglas Dalè, Andrea Kokko, Henri Pescador, Jorge Carlos Pex, Jorrit Kuovi, Jan Chandler, Michael Johansson, Joel Lammers, Bas Camponeschi, Flavio

Nat. Equipements

Gap

KZ CHAMPIONSHIP STANDING AFTER GENK (BEL) P N Driver Fra qh Fra pf Fra F Esp qh Esp pf Esp F Bel qh Bel pf Bel F

ITA FIN ITA FRA FRA ITA CZE GBR BEL USA ITA SWE NZL SWE ITA FIN ESP NLD FIN GBR SWE NLD ITA

23 Laps 0.432 3.023 4.912 5.458 7.110 7.224 7.393 8.111 8.586 12.046 13.399 14.133 14.234 14.400 14.691 15.709 16.935 37.310 56.449 16 Laps 22 Laps 22 Laps

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega CRG / TM Racing / Vega CRG / TM Racing / Vega Sodi / TM Racing / Vega Sodi / TM Racing / Vega Righetti Ridolfi / TM Racing / Vega Kosmic / Vortex / Vega Birel Art / Parilla / Vega Ricciardo Kart / Parilla / Vega Formula K / TM Racing / Vega Parolin / TM Racing / Vega Kosmic / Vortex / Vega Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega Mach 1 / TM Racing / Vega CRG / TM Racing / Vega Ninar / TM Racing / Vega Praga / TM Racing / Vega CRG / Vortex / Vega Rosso Korsa / TM Racing / Vega Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega Righetti Ridolfi / TM Racing / Vega Sodi / TM Racing / Vega CRG / Parilla / Vega

2 5 4 19 8 9 1 25 7 10 14 17 6 11 22 3 18 23 15 12 16 21 24

Ardigo, Marco Hajek, Patrik Iglesias, Jérémy De Conto, Paolo Abbasse, Anthony Puhakka, Simo Camponeschi, Flavio Pescador, Jorge Carlos Lennox-Lamb, Jordon Lammers, Bas Fore, Davide Dreezen, Rick Pex, Jorrit Lundberg, Douglas Armstrong, Marcus Johansson, Joel Carlton, Gary Camplese, Lorenzo Thonon, Jonathan Dalè, Andrea Backman, Andreas Habulin, Kristijan Chang Wing Chung, Andy

7 (4) 8 9 6 0 0 10 3 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0

17 (11) 14 15 (1) (5) 13 12 8 2 (4) 16 6 0 7 9 3 0 10 0 0 0 0

25 13 16 8 (6) (7) 20 9 11 4 3 0 10 (1) 5 0 0 (2) 0 0 0 0 0

(5) 10 8 7 (4) 0 6 0 0 9 3 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 -

(14) 17 16 15 11 8 10 13 7) 2) 9 0 4) 12 3) 6 5 1 0 -

(16) 25 20 (6) 13 10 5 0 9 11 0 1 0 8 0 3 2 7 4 -

10 7 (5) (6) 9 3 0 4 1 0 2 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -

16 15 (12) (14) 17 13 (9) 0 11 10 8 6 7 1 5 (2) 0 0 4 3 -

Pt

25 100 (9) 87 (13) 82 16 70 11 67 20 54 0 54 0 48 (8) 43 0 36 10 35 7 35 0 31 2 25 3 21 0 18 6 17 5 13 10 1 9 4 9 0 0

He wasn’t there in the most important part of the race, the last race. But after the agreement with Crg with Tm he can now have an official engine made in Pesaro and you can see the difference. Who knows, maybe he too can came back in auger for the world championship. We’ll see.

SIMO PUHAKKA (Crg/Tm) His performance in the final in Genk has left a mark. Best lap time leads to believe that in one race like the world championship the Finn in force with Crg can have his say too, seeing that he now has an official Tm engine.

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EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP SPECIAL CIK FIA KZ/KZ2/OK/OKJ

Whoever won the continental title certainly deserved it. From Ardigò to Kenneally, from Federer to Hiltbrand. Perhaps we were only a bit deceived on the eve.

We’d have liked to live the end with a bit more excitement, but you can’t have everything. Who knows, subconsciously we never wanted this championship to end.

The positive thing is, without being too optimistic, to acknowledge the fact that this championship is one of the most exciting ever.

This is a good omen for the world championship on schedule for September in Sweden and in November in Bahrain.

Top, Karol Basz rather disheartened immediately after his retirement due to a mechanical failure during last prefinal lap while racing in third place.

A retirement that precluded his duel with Joyner and Hiltbrand for European title win. His absence from the final dimmed the show somewhat, with Hiltbrand and Joyner who managed to “cruise” along and take the 41st European title win back to Crg.

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FOTO: KSP

Points of view

Lots happened in Genk. In OKJ Noah Watt should have grabbed at least sixth place to be able to take home the title, which in some ways he had already pocketed. The Dane, this meeting should have just been a pro forma. Instead, in OK on the eve of the race Pedro Hiltbrand was the least accredited. He was seen more like the odd man out who could have taken advantage of the situation if the two leaders, Tom Joyner and Karol Basz would have given him the chance. Science fiction? Well, in the end he had his chance on the last lap of the prefinal: Basz leaves the scene whilst in third. A real” smack” in the face for Polish Kosmic driver, who, if he had been there, would have guaranteed a completely different final.

So, Hiltbrand, supported by his second, Tom Joyner liege to duty, took home his first title win. In other words, no messing about and take the title back to Crg. Mission accomplished. In KZ2 Fabian Federer has problems with his spark plug and leaves the scene during the prefinal. Does this mean goodbye to the title? Not really, because his rival Stan Pex could do no better than fifth after the final. True, all he needed was the win, but up front there was Matteo Viganò in command of the situation and who returned to victory and, more important still, back on final championship podium. In KZ Marco Ardigò pressed hard throughout the 23 lap final. Neither the Sodi duo, nor Hajek managed to attack him. And when a determined Puhakka stepped out putting in one fat lap after the other, the Tony Kart standard bearer was just as determined not to give in. The gap was so distanced that even finishing with the leaders would have been enough, but he wanted to win as a winning driver ought to and have his name for the firth time at the top of the European KZ scoreboard. It would have been more exciting to see duels and hard fighting as it should be in any final when there’s some very close driving and each driver aims for the European title.

It’s a long time since the uncertainty of final title win like in this championship where final win was still open to a few drivers, so more excitement was expected.

Yes, we’re never satisfied! But not so ungrateful for the show, drivers and teams deserve the applause for their hard work in this hard fought and spectacular continental event. This could be a wonderful omen for the world championship in Sweden on schedule for September and November in Bahrain.

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EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP SPECIAL CIK FIA KZ/KZ2/OK/OKJ

OTHER PROTAGONISTS OK TOM JOYNER

MARTA GARCIA LOPEZ

(Zanardi/Parilla) He wasn’t very lucky in Zuera first in prefinal leaves the scene after crashing during the last phase of the final, but he lived as a protagonist the fight for win.

He tries to make up in Adria managing to take Sargent in difficulty with the rain on the last lap, but Basz crashes into him and he finishes third. In Portugal he finally finds his setting and gets a deserved win and champion leadership. He was unable to show his driving skill in Genk because Basz wasn’t there. At the world championship he will undoubtedly have a chance to show his true worth.

CLEMENT NOVALAK

KAROL BASZ (Kosmic/Vortex) Last year’s world champion has started off with the right foot this year too for the European; he is successful in Italy too. Lady luck is against him in Portimao, during the final when contact with a rival ties him back to last place. He finishes tenth. In Genk he is betrayed by his engine

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TOM JOYNER

OK FINAL P N Driver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

113 107 123 104 105 134 108 114 116 180 132 130 182 125 185 106 121 111 187 189 117 124 179 183 118 186 181 136 190 188 112 110

Novalak, Clément Hiltbrand, Pedro Smolyar, Alexander Joyner, Tom Janker, Hannes Simmenauer, Jean Baptiste Travisanutto, Lorenzo Viscaal, Bent Sargeant, Logan Dose, Emil Milell, Noah Sario, Robin Moggia, Guido Dante Brinkmann, David Moghadampour, Dariush Van Leeuwen, Martijn Gheno, Jacopo Garcia Lopez, Marta Baudot, Geoffrey Kvasai, Nikolas Lappalainen, Konsta Arnold, Felix Cristofaro, Nicholas Aceto, Massimo Pits, Andriy Tillett, Archie Ferreira, Joao Kry, Niklas Holm Lassen, Emil Daniel Hussain, Ali Hassan Gadois, Alexandre Lundgaard, Christian

Nat. Equipements

Gap

GBR ESP RUS GBR DEU FRA ITA NLD USA DNK SWE FIN ARG DEU FIN NLD ITA ESP FRA SVK FIN DEU GBR ITA PRT GBR PRT DEU DNK BHR FRA DNK

23 Laps 1.767 2.191 2.483 4.076 4.639 6.142 6.703 7.585 10.334 10.927 11.956 12.208 18.084 18.656 18.806 19.301 22.283 22.609 22.992 23.684 23.916 23.936 29.255 35.108 37.192 39.927 40.041 41.604 44.432 47.077 19 Laps

Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega CRG / Parilla / Vega Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega Zanardi / Parilla / Vega CRG / Parilla / Vega Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega Tony Kart / Parilla / Vega FA Kart / Vortex / Vega Kosmic / Vortex / Vega Kosmic / Vortex / Vega Exprit / Vortex / Vega Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega Evokart / Parilla / Vega Birel Art / Parilla / Vega Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega Evokart / Parilla / Vega Kosmic / Parilla / Vega Praga / TM Racing / Vega Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega Birel Art / TE / Vega CRG / Parilla / Vega RK / Parilla / Vega Croc Pr. / TM Racing / Vega Kosmic / TM Racing / Vega Kosmic / Vortex / Vega Formula K / TM Racing / Vega Kosmic / Parilla / Vega Ricciardo Kart / Parilla / Vega

OK CHAMPIONSHIP STANDING AFTER GENK (BEL) P N Driver Esp qh Esp pf Esp f Ita qh Ita pf Ita F Prt qh Prt pf Prt F Bel qh Bel pf Bel F 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34

107 104 101 111 116 114 123 113 108 105 110 106 102 119 103 132 134 118 128 115 117 125 112 126 130 129 121 135 124 136 127 109 133 122

Hiltbrand, Pedro Joyner, Tom Basz, Karol Garcia Lopez, Marta Sargeant, Logan Viscaal, Bent Smolyar, Alexander Novalak, Clément Travisanutto, Lorenzo Janker, Hannes Lundgaard, Christian Van Leeuwen, Martijn Hanley, Ben Tonteri, Paavo Tiene, Felice Milell, Noah Simmenauer, Jean B. Pits, Andriy Legeret, Lucas Yueyang, Sun Lappalainen, Konsta Brinkmann, David Gadois, Alexandre Lippkau, Luca Sario, Robin Bale, Thomas Michael Gheno, Jacopo Becamel, François Arnold, Felix Kry, Niklas * Kermanshahchi, Taymour Lessennes, Benjamin Gonzalez, Javier Ohlin, Simon

7 10 6 9 1 8 3 0 0 5 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 17 16 14 10) 15 0 6 13 8 11 12 7 4 (3) 0 0 2 0 5 0 1 0 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 25 16 13 10 9 8 0 11 20 7 3 0 1 4 0 5 0 2 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

(7) 4 0 0 9 8 0 1 5 0 0 0 10 6 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

17 (14) 16 (9) 15 13 5 0 10 1 8 0 0 11 6 4 0 7 12 2 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0

25 16 13 0 20 0 (1) 8 3 9 4 10 11 0 5 0 6 2 E 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 0 0 0

8 6 7 10 0 0 5 0 4 0 3 0 9 2 0 0 0 0 0 E 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 -

15 16 14 13 11 0 12 0 (10) 8 0 (2) 17 9 5 7 0 6 0 E 3 0 0 0 0 1 4 -

16 25 6 13 0 0 11 (7) 10 8 9 0 20 0 4 3 0 5 1 E 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 -

8 0 4 7 0 5 3 9 6 10 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -

17 16 (7) 10 13 12 14 17 14 11 16 9 5 15 13 12 8 11 7 10 15 8 9 6 6 -

20 13 1 7 8 16 25 9 11 0 3 6 10 0 E 0 4 0 E 5 2 0 0 -

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Pt 133 123 107 93 89 79 78 74 74 72 70 47 46 46 41 41 36 27 22 21 19 18 16 16 15 12 11 7 7 6 4 0 0 0

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP SPECIAL CIK FIA KZ/KZ2/OK/OKJ Final OK podium in Genk.

Although not a brilliant season for Novalak, he manages to end it in glory, but also English Tony Kart driver pays for lack of experience in OK, being the first year for the class.

Experience that instead, the Russian starts capitalising as he steps on the European Championship podium for the first time.

Right, Pedro Hilbrand European Champion of the new-born OK class. Spanish Crg standard bearer is fast and determined throughout this hard fought European championship.

during the last lap while in third behind Hiltbrand and Joyner. What a pity for him and for all of us who were already awaiting an exciting championship final, however the duel has only been postponed.

MARTA GARCIA LOPEZ (Evo Kart/ Parilla) The Spanish girl who came out into the open last year from the Academy Trophy, despite it being her first year in an important super competitive class like the OK she has surprised everyone.

Furthermore, also team manager Antonio Penna, is in his first year in an international event with the newly born Evo Kart. Together they have done very well indeed. Marta has difficulty on the wet track and in Adria this was evident. However, apart from Alonso and Hiltbrand the wet track isn’t really an ideal track for the Spanish drivers.

Marta is one of the fastest in practice.

You only need to look at the time she has stopped in qualifiers in the four championship meetings. Third place in Zuera, first in Portimao, second in Adria and second in Genk. Well, let’s say that with this sequence she would have won the title. She deserves acknowledgement. She only needs

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more experience and make the best of the starting grids. He has to become a bit wicked to be able to match her skill with her crafty male colleagues.

Also because once she has picked up the right rhythm she is an authentic hammer. Well done.

LOGAN SARGEANT (FA Kart/Vortex) Something more was expected from the American who is already the Junior world champion last year. He is the fastest in the practice in Adria. And, always in Adria he took podium after having raced final showing his skill and leading on Joyner up to a few laps from the finishing line mounting rain tyres on a dry track. In Genk he is third in qualifiers. He doesn’t come out Scott free from heats … then it’s all uphill.

Will he get his own back at the world championship?

BENT VISCAAL (Tony Kart/Parilla) & A. SMOLYAR (Tony Kart/Vortex) Bent Viscaal & A. Smolyar The 14-year-old private driver from Holland and the 15-year-old Russian assisted by Ward are fairly balanced and their championship performance is quite similar. They are among the

leading group, very good indeed, the future looks good. Viscaal grabbed Dutch Championship Mini title in 2011 and last year he was among the finalists at La Conca at the KFJ championship where he came 19th .

Di Alexander Smolyar was born on 1st July 2001 and we know that he has had some experience in the Rotax challenge from 2012 to 2014 and in 2015 he won the Russian KFJ championship. He has a bit more experience than Viscaal. In the Swedish championship he has also competed in KZ Last year in the German Championship, he was in force with the Smp Racing team.

CLEMENT NOVALAK (Tony Kart/Vortex) This English Tony Kart official driver took second place in the Junior world championship last year, in Genk he was really fast and deserved final win after having grabbed prefinal win too.

It took him a bit to warm up in this European, for him too, you pay for the lack of experience in OK. Now, we’ll have to wait and see if already from the world championship in Bahrain he will show his skill like he seems to have done in this last round of the European Championship.

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EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP SPECIAL CIK FIA KZ/KZ2/OK/OKJ

OTHER PROTAGONISTS

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KZ2

MATTEO VIGANÒ (Top Kart/Parilla) With this win in Genk the driver from Bergamo was fantastic and wins the acknowledgments of all those who had already catalogued him as a driver who had had it. Instead, Matteo deserves the applause for the way he won a difficult final and thanks to this win he' s on third place of the European championship final. During the race Lorandi leads, then Norris comes up to ruin things for him, but with great skill in interpreting the delicate instants of the race, he waits a few laps before overtaking Loranti and Matteo Viganò (Top Kart/ re-take lead. Then, half way through the Parilla) at the end of the race, he tackles a determined Norris who final, further back John was storming up.

Norris (Tony Kart/Vortex).

This is where you win with self assurance there is no one to thank. Matteo get the Brilliant performance best win of his life awarding spectators for both, a distant duel certain pathos thanks to his distanced which is very similar to duels against John Norris. the one we saw in KZ In September, during the International final between Ardigò Super Cup in Sweden all the paddock and Puhakka. On this will keep a close eye on him, but judging occasion, Viganò stopped from what we have seen in Genk, I think that Matteo has reached the right best time 51º 292. Left, maturity to tackle any titled even cool prefinal start and collected. Now the Italian team can

count on another valid element, and Mauro Pozzi is well aware of this.

STAN PEX (Crg/Vortex) Something more was expected from the Dutchman, especially on a track like the one in Genk which suits him fine. Over the three race days he has always been with the leaders, but he has never given the impression that he could have made the difference. In the prefinal he was more interested in finishing the race rather than attack for leading places. But getting row grid start means having to give it all you have got if u want to make it¼ ª either you make it or you don' t.º and to think that already at the end of lap one he was fourth. But the pace wasn' t enough to climb up. He' d have to do better than 51º 6 to stay up with the leaders.

JOHN NORRIS (Tony Kart/Vortex) In his first season in KZ2 the Irish driver has proved that he is fast in the gear class too. Oh Boy!! Only someone like Matteo Vigano manages to stay ahead. The time sequence just grabbed second place, that is, from seventh up to second, fantastic. He only slowed down a few laps from the finishing line fully aware that he couldn' t have

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EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP SPECIAL CIK FIA KZ/KZ2/OK/OKJ

KZ2 FINAL P N Driver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34

340 314 302 305 370 343 360 362 350 367 364 337 330 339 303 327 341 346 313 322 318 328 304 338 310 374 320 319 347 306 301 325 377 348

Vigano, Matteo Norris, John Besancenez, Paolo Pex, Stan Matisic, Andre Irlando, Alessandro Tiene, Felice Paul, Maximilian Schmidt, Dominik Amendola, Michelangelo Tubben, Max Dahlberg, Alexander Ippolito, Paolo Lorandi, Leonardo Schmitz, Alexander Leuillet, Tom Johansson, Andreas Picot, Nicolas Mosca, Tommaso Fontaine, Paul Horio, Fuma Baciuska, Rokas Kremers, Marijn Marcu, Dionisios Skaras, Emil Sabotava, Victorien Rosati, Fabrizio Romkema, Ricardo Martinez Merono, Eliseo Piccini, Alessio Corberi, Luca Loubere, Pierre Kรถhler, Leon Loeskow, Troy

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Nat. Equipements

Gap

KZ2 CHAMPIONSHIP STANDING AFTER GENK (BEL) P N Driver Fra qh Fra pf Fra F Ita qh Ita pf Ita F Bel qh Bel pf Bel F Pt

ITA IRL FRA NLD DEU ITA ITA DEU DEU BEL NLD SWE ITA ITA DEU FRA SWE FRA ITA FRA JPN LTU AUS ROU FRA SWE ITA NLD ESP ITA ITA FRA DEU AUS

23 Laps 1.185 5.664 7.025 7.317 7.861 8.358 10.838 11.006 11.508 11.579 13.192 13.765 13.927 17.243 17.736 20.112 21.768 21.984 23.758 24.166 24.312 24.824 25.297 25.416 29.149 37.155 13 Laps 13 Laps 22 Laps 23 Laps 23 Laps 23 Laps 23 Laps

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34

Top Kart / Parilla / Vega Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega CRG / Vortex / Vega Birel Art / TM Racing / Vega Energy Corse / TM Racing / Vega CRG / TM Racing / Vega DR / TM Racing / Vega CRG / TM Racing / Vega Parolin / TM Racing / Vega CRG / TM Racing / Vega Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega Lenzokart / LKE / Vega Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega Birel Art / Vortex / Vega Sodi / TM Racing / Vega CRG / TM Racing / Vega Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega Maranello / TM Racing / Vega Sodi / TM Racing / Vega CRG / TM Racing / Vega Energy Corse / Maxter / Vega Birel Art / Parilla / Vega Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega Tony Kart / TM Racing / Vega Mach 1 / TM Racing / Vega CRG / Maxter / Vega Birel Art / Vortex / Vega Praga / TM Racing / Vega Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega Sodi / Parilla / Vega Gillard / Modena Engines / Vega Ricciardo Kart / Parilla / Vega

307 305 340 343 301 302 339 314 324 303 337 327 313 306 311 310 325 350 330 312 304 346 347 333 320 336 322 334 319 341 338 329 317 318

Federer, Fabian 0 Pex, Stan 10 Vigano, Matteo 0 Irlando, Alessandro (6) Corberi, Luca 7 Besancenez, Paolo 8 Lorandi, Leonardo 9 Norris, John 0 Davies, Dylan 4 Schmitz, Alexander 0 Dahlberg, Alexander 3 Leuillet, Tom 0 Mosca, Tommaso Piccini, Alessio 2 Tรถrnqvist, Persson Benjamin 0 Skaras, Emil 0 Loubere, Pierre 0 Schmidt, Dominik 0 Ippolito, Paolo 0 Gonzales, Nicolas 5 Kremers, Marijn 1 Picot, Nicolas 0 Martinez Merono, Eliseo 0 Iacovacci, Francesco 0 Rosati, Fabrizio 0 Zani, Cristopher 0 Fontaine, Paul 0 Tanko Yurrebaso, Jon 0 Romkema, Ricardo 0 Johansson, Andreas 0 Marcu, Dionisios 0 Simoni, Mauro 0 Nilsson, Brandon 0 Horio, Fuma 0

16 17 (2) 14 17 16 15 11 13 14 12 (4) 15 12 11 (3) 7 10 13 8 10 (5) 9 0 8 6 6 0 0 0 2 5 0

20 (11) (6) (10) 25 16 13 0 0 5 7 (2) 4 0 8 1 0 0 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -

7 8 9 10 (4) 0 2 0 3 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0

17 16 16 17 (13) 0 (15) (7) 15 (7) 14 11 12 11 (9) 12 (6) 0 0 14 0 10 10 13 9 (3) 8 5 4 0 8 6 3

25 20 11 13 0 (4) 7 16 (6) 10 8 3 9 0 5 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0

8 (6) 5 9 7 0 0 4 (1) 10 0 0 3 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

(2) (14) 17 (14) 16 12 17 16 (3) 15 12 5 15 (11) (3) 13 11 13 10 (8) 9 10 (1) 6 9 0 8 4 7 0 (2) 6

13 25 11 0 16 7 20 6 9 5 2 0 0 0 10 8 0 3 0 0 1 0 4 0 0

93 84 83 74 72 68 63 58 51 50 43 40 39 36 32 32 31 30 28 27 26 22 20 19 19 17 16 14 13 12 12 11 11 9

France’s Besancenez (Tony Kart/Vortex) after a fantastic performance in France, he surprises again here in Genk, from 37th after the heats he manages to get final podium.

Below, Leonardo Lorandi, always a protagonist of this European, in the end he didn’t reap much. He too noticed this.

Opposite page, Corberi and Mosca just after the final. For the Brescian this European should have given him more satisfaction. Unlucky Tommaso Mosca too, in Genk he once again proved his driving skill.

done any better. Norris is the added value to Vigano’s victory.

A performance that doesn’t leave space to interpretations: he wanted to get the round win. If what we have seen is right, John Norris is one of those to bet on.

LEONARDO LORANDI (Tony Kart/Vortex) The Brescian driver has grown a lot and not just in height. He overtakes Federer during the second lap of prefinal 1, which surprises everyone a bit, not just Federer. He is a strong rival especially for his attacking tactics. Instead, during the final, he overtakes Viganò on lap one under the yellow flag, and this he could have avoided. Without the ten-second penalty, he’s have ended on podium with a wonderful end to the European Championship event.

ALESSANDRO IRLANDO (Energy/Tm) Last year’s Rotax World Championship winner, the driver

from south Italy has proved to be very fast also with a “wicked” kart with gears. He was immediately competitive and to tell it all he did deserve more t lest from what we have seen during the championship. Perhaps he lost his chance to get final podium here in Genk, like on the other hand Vigano has done. Something didn’t work during the prefinal when from pole start he did no better than fifth. Not a good placing and lapping at 51”5- 51”6 really wasn’t enough to get back into the lead...

LUCA CORBERI (Tony Kart/Vortex) Having recovered from his horrible experience in caused by alimentary intolerance to gluten, we were doping that Corberi would make up for t here in Genk.

The driver from Lonato was aiming for the title, but that meant he’d have had to take top podium step.

His prefinal results weren’t at all bad third behind Viganò and Matisic. Then at final start he was

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EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP SPECIAL CIK FIA KZ/KZ2/OK/OKJ

caught up in a crash and that was the end for him. This too happens! So, all that Cerberi has to do is to aim for the International Super Cup to make up for a season that had started off really well.

PAOLO BESANCENEZ (Tony Kart/Vortex) Whip of the tail for the Spaniard who is back on podium after a great performance in Essay. Besancenez starts uphill in Genk: 23rd in practice and even worse in qualifying heats: 37th But in Adria we realised that he really doesn’t like a wet track. On row ten for prefinal start then he drops down to 18th. He gains places and in the end stops third best time (51”493).

And during the final he is fantastic

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and comes up from 11th to grab third podium step. A fantastic race for the Spanish driver, where he carries out

a series of fast laps. He’s among the 4 finalists who managed to stop below 51”4.

Left, Irlando (343) between Viganò and Corberi in the early phases of the prefinal.

Energy driver lost some shine during the final phase of the final and with it the chance to get a deserved European podium. Bottom left, the crucial point of the prefinal with Federer (307) in difficulty due to an electrical problem he has to withdraw from the race, while Stan Pex (305) sails away.

Top left, German DR driver, Maximilian Paul, only 40th in qualifiers, but after he gains places and is 8th after the final.

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EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP SPECIAL CIK FIA KZ/KZ2/OK/OKJ

OKJ

Is this where the party is?

The cadet direct drive has been the most uncertain championship to the end, it was practically impossible to bet on who would win the title. Even during the last races in Portimao and Genk, there were always too many who could have made it. In the end the Brit FinlayKenneally made it, but it would have been just as surprising if the trophy had gone to Frenchman Victor Martins, the driver who had monopolised the last two meetings of this exciting championship. Who' s going to stop him at the world championship?

O

n the eve of the event, at least six drivers were favourites for the title.

Martins Victor (Kosmic/Parilla) soon shows his skill and stops best practice time, 1 tenth ahead of championship leader Watt.

But the best is yet to come. During the heats, the rain showed up every now and then and changed

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this phase into a lottery. Four heats to be held and in the end Martins is still up front. Well done. For prefinal start the Brit is next to Crg Norwegian driver, Hauger, he too is among the favourites for the title, in the other prefinal Kenneally and Taoufik are determined to fight it out.

Martins win prefinal 1 too after having kept back a

33 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34

274 253 209 255 203 251 208 207 248 265 416 268 213 205 221 201 219 273 260 211 206 235 217 266 272 245 204 218 243 233 214 239 220 237

Martins, Victor Kenneally, Finlay Wilson, Teddy Taoufik, Sami Shvetsov, Ivan Hauger, Dennis Vidales Ajenjo, David De Wilde, Ugo Morozov, Ilya Eteki, Adam Meyer Prat, Kilian Pourchaire, Théo Petelet, Milane Watt, Noah Fetisov, Bogdan Collet, Caio Jotta Alatalo, William Uitto, Ville Marseglia, Leonardo Milesi, Charles Lindh, Rasmus Giardelli, Alessandro Jonusis, Justas Alvarez, Sebastian Jewiss, Kiern Eichenberger, Tara Nouet, Théo Piastri, Oscar Simonov, Mikhail Henrion, Gillian De Pauw, Ulysse Moretti, Marzio Ptacek, Petr Malukas, David

Nat. Equipements

Gap

OK JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP STANDING AFTER GENK (BEL) P N Driver Esp qh Esp pf Esp f Ita qh Ita pf Ita F Prt qh Prt pf Prt F Bel qh Bel pf Bel F

FRA GBR GBR MAR RUS NOR ESP BEL RUS FRA ESP ESP FRA DNK RUS BRA FIN FIN ITA FRA SWE ITA LTU MEX GBR CZE FRA AUS RUS FRA BEL ITA CZE USA

19 Laps 0.446 0.635 1.265 1.687 2.081 3.610 3.668 3.675 4.071 6.006 6.128 6.189 10.153 10.401 14.155 14.222 14.466 15.075 15.916 16.380 17.089 17.144 17.308 17.405 17.445 25.696 33.676 54.012 11 Laps 11 Laps 13 Laps 16 Laps 19 Laps

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34

Kosmic / Parilla / Vega FA Kart / Vortex / Vega CRG / Parilla / Vega FA Kart / Vortex / Vega Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega CRG / Parilla / Vega Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega Kosmic / Parilla / Vega Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega CRG / Parilla / Vega Kosmic / Vortex / Vega Praga / TM Racing / Vega Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega Birel Art / Parilla / Vega Exprit / TM Racing / Vega Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega Ricciardo Kart / Parilla / Vega Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega DR / TM Racing / Vega Exprit / Vortex / Vega Exprit / Vortex / Vega CRG / Parilla / Vega Energy Corse / TM R. / Vega FA Kart / Vortex / Vega Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega Kosmic / Vortex / Vega Birel Art / Parilla / Vega Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega Formula K / TM Racing / Vega Comp / TM Racing / Vega

253 205 274 251 255 201 212 208 238 272 203 211 209 214 207 218 268 227 247 243 233 223 248 206 234 273 219 241 265 260 217 261 215 202

Kenneally, Finlay Watt, Noah Martins, Victor Hauger, Dennis Taoufik, Sami Collet, Caio Jotta Blomqvist, Isac Vidales Arenjo, David Mizzuddin Musyaffa, Bin Jewiss, Kiern Shvetsov, Ivan Milesi, Charles Wilson, Teddy Pauw, Ulysse Wilde, Ugo Piastri, Oscar Pourchaire, Théo Bogdanov, Dmitrii Bulantsev, Pavel Simonov, Mikhail Henrion, Gillian Peisselon, Timothy Morozov, Ilya Lindh, Rasmus Eriksson, Hampus Uitto, Ville Alatalo, William Muth, Esteban Eteki, Adam Marseglia, Leonardo Jonusis, Justas Moggia, Guido Dante Serravalle, Antonio Lahoz Lopez, Alejandro

7 10 0 0 9 5 8 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 4 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

17 17 9 11) 0 15 16 0 12 12 15 14 11) 9 10 0 3 10 13 13 6 16 0 0 0 0 8 14 0 7 3 2 0 2

13 25 0 (6) 20 16 0 5 10 9 0 4 0 0 0 0 8 1 11 0 7 0 0 0 2

0 8 0 10 0 5 7 9 0 1 0 6 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3

(12) (12) (8) 17 13 14 10 16 15 17 11 16 13 14 9 7 6 15 (5) 0 0 10 11 4 0 (1) 0 1 (4) 6 8 0 0

8 5 4 10 7 0 16 25 9 20 0 2 0 11 0 0 6 13 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 -

10 6 2 0 7 0 4 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 0

14 15 17 14 13 12 13 4 16 15 (9) 0 16 0 (7) 17 0 11 6 7 0 9 10 11 2 1 10 5 0 5 12 8

FOTO: FM PRESS

OK JUNIOR FINAL P N Driver

(5) 9 25 13 11 20 0 4 16 0 0 0 0 7 6 0 0 0 10 8 0 0 2 0 0 3 0

9 0 10 8 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 1 0 2 0 6 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

14 15 17 16 17 5) 0 12 0 9) 15 8 13 11 16 4 14 0 7 11 13 2 6 10 0 3 10 12 0 0

20 (3) 25 10 13 1 9 0 11 0 16 0 8 0 5 0 0 7 0 0 0 6 0 0 -

In Genk, OKJ podium with a fantastic Victor Martins (Kosmic/ Parilla) on top step, after Portimao he dominates the last appointment of this European Championship grabbing third final place. Finlay Kenneally (FA Kart/Vortex) thanks to his second place in Genk he gets the continental title.

Teddy Wilson (Crg/Parilla) again on podium confirming that his result in Portimao wasn' t just a chance win.

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Pt 112 110 109 98 97 92 90 85 73 70 62 60 59 51 46 46 40 38 38 34 33 30 30 26 25 25 23 22 22 22 21 18 16 15

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP SPECIAL CIK FIA KZ/KZ2/OK/OKJ

determined Pourchaire (Kosmic/Vortex) during the early phase and then the Dane Hauger (Crg/Parilla). Five drivers and some very close driving until Martins takes over the lead again and stopping better lap time gaining precious meters on Hauger, he’s his strongest rival. Then there’s the Spaniard, Meyer, this is his first international experience, where he has grabbed third ahead of Watt up from grid eight. While Muth (Crg/Parilla) stops

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fastest lap in 53”736 Also during the prefinal, we had to wait one or two laps before Taoufik (FA Kart/ Vortex) managed to take over the lead and then pull away from the leading quartet fighting for top places. De Wilde (Kosmic/Parilla) gets the better of Shvetsov (Tony Kart/Vortex) and Kenneally (FA Kart/Vortex) Before the final Watt still had the chance of gaining the title, for him sixth would

Above, Dennis Hauger (Crg/Parilla) made one or two mistakes in this European. The Norwegian, who has proved his skill in speed, was among the favourites.

Below, final start: Martins (274) seemed to be on another planet

have been enough. On the first lap he’s 11th but a fight holds him back and on lap five he’s 21st. The final is very hard fought right from the start, lots of place swapping up front between Hauger and Taoufik. But, half way through the race Victor Martins is back, and after a few laps he’s back into the lead and stays the to the chequered flag. Thanks to this win, the French driver gets European podium with 109. While Watt does no better than 14th at the line and loses 2 points for the European OHJ championship to the Brit Finlay Kenneally who grabs second with 112 points on the final championship scoreboard. Dennis Hauger is on front row grid and leads the pack, even if just for two laps he misses his chance of leaving a mark in this race being sixth over the line. Things go better for British driver Wilson always on Crg/ Parilla he managed to get podium.

THIS EUROPEAN HAS BEEN FULL OF UPS AND DOWNS FOR VIDALES (208) AND WATT (205) AUTHORS OF A WINNING EXPLOIT AND THEN NOTHING ELSE, MEYER (416) PROMOTED DIRECTLY BY ROTAX ON HIS FIRST EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE WITH OKJ

VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE 53

RACE

ROTAX MAX EURO CHALLENGE SOLOGNE KARTING, SALBRIS (F) AUGUST 28th 2016 – RND. 4

EXCITING FINAL The 13th season of the Rotax Max Euro Challenge finishes in Salbris, with drivers awarded with Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals tickets. The next RGMMC event is the International Open, set for October 9th.

REPORT: A. ROCA PICS: RGMMC PRESS OFFICE

54 VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE

Race winners were not the only being rewarded for their performances but the 2016 champions, too: Axel Charpentier (Junior), Nicolas Schoell (Senior), Kevin Ludi (DD2) and Martin Pierce (DD2 Masters) are the ones who earned a place in the Euro Challenge’s hall of fame. In addition to the coveted trophies, nine tickets for the ROTAX MAX Grand finals at Sarno are distributed to the top three championship drivers of each category.

Junior The designated junior champion

Axel Charpentier (Strawberry Racing) does not start for the final round, so it’s his teammate Mark Kimber (Strawberry Racing) who sets the fastest time in qualifying ahead of Dylan Buys (JJ Racing) and Enzo Valente (Pascal Valente). Dutchman Buys sweeps heats by winning three rounds out of three, gaining the pole position for prefinal ahead of Mark Kimber and Frenchman Jean Nomblot (Nomblot). In the meantime Olli Caldwell (KR Sport) passes from 17th position in qualifying

ROTAX JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP STANDING P N Driver Bel pf Bel f Ita pf Ita f Esp pf Esp f Fra pf Fra f Pt 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

88 7 64 49 36 33 25 55 14 31 65 44 100 26 38 74 42 39 23 28

Charpentier Axel Kimber Mark Caldwell Oli Van Berlo Glenn Leppa Lauri Bergmeier Tamino Smalley Adam Valente Enzo Dunner Lukas Phillips Joe Nomblot Jean Perceval Antoine del Sarte Ruben Meyer Kilian Canning Tom Buys Dylan Toth Laszlo Andersson Hugo McCarthy Connor Doerr Phil

34 (23) 31 33 30 24 32 18 22 26 27 19 4 (13) E 29 14

55 (48) 49 52 50 44 34 37 45 31 41 42 24 E 35 46 40

34 33 31 32 16) 28 30 18 29 (1) 15) 11) 9 22 27 17 24 25 3

52 55 (46) 50 (37) 45 49 39 47 (32) 33 (20) 36 43 48 (41) 42 44 23

34 33 32 18 29 (22) (7) (17) 30 28 27 19 21 20 14 31 23 13 -

55 50 52 (43) 49 40 39 (30) 31 33 (28) 34 47 29 44 41 46 (32) -

28 23) 10) 17 31 26 34 32 24 30 21 29 33 27 22 12) 25

50 48 46 43 (30) (34) 52 28 45 49 41 27 55 47 37 E 44

264 249 243 231 218 212 210 198 197 197 196 183 174 170 161 160 160 160 157 149

ROTAX SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP STANDING P N Driver Bel pf Bel f Ita pf Ita f Esp pf Esp f Fra pf Fra f Pt

JUNIOR PODIUM SENIOR START up to 5th after heats. In prefinal an accident immediately after the start shuffles positions on the grid, forcing Mark Kimber and Lauri Leppa (Vaisanen Hekki) to a great comeback.

Olli Caldwell makes the better of this accident and takes the lead followed by Dylan Buys and Enzo Valente. The leading trio flares up a fierce battle for the lead settling the positions among themselves. Thanks to this battle, the rest of the group is able to close the gap, so Dutchman Glenn Van Berlo (Hugo Motorsport) joins the battle, but he smashes his kart on rival’s one and finishes his race. In the end Enzo Valente greets the chequered flag in first with the JJ Racing drivers, Dylan Buys and Lukas Dunner, on the podium. Enzo Valente and Dylan Buys start greatly the final race trying to pull away

from the pack. In the meantime, Mark Kimber starts from grid seventh and immediately tries to find his way to the top. The young Brit driving for Strawberry Racing team fights hard to reach the podium, and, after battling against Tamino Bergmeier (JJ Racing) and Jean Nomblot, he finally steps on lowest podium place. It takes only a few laps to understand that Dylan Buys has another pace: the Duthcman shows the way from the first position passing on the finishing line with more than seven seconds of advantage over Enzo Valente in second.

Senior Nicolas Schoell (Strawberry Racing) won the champion’s crown at Zuera and only a potential exclusion in Salbris could have endangered his overall win, which is why he skipped the last round, leaving the way to Lars Lamborelle

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

216 266 221 202 252 214 206 218 226 209 224 251 223 235 245 276 253 210 257 255

Schoell Nicolas Donnelly Gary White Josh van Kalmthout Rinus Brown-Nutley J Dreyspring Christopher van Parijs Glenn McCarthy Jack Backman Jessica Besler Berkay Renaudin Adrien Deputch Joel Drouet Thomas Skelton Josh van Berlo Kay Lamborelle Lars Roovers Noah Mavlanov Denis Bijdendijk Ruurd Machacek Daniel

34 33 26 (18) 7 (2) 32 29 16 5 27 20 25 23 13 12 11 -

55 52 22) 50 39 38 45 32) 44 33 28) 48 43 35 40 46 24 -

33 31 34 27 32 24) 26 30 (5) 23) 19 25 12) (2) 15 18 (8) 6

55 (42) 52 46 50 30 47 49 43 48 36 29 34 (31) 37 (39) (20) 40

34 30 22 28 33 25 31 (15) (14) 32 E 26 27 16 23 29 20 (12) 21 10

48 45 43 46 55 44 49 37 (40) 50 34 38 39 (30) 32 52 33 47 28 36

(29) (21) 23 32 26 27 28 16 31 30 24 (6) 22 25 34 33 20 7

49 46 0 50 (30) (23) 43 48 (24) 52 47 (22) 45 40 55 E 39 36

259 240 223 220 216 215 214 210 203 194 191 190 188 185 178 170 158 156 143 135

ROTAX DD2 CHAMPIONSHIP STANDING P N Driver Bel pf Bel f Ita pf Ita f Esp pf Esp f Fra pf Fra f Pt 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

609 611 601 644 630 640 606 646 658 634 696 613 653 649 617 641 654 622 643 628

Ludi Kevin Schoell Constantin Kancsar Ferenc Bartoszuk Lukasz Viiliainen Ville Durante Cosimo Pullinger Barrie Wishofer Mick Slavinski Dzianis Pierce Martin Smelt Sam Seewer Philipp Cool Michael Sherlock Aaron Rauer Marius Garkaklis Haralds Al Rawahi Abdullah Muranski Slawomir Aloskins Ilja Dalmau Caballero O

34 (15) 28 29 27 (25) 32 30 31 24 20 22 21 6 (12) 5 3 9 11 -

55 46 48 52 (32) 47 49 50 (22) 44 25 36 43 37 (30) 41 38 34 24 -

(27) 30 32 34 28 29 31 26 E 19 24 23 22 17 20 21 15 13 9

52 50 44 55 49 (30) (27) (33) 47 45 48 39 43 37 46 32 (29) 35 42

33 31 34 18) 26) 32 27 23) 28) 25 29 19 15 24 17 9 (8) 10 22

52 (46) 55 (27) 49 50 45 43 47 42 41 39 28 38 36 40 32 31 48

34 33 (28) 27 32 30 (25) 31 29 19 20 22 21 -

0 55 (41) 40 52 49 46 48 50 44 38 43 39 -

VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE 55

260 245 241 237 237 237 230 228 204 199 187 178 170 170 165 161 159 150 124 121

RACE

(Dan Holland Racing). Dutchman sets the fastest time in qualifying being only 0.066 seconds quicker than Gary Donnelly (Strawberry Racing) with Turkey’s Berkay Besler (Bouvin Power) in third. Lamborelle continues his domain being constant throughout heats, starting the prefinal in pole position ahead of Russia’s Denis Mavlanov (Bouvin Power) and Adrien Renaudin (Patrice Renaudin).

In prefinal Denis Mavlanov takes the lead after the green light tailed by Jack McCarthy (Warren McCarthy) and local driver Renaudin. Belgian driver tries to get away from the pack while Rinus Van Kalmthout (RR Racing), Lars Lamborelle, McCarthy and Renaudin fight for the runner up position.

The rest of the race it’s an exciting battle to watch, with Dutchman Lars Lamborelle who takes the head of the group and holds it until the chequered flag. Mavlanov takes home a second position starting the final race in ahead

ROTAX MAX EUROCHALLENGE

SENIOR PODIUM

ROTAX JUNIOR FINAL P N Driver

Nat. Equipment

Gap

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

NLD FRA GBR FRA GBR HUN NLD GBR DEU FIN SWE FRA FRA FRA CAN SWE CHE FRA GBR DEU DEU NLD DEU BLR AUT ESP

14 Laps 7.202 7.326 7.831 7.949 8.161 9.202 9.659 10.684 14.010 14.988 15.601 15.738 17.063 17.155 17.580 19.870 23.197 24.559 27.574 32.802 3 Laps 4 Laps 7 Laps 10 Laps 11 Laps

74 55 7 65 64 42 49 31 28 36 21 44 30 78 79 39 22 59 25 50 66 37 33 116 14 26

Buys Dylan Valente Enzo Kimber Mark Nomblot Jean Caldwell Olli Toth Laszlo Van Berlo Glenn Phillips Joe Doerr Phil Leppa Lauri Morin Hannes Perceval Antoine Malizia Arnaud Claude Leonie MacDermid Ryan Andersson Hugo Ferati Jasin Thibaut Clement Smalley Adam Walter Andre Jung Henri Kraaijeveld Pepijn Bergmeier Tamino Artsemi Kamenok Dunner Lukas Meyer Kilian

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Expirit / Rotax / Mojo Sodikart / Rotax / Mojo Tonykart / Rotax / Mojo Sodikart / Rotax / Mojo Kosmic / Rotax / Mojo Tonykart / Rotax / Mojo OTK / Rotax / Mojo Kosmic / Rotax / Mojo FA Kart / Rotax / Mojo Tonykart / Rotax / Mojo Alonso / Rotax / Mojo Tonykart / Rotax / Mojo Sodikart / Rotax / Mojo Birelart / Rotax / Mojo Kosmic / Rotax / Mojo FA Kart / Rotax / Mojo Kosmic / Rotax / Mojo Tonykart / Rotax / Mojo Tonykart / Rotax / Mojo Expirit / Rotax / Mojo CRG / Rotax / Mojo Tonykart / Rotax / Mojo Expirit / Rotax / Mojo Kosmic / Rotax / Mojo Expirit / Rotax / Mojo CRG / Rotax / Mojo

ROTAX SENIOR FINAL P N Driver

Nat. Equipment

Gap

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

NLD FRA GBR IRL SWE FRA GBR GBR FRA GBR FRA FRA NLD NLD FRA GBR AUT FRA POL GBR FRA FRA DEU GBR AUT ISR FRA BEL TUR BEL FRA

16 Laps 0.307 3.864 4.118 4.412 4.853 6.022 6.809 8.075 13.623 13.783 13.997 14.249 14.713 15.050 15.286 16.651 17.430 17.600 17.686 19.300 19.904 22.211 25.309 26.681 27.509 33.183 7 Laps 12 Laps 15 Laps 15 Laps

276 224 252 266 226 251 221 235 279 218 230 267 245 257 234 282 255 231 265 219 283 280 214 217 259 229 238 247 209 206 223

Lamborelle Lars Renaudin Adrien Brown-Nutley Jordan Donnelly Gary Backman Jessica Deptuch Joel White Josh Skelton Josh Bouvier Yann McCarthy Jack Evrard Paul Jaloux Romain van Berlo Kay Bijdendijk Ruurd Missimilly Jacques Fulk Zak Machacek Daniel Williamson Andrew Stepinski Michal Croydon Tom Cochet Bastien Antier Antoine Dreyspring Christopher Le Vesconte Stephanie Kotyk Felix Cohen Ido Rasmussen Oliver Moulin Baptiste Besler Berkay van Parijs Glenn Drouet Thomas

Alonso / Rotax / Mojo Sodikart / Rotax / Mojo Alonso / Rotax / Mojo Tonykart / Rotax / Mojo OTK / Rotax / Mojo FA Kart / Rotax / Mojo Tonykart / Rotax / Mojo Tonykart / Rotax / Mojo FA Kart / Rotax / Mojo Tonykart / Rotax / Mojo Kosmic / Rotax / Mojo Tonykart / Rotax / Mojo Tonykart / Rotax / Mojo Alonso / Rotax / Mojo FA Kart / Rotax / Mojo Tonykart / Rotax / Mojo Tonykart / Rotax / Mojo FA Kart / Rotax / Mojo Kosmic / Rotax / Mojo Tonykart / Rotax / Mojo Kosmic / Rotax / Mojo Kosmic / Rotax / Mojo DR / Rotax / Mojo Tonykart / Rotax / Mojo DR / Rotax / Mojo Alonso / Rotax / Mojo Expirit / Rotax / Mojo Tonykart / Rotax / Mojo Tonykart / Rotax / Mojo Tonykart / Rotax / Mojo FA Kart / Rotax / Mojo

2016 CHAMPIONS AND GRAND FINAL QUALIFIERS of Van Kalmthout. It’s not over until the chequered flag, and Adrien Renaudin knows it. Lars Lamborelle starts the final from the pole position and he holds it while trying to open a gap over his rivals. An accident between Denis Mavlanov and Jordan BrownNutley (Dan Holland Racing) helps the polesitter who makes the better of this situation gaining a little advantage on the Frenchman. Now the chase begins: Renaudin pushes as hard as he can to catch the leader, but he is not fast enough to overtake him. The last lap of duel is simply breathtaking. Third place is decided on the last metres, too. Here Jordan Brown-Nutley finishes

onto the podium ahead of the new vice champion Gary Donnelly and Swedish girl Jessica Backman (Daems Racing). Josh White (Coles Racing) who finishes the finals in 14th and eighth place, completes the top three of the championship podium.

DD2 Constantin Schoell (Daems Racing) is the man to beat in the DD2 qualifying: Austrian driver is over a tenth of a second faster than Frenchman Alexis Coursault (Coursault) while Abdullah Al Rawahi (Birelart Middle East) from Oman impresses by a strong third place being even quicker than both championship rivals: Ferenc Kancsar (VPDR) from Hungary

DD2 CHAMPION KEVIN LUDI

and Kevin Ludi (Spirit Racing) from Switzerland complete the ranking in fourth and fifth place. Schoell continues his strong performance througout heats celebrating two wins and a third place that give him prefinal pole position. Dzianis Slavinski (Dan Holland Racing) rounds out the first row, thanks to a win in heats. Local driver Coursault follows in third position ahead of championship leader Kevin Ludi (Spirit Racing) and Italy’s Cosimo Durante (Franco Durante).

On Sunday, Kevin Ludi shows how to win prefinal and title after a great comeback: the Swiss ace falls to sixth after the start, but from that moment he is simply unstoppable and lap after lap he is able to find some serious speed overtaking Cosimo Durante and Constantin Schoell showing the way from the top spot. Second position for Schoell followed by Ferenc Kancsar who started from the tenth place.

Without Kevin Ludi, the final race seems to be only another day in the office for Austria’s Schoell, who simply pulls away from the pack managing the gap until the chequered flag. Ville Viiliainen (Heikki Vaisanen) follows the leader from the second position, without a possibility to attack him.

Italian Cosimo Durante tries to defend the third position from Dzianis Slavinski but the Dan Holland Racing driver gets the better of him on lap seven, stepping on the podium.

ROTAX DD2 FINAL P N Driver

Nat. Equipment

Gap

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

AUT FIN BLR ITA AUT FRA GBR MEX BEL OMN FRA HUN POL POL DEU

16 Laps 2.596 3.480 4.613 8.838 9.827 10.351 10.690 11.529 11.743 12.051 12.352 15.697 15.930 17.539

611 630 658 640 646 664 606 666 653 654 662 601 644 622 617

Schoell Constantin Viiliainen Ville Slavinski Dzianis Durante Cosimo Wishofer Mick Coursault Alexis Pullinger Barrie Gonzalez Javier Cool Michael Al Rawahi Abdullah Pennequin Pierre-Alexandre Kancsar Ferenc Bartoszuk Lukasz Muranski Slawomir Rauer Marius

Tonykart / Rotax / Mojo Tonykart / Rotax / Mojo FA Kart / Rotax / Mojo Wildkart / Rotax / Mojo DR / Rotax / Mojo Birelart / Rotax / Mojo Alonso / Rotax / Mojo Kosmic / Rotax / Mojo Tonykart / Rotax / Mojo Birelart / Rotax / Mojo Tonykart / Rotax / Mojo DR / Rotax / Mojo Tonykart / Rotax / Mojo Tonykart / Rotax / Mojo DR / Rotax / Mojo

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RACE

2016 US GRAND NATIONALS SIMWAY PERFORMANCE KARTING CENTER, SONOMA (USA) AUGUST 7th 2016

USA: TEAM COMPLETE On a sunny day in Sonoma, California at the Simraceway Performance Karting Center, after some very exciting driving in the 2016 Sofina Foods United States Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Nationals presented by Fikse Wheels, seven drivers etched their names in the history of karting as US Rotax Grand National Champions.

REPORT & PICS: CODY SCHINDEL/ CANADIANKARTINGNEWS.COM

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All seven US Rotax Grand National Champions earned places in Team USA to compete at the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals in Naples, Italy this coming October. With some of the winners already qualified, the following have been added to this year’s squad: James Egozi (Micro MAX), Arias Deukmedjian (Mini MAX), Jak Crawford (Mini MAX), Ashton Torgerson (Mini MAX), Dylan

Tavella (Junior MAX), Jake Craig (Senior MAX), Christian Munoz (DD2 MAX), Luis Schiavo (DD2 MAXMasters) and Derek Wang (MAX Masters).

Senior Jake Craig waited until only three laps were left before he made his move for the lead on Oliver Askew in the Rolison Performance Group Rotax MAX Senior final. Once

he got by, he built up a small lead and went nearly unchallenged by Askew, who made a late, last corner lunge for his life but couldn’t make it stick, allowing Craig to earn his second National title in his home state. It was a relatively smooth race as Craig jumped to the lead in the opening laps, then Askew went by on lap three. From there, the two worked together to ensure no other driver was in the mix at the end.

Christian Brooks cruised by himself to take third, missing some of the pace in the final that he showed in the morning prefinal. Austin Garrison

and Enzo Prevost completed the topfive.

“It was a very close race,” explained Craig after the race. “Luckily, Oliver and I were able to get a gap from the rest of the field in the beginning. With a few laps to go I decided to make the move to the lead and started to get a little gap. On the last lap I made a slight mistake and it came down to a drag race on the front straight and I got the win by a hair.

It is an unbelievable feeling being a two-time National champion. The competition at the US Nationals is always very high so it is definitely a

huge accomplishment.”

Junior Running last in the day’s order,

Koene USA Rotax Junior MAX was a firework show just awaiting the match. At the drop of the green flag, the match was lit and turn one was all carnage, collecting many drivers.

When the dust settled, Aidan Keel was leading Dylan Tavella while offpole starter Michael d’Orlando had fallen to sixth. d’Orlando worked back up to third by lap five as Keel and Tavella traded the lead. A small error by Keel on lap 13, dropping a wheel in corner one, not only opened the gap to Tavella, it allowed

VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE 59

RACE

MASTER MAX FINAL P N Driver

Gap

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

22 laps 0.535 0.927 1.922 3.646 10.705 11.318 13.258 14.337 34.054 8 laps 16 laps 18 laps

688 672 628 658 610 612 674 668 617 680 687 696 609

DEREK WANG JOHN BONANNO SCOTT ROBERTS BILLY CLEAVELIN CARLOS CALDERON ROMAN ALEKSEENKOV KELLY HEIL AARON FARRIS DJ ORTIZ PETE FRITSCHE RENE BINE SHERIDAN ODOM JOHN BREIDINGER

MINI MAX FINAL P N Driver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

157 188 199 152 102 187 181 144 183 119 105 168 101 100 127

TYLER GONZALEZ AUSTIN TORGERSON ARIAS DEUKMEDJIAN JAK CRAWFORD ASHTON TORGERSON JEREMY FAIRBAIRN LUCA MARS AIDAN FOX DUSTIN SALAVERRIA AIDAN ONEILL JOE BRIENZA ETHAN HO MATTEO SANDOVAL GINO SANDOVAL CODY KRUCKER

MICRO MAX FINAL P N Driver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

56 48 14 2 69 5 80 22 16 23 88 21 29 18 20 17 19

DIEGO LAROQUE JAMES EGOZI JOSH PIERSON ASHTON TORGERSON BRANYON TINER MIGUEL COSTA ALEX POWELL JEREMY FLETCHER SEBASTIAAN MULDER SANTIAGO TRISINI CARSON MORGAN ENZO SWAN CHRISTIAN LEGASPI GABBY BRIENZA RYAN PERSING PATRICK MOLNAR KABIS JACOBS

DD2/DD2 MASTERS FINAL P N Driver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

412 492 496 516 407 546 586 481 468 588

DEV GORE CHRISTIAN MUNOZ LAWSON NAGEL NATHAN MAUEL MICHAEL MCCARTHY LUIS SCHIAVO ERIK JACKSON MOISES DE LA VARA ANDREW COLOMBINI LUIS ZERVIGON

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Gap 16 laps 0.262 2.083 4.709 5.641 6.212 6.359 11.998 12.208 12.368 13.319 13.469 16.326 26.272 0.000

Gap 16 laps 0.184 7.681 7.995 8.018 12.764 13.038 18.527 18.847 20.294 30.856 32.875 33.096 38.202 38.410 4 laps 7 laps

Gap 22 laps 4.055 11.183 29.527 10.861 34.673 39.637 29.583 11 laps 1 lap

2016 US GRAND NATIONALS

SENIOR MAX FINAL P N Driver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

342 380 344 329 325 310 322 366 321 307 396 305 326 311 370 395 333 318 355

JAKE CRAIG OLIVER ASKEW CHRISTIAN BROOKS AUSTIN GARRISON ENZO PREVOST KYLE DUPELL MAX HEWITT CARSON KAPICA NIC LEDUC BREANNA MISCIONE THOMAS BEAUDOIN KYLE LOH ADAM SMALLEY MICHAEL LIN ZACH PETTINICCHI DOMINIC GIANSIRACUSA STEPHEN MALLOZZI WALKER HESS JAMES ARMAS

JUNIOR MAX FINAL P N Driver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

214 251 269 256 258 221 245 208 226 232 274 271 216 201 272 292 286 253 249 212 217 267 209 204 215 210 224

DYLAN TAVELLA MICHAEL DORLANDO AIDAN KEEL CARTER HERRERA MATHIAS RAMIREZ ZOEY EDENHOLM YUVEN SUNDARAMOORTHY HANNAH GREENEMEIER ALEXIS APODACA GRANT LANGON NICK BRUECKNER MASON BUCK JACOB GULICK FILIP NIEMKIEWICZ COLIN MULLAN MAXWELL WAITHMAN NIKI JOHNSTON RILEY DICKINSON ETHAN ARNDT MARK DONATO KADEN GRAY SHAWN HARMON NICK PERSING NATHAN RATTON NICHOLAS DORLANDO DAKOTA WHITE CADE MCKEE

Gap 22 laps 0.004 2.080 4.820 7.255 10.484 11.464 11.661 14.795 17.617 18.493 24.985 25.640 46.839 6 laps 7 laps 8 laps 8 laps 11 laps

Gap 22 laps 0.296 2.851 7.900 12.815 12.861 12.910 13.718 8.563 14.123 14.760 16.008 24.013 26.081 28.036 32.141 34.395 41.120 44.126 4 laps 16 laps 20 laps 21 laps 22 laps 22 laps 22 laps 22 laps

TYLER GONZALEZ GETS THE BETTER OF AUSTIN TORGERSON IN MINI MAX FINAL

d’Orlando to sneak by in the process and from there it was down to two.

Tavella hit his marks while d’Orlando did all he could to close in on the leader, but he came up short as Tavella claimed his third US Rotax National title. His first as Junior, he called it the greatest moment of his life so far. He will join Team USA for the first time at the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals. Keel settled for third in a race he thought was his, while Carter Herrera and Mathias Ramirez completed the top-five.

Edward Portz did drive from 28th on

DYLAN TAVELLA CELEBRATES HIS WIN IN JUNIOR MAX, “THE GREATEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE SO FAR”

the grid to fifth at the finish, but was excluded after the race by officials for driver misconduct.

Mini Tyler Gonzalez is having a career year in PSL Karting Rotax Mini MAX as he celebrated another major victory on Saturday. It was a close race between himself and Austin Torgerson in the Mini MAX final, but in the end, Gonzalez’s pace was just too much as Torgerson was unable to make a move for the lead in the late stages of the race.

Arias Deukmedjian had a major comeback on Saturday after a

A N HE OF R�

DIEGO LAROQUE TAKES HOME ANOTHER WIN IN MICRO MAX.

CHRISTIAN MUNOZ CROSSED THE LINE FIRST, BUT A 5 SECONDS PENALTY GIVES THE WIN TO DEV GORE disastrous day in the heats Friday. He recovered from the tail of the grid in the prefinal to finish third in the final, cruising most of the race just ahead of Jak Crawford. Ashton Torgerson completed the top-five after a spirited race with Jeremy Fairbairn and Luca Mars.

Masters Entering the weekend, Derek Wang had won nearly every Falcone GP Rotax MAX Masters title in the United States but he was still missing the glorious US Grand National title.

That changed on Saturday as he drove the wheels off his kart to take home the victory. Battling with Billy Cleavelin, Scott Roberts and John Bonanno, Wang managed the race well, never falling lower than second and took advantage of a last lap race for second to build up a gap and take home the title, securing his position on Team USA for the fifth time in his career. Bonanno won the race for second over Roberts while Cleavelin had to settle for fourth after dominating through qualifying and the heats.

Micro Dust was flying at the start of the AM Engines Rotax Micro MAX final, as many drivers were forced wide on the exit. Taking

big advantage of the melee was Branyon Tiner, who jumped from fifteenth on the grid to fifth while Josh Pierson, Jeremy Fletcher and Carson Morgan fell well down the order after starting up front.

Up front, James Egozi and Diego LaRoque broke free immediately as Ashton Torgerson faded from the leaders after only a couple of laps.

The lead duo worked together for most of the race, with Egozi taking a shot at the lead just past midway but LaRoque came right back and regained his position at the front.

And while Egozi looked high and low for a spot to pass, it just wasn’t there as LaRoque completed his domination of the weekend with the victory, smiling from ear to ear at the post-race scale line. Pierson rebounded to finish third with a stellar comeback drive, beating Torgerson and Tiner to the finish line.

DD2 In the Dallas Karting Complex Rotax DD2 MAX final, Dev Gore led for the first time this weekend after timing the start perfect to exit corner one out front. Immediately going on the defensive, Gore and Christian Munoz ducked it out for the lead over the next two laps until Munoz

got into the back of Gore through the final corner, half spinning the leader and knocking him down to fourth. The race went stale from there as Munoz built up a large lead, like he did all week long, while Gore advanced back up to second easily moving past Lawson Nagel and his team-mate Michael McCarthy.

At the finish line Munoz crossed as the victor, but was accessed a fivesecond penalty for his actions on Gore, making Gore the US National Champion with Nagel scored third after a penalty was also accessed to McCarthy.

DD2 Masters In the Dallas Karting Complex Rotax DD2 MAX Masters race, Nathan Mauel went untouched to score his first Rotax Grand National title after fifteen years of trying. Luis Schiavo crossed the line second with Erik Jackson third after Luis Zervigon entered the pits a lap early, and surrendered the third position.

VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE 61

RACE

2016 ROTAX MAX AUSTRALIAN PRO TOUR EASTERN LIONS KART CLUB, PUCKAPUNYAL (AUS) AUGUST 28th 2016 – RND 6

Travis Worton is off to Las Vegas for the 2016 Rotax US Open

Team Australia

announced in Puckapunyal A FANTASTIC DAY FOR FINALS AT ROUND 6 OF THE ROTAX PRO TOUR IN PUCKAPUNYAL. A SPECTACULAR SHOWCASE OF TRULY HARD-FOUGHT RACING AND SPORTSMANSHIP, WITH TEAM AUSTRALIA HONOURS BEING DECIDED IN THE CLOSING LAPS OF THE FINALS. REPORT: L. HANATSCHEK PICS: IDK/IAN WARD The sixth round of the 2016 Rotax Pro Tour completed the official national team for international Rotax competition. The seventh and final round of the series takes place at the Lincoln County Raceway in Dubbo, NSW on September 30 ± October 2.

Micro Max In just about every race all weekend Canberra' s Sebastian Ruiz and Victoria' s Harry Arnett traded places for the lead, with the Final being no exception. Lap after lap the pair

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swapped positions in a race of their own, with Harry Arnett meeting the chequered flag in front of Ruiz at the end of the 17 lap Final. New Zealand' s Emerson Vincent held on for a very respectful 3rd position after only seeing the track for the first time on Thursday afternoon. Rounding out the field was Xavier Renshaw and Macka Hazard in 4th and 5threspectfully.

Mini Max The trio of Hugh Barter, Kai Allen and James Wharton put on an incredible display of racing in the Mini

Max class, with all drivers leading the Final at some stage. In the end it was Victorian Hugh Barter who made a last lap pass on Wharton to go on and take the win ahead of Kai Allen in 2nd and James Wharton in 3rd. Will Harper and Cody Maynes-Rutty rounded out the minor podium positions in 4th and 5th, hot on the heels of the leading pack.

Junior Max Trophy Jamrock Racing' s Travis Worton completed a solid weekend in the Junior Max Trophy class, taking out his 4th win of the season

Team Australia 2016 - Italy bound for the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals

to secure his ticket to the Rotax US Open in Las Vegas. Worton made it a clean sweep, finishing over 4 seconds ahead of Tasmania' s Callum Bishop and Sydneysider Jaiden Pope. Zayd Tones crossed the line in 4th position just ahead of the hard-charging Kiwi Samuel Wright who drove to 5thposition from last on the grid.

Junior Max It was anybody' s race in the top 6 of the Junior Max final.

Unfortunately a first lap incident hindered a few drivers campaigns, but in the end it was Redspeed' s

DD2 Masters series leader Lee Mitchener took Final win

Cody Brewczynski who broke away to take a convincing win over TWM drivers Cameron Longmore and Alec Morse. Both drivers battled for the third and final Junior Max ticket to represent Australia, however Morse' s 3rd place was enough for him to secure Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Final qualification. The Gold Coast' s Kade Vink held his position for the 20 lap final to finish a solid 4th, with Sydney' s Zac Raddatz advancing to round out the podium in 5th position.

Rotax 125 Light Brad Jenner enjoyed a

total clean sweep in the Rotax 125 Light class, finishing with a lead of over 4 seconds aboard his James Sera Karting Centre FA Kart. Unfortunately the win was not enough for Jenner to secure his third ticket to represent Australia, with Cody Gillis holding out Joshua Fife for 2nd in the Final, which locked in the pair of TWM team mates for this year' s Grand Finals in Italy. Nikolaj Thomas and Troy Alger both drove great races in the Pre-Final and Final, finishing 4th and 5th respectively to round out the Rotax 125 Light podium.

Cody Brewczynski took a convincing win in Junior Max and will now represent Australia

VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE 63

RACE

2016 SERIES POINTS Official Series Points as of Round 6 of 7

MICRO MAX Pos. 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10)

Name SEBASTIAN RUIZ EMERSON VINCENT XAVIER RENSHAW MACKA HAZARD HARRY ARNETT RYAN TOMSETT LACHLAN PLATTEN JORDAN ENSBEY ALEX NINOVIC ROCK HAN

Pt 15,272 14,100 11,746 11,524 10,686 5,186 5,106 4,428 2,633 2,439

MINI MAX US OPEN - LAS VEGAS Pos. 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10)

Name JAMES WHARTON KAI ALLEN HUGH BARTER ANGUS GIFFIN LUKE PINK JACK WESTBURY WILL HARPER CONNOR DAVISON CODY MAYNES-RUTTY JONATHON MARCUSSON

Pt 14,550 14,097 11,784 10,830 10,320 10,035 9,459 9,110 8,881 7,793

MINI MAX RMCGF - SARNO, ITALY Pos. 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10)

Name JAMES WHARTON KAI ALLEN HUGH BARTER ANGUS GIFFIN WILL HARPER LUKE PINK CODY MAYNES-RUTTY CONNOR DAVISON BAILEY HAZARD JONATHON MARCUSSON

Pt 11,229 10,938 9,535 8,092 7,159 6,737 6,318 6,137 5,620 5,45

JUNIOR TROPHY Pos. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Name TRAVIS WORTON JAIDEN POPE CALLUM BISHOP ZAYD TONES SAM WRIGHT TAYLOR HAZARD BRODIE WHITMORE ARON SHIELDS TAYLA HARNAS TAYLAH AGIUS

Pt 15,272 12,868 11,763 11,551 11,460 10,953 8,659 8,614 8,472 7,873

JUNIOR MAX Pos. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Name DYLAN HOLLIS CODY BREWCZYNSKI ALEC MORSE CAMERON LONGMORE KYLE BONSER NATHAN HERNE KADE VINK LUCAS LICHTENBERGER REECE COHEN AARON LOVE

Pt 13,306 12,913 11,921 11,362 10,078 9,684 8,550 7,955 7,947 7,219

64 VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE

2016 ROTAX MAX AUSTRALIAN PRO TOUR

ROTAX 125 LIGHT Pos. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Name CODY GILLIS JOSHUA FIFE BRAD JENNER PAUL RODGERS TROY MORRISSEY PIERCE LEHANE LIAM FORD KODY GARLAND MADELINE STEWART THOMAS MACDONALD

Pt 14,201 14,101 13,452 9,741 8,753 8,078 8,013 7,911 7,740 7,153

ROTAX 125 HEAVY Pos. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Name SHAY MAYES CLEM OMARA LANE MOORE BEN RITCHIE CHRIS FARKAS GAVEN WHITMORE COREY LEAN JOSHUA DAVEY BEN RODGERS MITCHELL WALL

Pt 13,102 13,051 12,462 11,946 11,122 9,459 8,903 8,186 5,571 5,192

A CLEAN SWEEP FOR BRAD JENNER IN ROTAX 125 LIGHT

DD2 Pos. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Name ADAM LINDSTROM TROY WOOLSTON NATHAN TIGANI JOSHUA CAR LEE MITCHENER RYAN KENNEDY JASON PRINGLE CHRIS BREGONJE JAMES FOSTER *DANIEL ROCHFORD

Pt 14,010 12,819 12,715 12,003 11,326 10,499 10,268 7,803 7,191 6,788

DD2 MASTERS Pos. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Name LEE MITCHENER SCOTT HOWARD KRIS WALTON TROY BRETHERTON *MARK FLOOD BEN LILLIS KLINTON HANCEY JOSH WILLETT ASHLEY SEWARD SCOTT SIMPSON

Pt 15,266 13,411 12,906 11,731 10,634 8,253 7,834 7,199 6,790 6,397

Rotax 125 Heavy With a ticket to the Rotax US Open in Las Vegas on the line, the Rotax 125 Heavy Final was a closely fought battle between the 4 drivers of Clem O’Mara, Chris Farkas, Shay Mayes and Joshua Davey.

Contact between Davey and O’Mara took both drivers out of winning contention, handing Farkas the lead and a 1.9 second win ahead of Mayes. Clem O’Mara and Joshua Davey finished 3rd and 4th after their earlier incident, with Ben Ritchie salvaging 5th position to fill the podium.

DD2 Once again the DD2 class put on the race of the weekend, with multiple dices for positions in the top 5 throughout the final. Formula K’s Adam Lindstrom showed great speed and consistency all weekend, taking the win and earning his first ever ticket to the Rotax Grand Finals. Karting World’s Nathan Tigani managed to slot himself into 2nd position behind Lindstrom, with a slight gap back to Ryan Kennedy who crossed the line in 3rd. CompKart’s Joshua Car held on for a strong finish in 4th position, with a great drive by Dalton Ellery for 5th position aboard his JC Kart.

DD2 Masters A 5 way battle between Lee Mitchener, Daniel Richert, Scott Howard, Mark Flood and Troy Bretherton set up a tremendous race in the DD2 Masters Final. Both Mitchener and Howard shared the lead at different stages, but it was the series leader of Lee Mitchener who took victory at the end of the 20 lap final, with Victorian Daniel Richert finishing 2nd ahead of Scott Howard in 3rd. Mark Flood showed great pace all weekend to hold onto 4th position in the Final ahead of Pacific Kartsport’s Troy Bretherton who rounded out the podium in 5th position.

NEW TREND

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RACE

NEW ZEALAND, ROTAX MAX CHALLENGE GEORGE REFRIGERATION & AIR CONDITIONING RACEWAY, WELLINGTON (NZ) AUGUST 21st 2016 - RNDS 5 & 6

HART AND DRYSDALE CLAIM ROTAX WINS AT WELLINGTON Palmerston North karters Josh Hart and Dylan Drysdale claimed key class wins at the latest double-header round of the 2016 Giltrap Group New Zealand Rotax Max Challenge kart series in Wellington over the weekend.

REPORT & PICS: FAST COMPANY

66 VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE

The focus of this year’s Giltrap Group New Zealand Rotax Max Challenge now turns to the final double header round of the year being hosted by the KartSport Hamilton club at its Agrisea NZ Raceway over the September10-11 weekend.

DD2 Hart, a multi-time former Challenge

class winner, and New Zealand representative, was one of four ‘doublewinners’ at the Wellington meeting, claiming Rnd 5 honours in DD2 on Saturday from Dylan Drysdale’s older

brother Josh Drysdale, and Aucklandbased international Daniel Bray, with Mat Kinsman fourth, and Rnd 6 class honours on Sunday from Kinsman, Bray and the Drysdale brothers, Josh and Dylan.

Round 5 Final 1. Josh Hart; 2. Josh Drysdale; 3.

Daniel Bray; 4. Mat Kinsman; 5. Mason Armstrong; 6. Dylan Drysdale Round 6 Final 1. Josh Hart; 2. Mat Kinsman; 3. Daniel Bray; 4. Josh Drysdale; 5. Dylan Drysdale; 6. Nicholas Carpenter

Class winners at the latest double-header round of this year’s Giltrap Group New Zealand Rotax Max Challenge in Wellington over the weekend included Ryan Urban (DD2 Masters #90) and Josh Hart (DD2 #69)

Points after Rnd 6 of 8 1. Josh Hart 530; 2. Mat Kinsman 522; 3.

Daniel Bray 504; 4. Josh Drysdale 461; 5. Dylan Drysdale 456; 6. James Blair 450.

Rotax Max Light Drysdale took the battle to defending 125cc Rotax Max Light class title holder Daniel Connor from Auckland. Connor won the class Final from Drysdale on Saturday, but Drysdale returned the favour in Sunday, turning a one point deficit to Connor heading into the Wellington meeting to a one point lead heading to the final double-header series meeting in Hamilton next month. Third place finishes behind Connor and Drysdale in both Finals sees young Auckland driver Kaleb Currie third in the 125cc Rotax Max Light class points standings ahead of Chris Cox from Rangiora and Michael McCulloch from the Kapiti Coast.

Round 5 Final 1. Daniel Connor; 2. Dylan Drysdale; 3.

Kaleb Currie; 4. Michael McCulloch; 5.

Chris Cox; 6. Ethan Hourigan Round 6 Final 1. Dylan Drysdale; 2. Daniel Connor; 3.

Kaleb Currie; 4. Michael McCulloch; 5.

Chris Cox; 6. Madeline Stewart Points after Rnd 6 of 8 1. Dylan Drysdale 524 points; 2. Daniel Connor 523; 3. Kaleb Currie 495; 4.

Chris Cox 479; 5. Michael McCulloch 462; 6. Jacob Cranston 461.

DD2 Masters Ryan Urban parlayed DD2 Masters class victory here last year to New Zealand’s first class win at a Grand Final at Portimao in Portugal, continued on his winning way at Wellington.

On Saturday he claimed the DD2 Masters’ Final win from top female driver Tiffany Chittenden from Christchurch and Callum Orr from Palmerston North, and on Sunday he qualified quickest and won both heats as well as the Pre Final and Final, the latter from Chittenden and Aucklander Garry Claxton.

Round 5 Final 1. Ryan Urban; 2. Tiffany Chittenden; 3.

Callum Orr; 4. Stuart Marshall; 5. Garry Claxton; 6. Tim Wakefield Round 6 Final 1. Ryan Urban; 2. Tiffany Chittenden; 3.

Garry Claxton; 4. Callum Orr; 5. Stuart Marshall; 6. Tim Wakefield Points after Rnd 6 of 8 1. Ryan Urban 546 points; 2. Tiffany Chittenden, 509; 3. Callum Orr 490; 4.

Stuart Marshall 484; 5. Garry Claxton 461; 6. Tim Wakefield 441.

Rotax Max Heavy Campbell Joyes was unbeaten in 125cc Rotax Max Heavy, the reigning New Zealand sprint champion

winning all four heats and both Pre Finals and Finals, the later from Keith Wilkinson from Samuel Carpenter (both Auckland) on Saturday, and Wilkinson and Palmerston North driver Brendon Hart on Sunday.

Round 5 Final 1. Campbell Joyes; 2. Keith Wilkinson; 3.

Samuel Carpenter; 4. Brendon Hart; 5.

Teddy Bassick; 6. Kevin Barker.

Round 6 Final 1. Campbell Joyes; 2. Keith Wilkinson; 3. Brendon Hart; 4. Ashley Higgins; 5.

Daniel Bugler; 6. Samuel Carpenter Points after Rnd 6 of 8 1. Campbell Joyes 539 points; 2. Keith Wilkinson 521; 3. Daniel Bugler 480; 4. Samuel Carpenter 473; 5. Kevin Barker 460; 6. Teddy Bassick 456.

Rotax Junior Having missed the second double-header meeting of the season at Rotorua in April, Tauranga teenager Callum Hedge is not in overall series contention (yet), but that didn’t stop him stamping his authority on the Rotax Junior class at the Wellington meeting, swapping heat wins with series points leader Matthew Payne from Pukekohe on both days before going on to win both Pre-Finals and Finals.

On Saturday he won the Rotax Junior Final from Payne, top local female driver Rianna O’Meara-Hunt, and visiting Australian driver Jac Preston, while on Sunday he won the Final from Payne, Preston, O’Meara-Hunt and Jaden Ransley from Christchurch.

Payne continues to lead the class points standings, however, from Wellington’s Ryan Wood (who finished sixth in both Finals over the weekend) and O’MearaHunt.

Round 5 Final 1. Callum Hedge; 2. Matthew Payne; 3.

Rianna O’Meara-Hunt; 4. Jac Preston; 5.

Sam Wright; 6. Ryan Wood Round 6 Final 1. Callum Hedge; 2. Matthew Payne; 3.

Jac Preston; 4. Rianna O’Meara-Hunt; 5.

Jaden Ransley; 6. Ryan Wood Points after Rnd 6 of 8 1. Matthew Payne 517 points; 2. Ryan Wood 492; 3. Rianna O’Meara-Hunt 470; 4. Reece Hendl-Cox 462; 5. Jaden Ransley 450; 6. Tom Greig 423

VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE 67

RACE

2016 MSA KARTMASTERS BRITISH KART GP PF INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT, GRANTHAM (UK) AUGUST 7th 2016

The young Brit Callum Bradshaw added another title to his palmares winning over Jac Maybin in Junior X30.

REFERENCE POINT With 233 entries competing at the PF International Circuit, the MSA Kartmasters GP remains a point of reference for karters in UK. The advent of the OK Senior class, we see some great racing, brilliant weather and a great atmosphere at the Podium Village along with several hundred spectators, not to mention and ‘live’ IPTV coverage courtesy of our good friends at ‘Telemundi’ that made this one of the best events in its 21 year of history.

REPORT: TVKC PRESS OFFICE PICS: KARTPIX

68 VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE

The well liked KMGP format of two separate days racing accumulating points from the four heats and then the Sunday Finals day provided the usual ‘ups & downs’ but made for some brilliant racing come the actual GP races.

IAME CADET Pre-Final: Things hadn’t gone his way in the Heats and Bray Kenneally had to work hard to take an excellent win, Joshua Rattican helped him on his way and slipstreamed him over the line in second. Harry Thompson had the lead in the early stages but had to

be content with third. One to watch was Zak O’Sullivan who was on fire as he made up 11 places on the grid and ended up an excellent 8th.

KMGP Final – As expected the Final was a stunner. 14 laps of intense battling and all the names you would expect in the lead pack. As always, Harry Thompson looked a potential winner, but despite leading the first three laps he became engulfed in the pack. Another potential winner, Bray Kenneally, hit the front and it did look like for many laps he had control but Maxwell Dodds and

HONDA CADET RESULTS Pos. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

N. 2 O 55 57 74 92 12 95 8 70

Name Harry THOMPSON Oliver BEARMAN Oliver MARSH Sam HEADING Theo MICOURIS Archie BROWN Coskun IRFAN Arvid LINDBLAD Wesley MASON Aston MILLAR

IAME CADET RESULTS Pos. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

N. 51 O 10 33 6 25 12 5 C 18

Name Zak O'SULLIVAN Harry THOMPSON Bray KENNEALLY Maxwell DODDS Joseph TAYLOR Joshua RATTICAN Coskun IRFAN Taylor BARNARD Jonny WILKINSON Wesley MASON

Gap 15 laps 0.09 1.99 2.01 3.79 4.00 5.43 5.64 9.01 9.21

Gap 14 laps 0.16 0.39 0.76 0.79 2.67 3.52 4.26 4.32 4.49

JUNIOR ROTAX RESULTS

Myles Apps made the most of race events and took home an important win.

Pos. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

N. 14 25 47 53 32 74 99 34 49 96

Name Myles APPS Tyler CHESTERTON Mark KIMBER Tommy FOSTER Jenson BROWN Cole KILNER Tehmur CHOHAN Rhys HUNTER George HOLBROOK Joe TURNEY

JUNIOR X30 RESULTS Joseph Taylor had other ideas. The fourway scrap got intense with two laps to go and more so on the last lap. Defensive driving and position grabbing slowed this bunch down and, from almost nowhere, on the last few corner, Zak O’Sullivan breezed by them all to grab a sensational victory!

HONDA CADET The Pre Final belonged to an on form Wesley Mason, he had his work cut out though as Harry Thompson and Oliver Bearman chased him all race and made it a very exciting 12 laps.

KMGP Final – Should have been a cracker but an unfortunate incident leading onto the bridge section on lap one all but ended Wesley Masons & Lucas Ellingham’s chances. Oliver Bearman took charge for most of the race but was under constant pressure from Harry Thompson and had to let him go with two laps left.

Thompson held on for the win, Bearman in his wheel tracks second and Oliver Marsh just holding off a strong charge from Sam Heading to take third.

MINI MAX Pre Final: Jenson Butterfield - not a lot you could say about the winner’s performance, Pole position and lights to flag victory – stunning. Jonny Edgar gave chase after making up places but had to settle for second. Tom Canning looked a strong contender for top three honours but a yellow flag infringement saw his chances slip, Dexter Patterson inheriting

third.

KMGP Final – The Jenson Butterfield dominance continued for 12 laps of the Final – but several drivers had plans on spoiling his dominance. Dexter Patterson was an impressive leader on Lap 13 but Finlay Bunce was also in the mix taking the lead at Lap 14. Patterson however re-took the lead when it mattered and was first to the flag – as said, impressive.

Butterfield was a disappointed second while Bunce was a solid third. Great credit to Tom Canning who worked his way up from the last man on the start grid to a brilliant fourth.

JUNIOR MAX Pre Final was a four driver battle with Mark Kimber initially looking good, but strong battles and numerous lead changes saw him eventually finish fourth. William Pettitt was looking classy and was in the right place when it mattered – at the flag – winner. Joe Turney had a strong run into second while Myles Apps looked menacing in third.

KMGP Final – The writing was on the wall right from the off – Pole man Pettitt was ‘jumped’ at the start by Joe Turney who received a 10 second penalty demoting him from second to tenth at the flag, and William Pettitt, having issues on the opening lap, slipping out of contention.

So who was making the most of these misfortunes – Myles Apps. Always in the lead group and picking his moment, he

Pos. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

N. 25 71 48 70 46 37 11 19 149 30

Name Callum BRADSHAW Jac MAYBIN Sam MCDONNELL Matthew GRAHAM Morgan PORTER Elliot HARVEY Owen BYATT Mario MILLS Ed HACK Angus MOULSDALE

MINI MAX RESULTS Pos. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

N. 11 O 58 21 23 47 17 16 62 66

Name Dexter PATTERSON Jenson BUTTERFIELD Finlay BUNCE Tom CANNING Lorcan HANAFIN Jonny EDGAR Kieron JERMEY Dominic BUSH Brandon MARTLAND Oakley PRYER

Gap 16 laps 1.42 1.87 3.35 9.25 9.68 9.87 10.13 10.35 10.37

Gap 16 laps 0.12 0.47 0.78 1.00 4.22 4.69 5.40 5.94 6.45

Gap 16 laps 0.19 0.42 1.23 1.52 1.92 1.93 2.23 3.10 3.16

SENIOR OK (VORTEX) RESULTS Pos. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

N. 49 10 51 44 21 11 85 33 16 35

Name Oliver HODGSON Clement NOVALAK Dean MACDONALD Luke KNOTT Archie TILLETT Ben DAVIS Gus LAWRENCE Ross MARTIN Shea PEARCE Connor JUPP

SENIOR X30 RESULTS

Pos. N. Name 1 65 Danny KEIRLE 2 33 Mark LITCHFIELD 3 46 Brett WARD 4 96 Matthew HIRST 5 70 Josh SKELTON 6 53 Tom SHARPE-REYNOLDS 7 108 Charlie BINGHAM 8 121 Matt DAVIES 9 77 Callum BARNETT VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE 10 58 Charlie LAMB

Gap 18 laps 1.14 2.53 2.67 11.98 12.20 12.98 13.20 18.10 18.35

Gap 17 laps 0.51 0.68 1.21 1.31 1.50 2.02 3.34 4.99 69 7.28

RACE

claimed a great win after 16 intense laps of competition. Tyler Chesterton had a strong race to finish a solid second while Mark Kimber completed the podium places in third.

SENIOR OK For the first time at KMGP, the latest offering from the CIK saw the OK (Vortex) class in operation.

While the grid numbers were disappointing, those taking part and support from Strawberry Racing made it a very exciting debut at the event.

Pre Final – Fast or what!! A new circuit ‘lap record’ for Dean Macdonald – 54.99, and for sure it was the speed of the karts which impressed. We were also privileged to have CIK European winner at Genk the previous week with us – Clement Novalak to add spice.

The race was a three way affair with PF expert Oliver Hodgson showing the way to Novalak and Macdonald but there wasn’t a lot in it.

KMGP Final – A bit of an anti-climax as Hodgson was in total command - Lights to flag in style gave him the first OK GP title. As with the Pre-Final, Novalak and Macdonald followed home in second and third, while Luke Knott had a strong drive to finish fourth.

X30 JUNIOR Pre Final – A Black & Orange threesome dominated in the form of Team BKC, but only after a messy first lap incident at the hairpin which demoted a racey looking Ed Hack.

Jac Maybin looked cool at the front but Oliver York was making things difficult at half distance and looked a strong contender. The last few laps were hectic and experienced racer Callum Bradshaw showed why he is one of the best in this class with a measured performance to take the win. Maybin was a strong second with Team mate Sam McDonnel third. Matthew Graham had a great run gaining 11 places and finishing fourth just in front of York and Mario Mills.

KMGP Final - The BKC party was nearly spoilt by Oliver York in the GP, he raced sensationally and battled hard and with skill to manoeuvre his way to the front on the Final lap. Despite crossing the 70 VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE

2016 MSA KARTMASTERS BRITISH KART GP

By half second, Danny Keirle grabbed another win in X30 Senior.

line first, great disappointment as a nose cone infringement demoted him 10 seconds. So as per rehearsals, Callum Bradshaw added another title to his repertoire after holding out Jac Maybin who was runner up. Sam McDonnell was as always in the mix and completed the podium places.

X30 SENIOR Pre Final – Wherever you looked, there were battles, and the race win in doubt to the flag. However if the pack contains a certain Mr Litchfield you know there is ‘class’ – he may not have been the fastest out there but his race craft is sublime – on this occasion he crafted out another win. Brett Ward was his shadow for the race and at times looked as though he had something in reserve – perhaps he didn’t want to show his hand in the Pre Final – a fine second at the flag and in Litchfield’s slipstream.

Another ‘class’ act, Danny Keirle had some heart aches in the Heats but blew us all away with his breath-taking progress – a 15 place jump up the grid to finish a very strong third gave us a glimpse of what could be. Connor Hall and Derek Morgan were also in the mix and could spring a surprise in the GP. KMGP Final – 36 karts on track made this the ‘blue ribbon’ race of the day, a big crowd appreciating the skills of these kart heroes. From the off, Litchfield took control, but Keirle was probing for a way past which came after 5 laps but Litchfield responded, hitting the front again. The pack was also close at hand with Derek Morgan

HARRY THOMPSON SECURED HIS WIN WITH TWO LAPS LEFT

and Connor Hall bidding for glory. The ‘Big 2’ (Litchfield/Keirle) battle was relentless but on Lap11 it was all change as Brett Ward hit the front and looked to have timed his run to perfection – oh that is until Danny Keirle takes things up a notch. A stunning drive to overhaul Ward and Litchfield and carry him to a well-deserved GP victory. Mark Litchfield, although finishing runner up, gave everything as did Brett Ward in third – both contributing to a great Final. Mention of a couple of drivers who made dazzling drives in the Final, Matthew Hirst up 18 places and in this company that is stunning, a great fourth place at the flag, and Tom SharpeReynold up 28 places to finish sixth.

We break the vow of silence!

Many engine manufacturers talk about torque and speed.

Who is talking about warranty?

: r e f f o e m i t d e it

Lim

*

! y t n a r r a w h 1, 2016 mont

3 . c e D 1 6 MONTH FOR ALL ROTAX KART ENGINES: Sept. WARRANTY

125 MICRO MAX, MINI MAX, JUNIOR MAX, MAX, MAX DD2

www.rotax-kart.com ®

© 2016 BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co KG. All rights reserved. and TM and the BRP logo are trademarks of Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. or its affiliates. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. *Offer valid from September 1, 2016 until December 31, 2016, with the purchase and registration of a brand-new Rotax kart engine.

VROOMBOX ROTAX MAX ASIA CHALLENGE ELITE SPEEDWAY CIRCUIT, SELANGOR (MAL) AUGUST 7TH 2016 – RND. 5

DD2 CHAMPIONSHIP

At last, in the Micromax category, Amer Harris managed to get his first place podium win after struggling for over 4 rounds against his rival Bondi, who was not racing this time as he has moved back to the UK with his family. Stratos Motorsports driver, Hardja Prassetyo pulled away from the pack and took home the chequered flag, winning over Arsh Johany and Amirul Haikal. Only five senior drivers on grid led by Christian Silvano under the chequered flag followed by championship contender Ricky Donison. Senna Noor was brilliant again in the DD2, and dominated in practice, heats and finals. Senna settled into his new Praga DD2 kart and wasted no time to defend his championship from his rivals.

Pos. 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10)

N. Name

342 369 322 300 311 401 412 330 525 317

Senna Sulaiman Noor Nayan Chatterjee James Veerapen Long Mohammad Nor Ariff Brendan Paul Anthony Riki Tanioka Ong Chee Mang Eshan Pieris Handi Hargja Nazim Azman

SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP Pos. 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10)

N. Name

251 208 210 250 253 209 225 248 215 268

Silvano Christian Ricky Donison Darryl Wenas Gabriella Teo Rifqi Rakamulya Barrichello Noor Izzat Hanif Ahmad Gunadi Pasha M Shaquille Nabil Hutasuhut

JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP Pos. 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10)

N. Name

177 168 171 138 131 115 125 153 127 135

Kane Shepherd Prassetyo Hardja Romain Leroux Arsh Johany Lin Tsen Han Nik Zamir Zakwan Muhammad Amirul Haikal Anathorn Tangnainatchai Shin Ting Hau Muhammad Sidqi A. Said

Points 444 402 370 366 358 350 329 321 285 264 Points 435 426 405 383 368 302 300 271 264 220 Points 413 411 394 388 375 348 340 329 322 293

MICRO MAX CHAMPIONSHIP

72 VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE

Pos. 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10)

N. Name

11 81 22 77 20 55 90 80 99 68

Shahan Ali Mohsin Hayden Haikal Oscar Ng Amer Harris Adam Mikail Dylan Bondi Sergio Noor Aditya Wibowo Krit Boonyang Li Hao Ran

Points 412 407 404 376 359 324 306 300 285 222

THE AWNING COMPANY SUPER ONE SERIES SUMMERLEE RACEWAY, LARKHALL (UK) AUGUST 14TH 2016 – RND. 8

BELGIUM – BNL KARTING SERIES CIRCUIT DE LA MÉTROPOLE, OSTRICOURT (F) JULY 3rd 2016 – RND. 2

The series moved north to the Scottish circuit of Larkhall. X30 and KZ1 have just one round to run, whereas Rotax classes have two. Oliver Bearman took the spoils in two hard fought Honda Cadet finals, while no one could touch Scott Allen in KZ1 as he moves to the top of the standings for the British short circuit gearbox crown. In Mini Max Dexter Patterson got the better of Jenson Butterfield in both finals. In Junior Max Joe Turney had been fastest in the time trials, but it was the local Scottish Champion Tony Logie who won the first heat with Turney taking a front fairing penalty, then Turney winning the second.

Between senior drivers Scottish guest driver Mark Ross set the scene winning both finals out driving all the regulars from the top teams. In Junior X30 Gordon Mutch was back in the hunt for points winning the first final, finishing in second behind Oliver Clarke the other race. Matt Davies secured the first final in Senior X30 winning over Brett Ward and Josh Collings. The latter made his comeback in the second final crossing the line in first.

In Micro Max Senna Kortman comes up from grid 5 to grab a surprising final one win, but Lucas Schoenmakers sweeps the other three finals, completing an incredible weekend. Mike Van Vugt and Luca Leistra split victories in Mini Max, while Dylan Buys takes home three wins in Junior Max, leaving only one win to Leroy Jagesar. Glenn van Parijs dominates in Senior Max winning all the finals. DD2 is by far the most unpredictable class of the weekend with plenty of drivers putting themselves in the mix for victory throughout both days: Kevin Ludi, Jordy Lievens, and Constantin Scholl secure a win in final races.

RESULTS

Honda Cadet ABkC National Championship Final 1: 1 Oliver Bearman (Project One); 2 Harry Thompson(Synergy); 3 Lucas Ellingham (Zip); 4 Wesley Mason (Project One); 5 Caden McQueen (Zip); 6 Archie Swinscoe (BRK).

Final 2: 1 Bearman; 2 Ellingham; 3 McQueen; 4 Mason; 5 Alex Eades (BRK); 6 Sam Heading (Project One).

MSA Short Circuit Gearbox British Kart Championship Final 1: 1 Scott Allen (Gold/IAME); 2 Dan Kelly (Birel/TM); 3 John Pike (Octane/Modena); 4 Hannah Lang (Tonykart/Vortex); 5 Danny Keirle (Gold/IAME). Final 2: 1 Allen; 2 Keirle; 3 Kelly; 4 Pike; 5 Lang.

MiniMax ABkC National Championship Final 1: 1 Dexter Patterson (Kosmic) 2 Jenson Butterfield (Tonykart); 3 Lorcan Hanafin (Tonykart); 4 Finlay Bunce (Tonykart). 5 Clayton Ravenscroft (Tonykart); 6 Evan Smillie (Gillard). Final 2: 1 Patterson; 2 Butterfield; 3 Hanafin; 4 Tom Canning (Kosmic); 5 Jonny Edgar (Esprit); 6 Smillie.

Junior Max ABkC National Championship Final 1: 1 Myles Apps (Tonykart); 2 William Pettitt (Tonykart); 3 Joe Turney (Kosmic); 4 Jonathan Hoggard (Tonykart); 5 Tyler Chesterton (Tonykart); 6 Tommy Foster (Tonykart).

Final 2: 1 Turney; 2 Hoggard; 3 Apps; 4 Chesterton; 5 Pettitt; 6 Mark Kimber (Tonykart).

Senior Rotax ABkC National Championship Final 1; 1 Mark Ross (Birel); 2 Jack McCarthy (Tonykart); 3 Paul Stewart (Tonykart); 4 Harrison Thomas (Tonykart); 5 Josh Skelton (Tonykart); 5 Josh White (Tonykart).

Final 2: 1 Ross; 2 Stewart; 3 McCarthy; 4 Thomas; 5 Josh Collings (Alonso); 6 Skelton.

Junior X30 International Qualifier Final 1: 1 Gordon Mutch (Mad Croc); 2 Max Jeanne (TBA); 3 Shane White (Tonykart); 4 Harry McQuillan (Tonykart); 5 Teddy Pritchard (Birel ART); 6 Ethan Pitt (Mach 1).

Final 2: 1 Oliver Clarke (Tonykart); 2 Mutch; 3 Angus Fender (Gold); 4 Pritchard; 5 White; 6 Angus Moulsdale (TBA).

Senior X30 International Qualifier Final 1: 1 Matt Davies (Tonykart); 2 Brett Ward (Mach 1); 3 Josh Collings (Alonso); 4 Dean Hale (Gold); 5 Matthew Hirst (Kosmic); 6 Scott Mackrell (Tonykart).

RESULTS MINI FINAL 1 1) 27 Luca LEISTRA; 2) 22 Kobe PAUWELS; 3) 10 Justin Polman; 4) 124 Jamie DAY; 5) 77 Gilles STADSBADER; 6) 31 Ralph WINKEL; 7) 21 Kai RILLAERTS (R); 8) 66 Luka Nurmi; 9) 7 Mike VAN VUGT; 10) 56 Dani VAN DIJK (R) MINI FINAL 2 1) 27 Luca LEISTRA; 2) 77 Gilles STADSBADER; 3) 10 Justin Polman; 4) 7 Mike VAN VUGT; 5) 93 Rick BOUTHOORN; 6) 66 Luka Nurmi; 7) 56 Dani VAN DIJK (R); 8) 124 Jamie DAY; 9) 70 Mark van der Kamp; 10) 31 Ralph WINKEL MICRO FINAL 1 1) 3 Lucas SCHOENMAKERS (R); 2) 77 Senna Kortman; 3) 19 Bryan LAUDENBERG; 4) 24 Kris HAANEN (R); 5) 22 Liewe RUTTEN; 6) 41 Senna VERSLUIJS; 7) 61 Omer Asaf KOLOT (R); 8) 33 Robbe DEWULF (R) MICRO FINAL 2 1) 3 Lucas SCHOENMAKERS (R); 2) 77 Senna Kortman; 3) 41 Senna VERSLUIJS (R); 4) 24 Kris HAANEN (R); 5) 22 Liewe RUTTEN; 6) 33 Robbe DEWULF (R); 7) 19 Bryan LAUDENBERG; 8) 61 Omer Asaf KOLOT (R) DD2 FINAL 1 1) 610 Jordy LIEVENS; 2) 606 Barrie PULLINGER; 3) 635 Joey ALDERS; 4) 649 Aaron Sherlock; 5) 611 Constantin SCHOELL; 6) 609 Kevin LUDI; 7) 653 Michael COOL; 8) 607 Christof HUIBERS; 9) 686 Giel BRONBER; 10) 651 Stephen BULL DD2 FINAL 2 1) 611 Constantin SCHOELL; 2) 635 Joey ALDERS; 3) 606 Barrie PULLINGER; 4) 610 Jordy LIEVENS; 5) 649 Aaron Sherlock; 6) 651 Stephen BULL; 7) 653 Michael COOL; 8) 686 Giel BRONBER; 9) 617 Rasmus Larsen PEDERSEN; 10) 655 Christopher ADAMS (M) JUNIOR FINAL 1 1) 25 Dylan BUYS; 2) 38 Tom CANNING; 3) 96 Joe Turney; 4) 18 Marc KIMBER; 5) 5 Ilian BRUYNSEELS (R); 6) 78 Leroy JAGESAR; 7) 23 Xavier HANDSAEME (R); 8) 15 Joe PHILIPS; 9) 59 Bastien COCHET; 10) 12 Xander PRZYBYLAK JUNIOR FINAL 2 1) 25 Dylan BUYS; 2) 96 Joe Turney; 3) 38 Tom CANNING; 4) 5 Ilian BRUYNSEELS (R); 5) 78 Leroy JAGESAR; 6) 59 Bastien COCHET; 7) 143 Tehmur CHOHAN; 8) 64 Oliver CALDWELL (R); 9) 18 Marc KIMBER; 10) 15 Joe PHILIPS SENIOR FINAL 1) 206 Glenn VAN PARIJS; 2) 216 Nicolas SCHÖLL; 3) 222 Jordan BROWN-NUTLEY; 4) 204 Baptiste MOULIN (R); 5) 253 Kay VAN BERLO; 6) 250 David REHME; 7) 317 Louis HENKEFEND; 8) 235 Filip WOJTOWICZ (R); 9) 377 Fazio FRANSSEN; 10) 228 Dylan LAHAYE

Final 2: 1 Collings; 2 Davies; 3 Hale; 4 Ward; 5 Matt Gilliland (TBA); 6 Mackrell.

VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE 73

VROOMBOX SWITZERLAND – SCHWEIZER KART-MEISTERSCHAFT CIRCUIT DE L’ENCLOS, LEVIER (F) AUGUST 14th 2016, RND. 5

KZ2 CHAMPIONSHIP Pos. 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10) 11) 12) 13) 14) 15) 16) 17) 18) 19) 20) 21) 22) 23) 24) 25) 26) 27) 28) 29) 30)

N. Name

92 10 53 22 12 33 39 5 77 28 45 2 17 35 21 8 3 94 99 37 1 15 23 16 13 69 63 36 6 14

VINDICE Loic REINHARD André HOEKFELT Paul jr.

ROHRBASSER Nicolas VON LERBER Isabelle LUISIER Sébastien VON ALLMEN Pascal WOHLWEND Fabienne KISSLING Philipp VANTAGGIATO Evan MUELLER Sven WEIBEL Dominik ALVARO Vincenzo RHYN Rudolf WIDMER Tobias FREIMANN Marc COCHAND Matthieu VON AESCH Yves EHRENSBERGER Philippe ZUERCHER Mike LUYET Jean ALTHAUS Sacha NUSSBAUM Arnaud SAETTELI Samuel SALLIN Arnaud TRUMMER Simon JAQUEMET Christophe PRASOVIC Almir WOLHAUSER Marc WEBER Alain

Equipment Points 275 Praga/Parilla 229 Tony Kart/Vortex 216 CRG/Maxter 212 Kosmik/Vortex ClubSwiss Hutless/TM Racing 195 178 Croc Pormo/TM Racing 129 Swiss Hutless/Maxter 91 DR/Modena 90 DR/TM Racing 90 Croc Pormo/TM Racing 87 Tony Kart/Vortex 84 Exprit/Modena 75 Swiss Hutless/TM Racing 44 Birel/TM Racing 43 DR/TM Racing 39 Tony Kart/Vortex 26 Tony Kart/TM Racing 25 ClubSwiss Hutless/TM Racing 25 Swiss Hutless/TM Racing 19 MAD/TM Racing 19 Tony Kart/Vortex 19 Kosmik/Maxter 18 Tecno/TM Racing 14 Intrepid/Modena 9 Tecno/TM Racing 9 ClubPraga/Parilla 9 Praga/Parilla 8 Formula K/Maxter 5 DR/Modena 4 Formula K/TM Racing

OK SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP Pos. 1) 2) 3) 4) 5)

Swiss Kart Championship (SKM) drivers raced the fifth out of six championship rounds in Levier, France. In the premier class KZ2, Nicolas Rohrbasser (Kosmik / TM) celebrated his first victory in the finals. Norick Lehner (Praga) dominated all three races in the Iame X30 Challenge, just like Yannik Klaey (Kosmik / Vortex) in the OK-Seniors and Julian Kuwabara-Wagg (Cosmic) in the X30 Junior. Ben Samir (Swiss Hutless) grabbed win in the Super Mini class. Only one more round to go and the fight for the title is still very much open, we’ll see what happens in Lingnières on September 18th X 30 CHALLENGE CHAMPIONSHIP Pos. N. Name 3 LEHNER Norick 1) 44 MAZOU Hicham 2) 911 FELBER Alessandro 3) 21 NÄSCHER Patrick 4) 24 PLANCHAMP Steven 5) 94 WÄLTI Kevin 6) 4 MUTH Lukas 7) 46 JETZER Ramona 8) 93 RIZZO Stefano 9) 8 VITAL Micola 10) 97 POZZO Luca 11) 9 BUSCEMI Alessandro 12) 54 STANCO Dario 13) 74 HAUSER Daniel 14) 15) 233 BAUMGARTNER Yoshindo 2 DONATO Valentino 16) 42 ENGELI Markus 17) 18) 19 EIGL Nico 19) 26 PEDRAZZINI Philippe 20) 311 WÄLTI Beat 7 HOCHSTRASSER Fabian 21)

74 VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE

Equipment Praga/IAME X30 Kosmik/IAME X30 Tony Kart/IAME X30 Tony Kart/IAME X30 Croc Prom/IAME X 30 Kosmik/IAME X30 Tony Kart/IAME X30 Kosmik/IAME X30 Tony Kart/IAME X30 Tony Kart/IAME X30 Zanardi/IAME X30 Praga/IAME X30 PCR/IAME X30 Swiss Hutless/IAME X30 Tony Kart/IAME X30 CRG/IAME X30 Tony Kart/IAME X30 Swiss Hutless/IAME X30 Kosmik/IAME X30 Swiss Hutless/IAME X30 Emme Racing/IAME X30

Points 282 276 250 209 180 177 165 116 115 96 86 80 78 50 35 32 26 23 22 18 12

N. Name

8 35 46 91 19

LEIMER Fabio KLAEY Yannick WEIBEL Samuel FROTE Arthur EIGL Nico

Equipment Mach 1/ TM Racing Kosmik/Vortex Exprit/Vortex Swiss Hutless/TM Racing Swiss Hutless/TM Racing

SUPER MINI CHAMPIONSHIP Pos. 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10) 11) 12) 13) 14) 15) 16) 17) 18) 19) 20) 21) 22)

N. Name

65 48 77 53 5 44 3 27 12 91 4 24 2 7 18 11 57 8 88 9 23 14

FAGONE Alessio SPERANDIO Elia BEN Samir LAGROTTERIA Antonio LUGASSY Shannon SCHOTT Esteban HÊCHE Quentin POSE Satya-Saian SAUTER Michael ZIMMERLI Pirmin LOVRENOVIC Levin NAUDE Toni STEIGER Valentin PANES Florent RAIS Mathias LÜSCHER Ekaterina ISGRO Devin OJJHE Illian NEF Jesse KRAFT Sebastian ACHERMANN Loris NEUHAUS Lynn

Equipment Exprit/TM Racing Praga/TM Racing Swiss Hutless/TM Racing Exprit/TM Racing Birel/LKE Birel/LKE Swiss Hutless/TM Racing Swiss Hutless/TM Racing Exprit/TM Racing Exprit/LKE Birel/LKE Kosmik/LKE Birel/LKE Tecno/Parilla Birel/LKE Top Kart/ Parilla Exprit/LKE Kosmik/LKE Praga/Parilla Swiss Hutless/TM Racing Tony Kart/LKE Tony Kart/Parilla

X 30 JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP Pos. N. Name 11 MOCCIA Savio 1) 57 KUWABARA-WAGG 2) 6 WIGGER Elias 3) 7 MÜLLER Mike 4) 27 BORN Miklas 5) 13 MESSMER Silvano 6) 118 MOSER Timo 7) 77 DI PRIMA Livio 8) 20 MONNIER Cyril 9) 10) 132 SHAW Elliott 2 STANCO Luana 11) 28 LUYET Samuel 12) 15 CARIO Angelo 13)

Equipment Praga/IAME X30 Junior Kosmik/IAME X30 Junior Praga/IAME X30 Junior Swiss H/IAME X30 Junior Praga/IAME X30 Junior Tony Kart/IAME X30 Junior Praga/IAME X30 Junior Birel/IAME X30 Junior GP Racing / IAME X30 Junior Exprit/IAME X30 Junior TeEaxmprit/IAME X30 Junior Tony Kart/IAME X30 Junior Swiss Hutless/IAME X30 J

Points 322 302 282 208 28 Points 289 227 213 212 203 178 176 164 155 112 99 97 78 72 53 50 21 16 14 11 8 2 Points 288 252 238 191 189 171 150 127 124 118 79 51 25

ALE CARRERA 1 (C1) P N Driver 1 2 3 4 5

4 18 7 30 16

Santiago VALLVE MARTÍN Maximus MAYER Mario SAÑUDO CASTILLO Miron PINGASOV Daniel BRIZ LLULL

ALE CARRERA 2 (C2) P N Driver 1 2 3 4 5

7 4 18 16 30

Mario SAÑUDO CASTILLO Santiago VALLVE MARTÍN Maximus MAYER Daniel BRIZ LLULL Miron PINGASOV

CAD CARRERA 1 (C1) P N Driver 1 2 3 4 5

SPAIN - CAMPEONATO DE ESPAÑA CIRCUITO DE KARTING MOTORLAND, ALCANIZ (S) AUGUST 28th 2016 – RND. 4 Exciting races in the penultimate meeting of the Championship of Spain 2016. Pedro Hitlbrand completes his domain winning also the fourth round and the national title of the KZ2. Andiy Pits and Antonio Villaescusa share win in

Senior, while Daniel Macia has a perfect weekend winning both races in Junior. In Cadet Cesar Garcia and Carles Martìnez step on the highest podium place, and in Alevìn Santi Vallve and Mario SaÑudo are race winners.

30 29 5 26 1

Cesar GARCÍA CASTRO Robin AMARIN NORMAN Hugo LÓPEZ DE MIGUEL Lorenzo James FLUXÁ CROSS Mari BOYA

CAD CARRERA 2 (C2) P N Driver 1 2 3 4 5

22 1 35 15 5

Carles MARTÍNEZ ESCRIHUELA Mari BOYA Luka MEDUNITSA Hugo BELDA ROMEUF Hugo LÓPEZ DE MIGUEL

JR CARRERA 1 (C1) P N Driver 1 2 3 4 5

28 20 34 12 30

Daniel MACIA AMADOR Alejandro LAHOZ LÓPEZ Simao JORGE VENTURA Rubén MOYA LÓPEZ Enric BORDAS COTES

JR CARRERA 2 (C2) P N Driver 1 2 3 4 5

28 12 34 15 20

Daniel MACIA AMADOR Rubén MOYA LÓPEZ Simao JORGE VENTURA Carlos SAVAL MARTÍN Alejandro LAHOZ LÓPEZ

SR CARRERA 1 (C1) P N Driver 1 2 3 4 5

1 6 26 8 15

Andriy PITS Carlos LEÓN MATEOS Antonio VILLAESCUSA B Guillem PUJEU BEYA Kevin TENORIO SOLA

SR CARRERA 2 (C2) P N Driver 1 2 3 4 5

SILVER CARRERA 1 (C1) P N Driver 1 2 3 4 5

41 20 34 12 30

Arturo COBOS MANZANAL Brice DE GAYE Nacho AVIÑO ROGER Toni FORNE TOMAS David MANERA

SILVER CARRERA 2 (C2) P N Driver 1 2 3 4 5

41 28 29 14 40

Arturo COBOS MANZANAL David MANERA Brice DE GAYE Alfonso LOSCERTALES T Cristóbal GARCÍA RAMOS

Equipements

Gap

Maranello / Modena E / Vega Crg / Maxter / Vega Praga / Modena Engines / Vega Crg / Tm Racing / Vega Birel Art / Tm Racing / Vega

14 Laps 4.586 6.213 6.795 7.518

Equipements

Gap

Maranello / Modena E / Vega Birel Art / Tm Racing / Vega Crg / Maxter / Vega Maranello / Modena E / Vega Kosmic / Tm Racing / Vega

11 Laps 0.334 3.763 10.682 15.677

26 6 1 24 15

Antonio VILLAESCUSA B Carlos LEÓN MATEOS Andriy PITS Carlos DEMBILIO OCIO Kevin TENORIO SOLA

SR-KZ2 CARRERA 1 (C1) P N Driver 1 2 3 4 5

4 12 3 17 18

Pedro HILTBRAND AGUILAR Luis GONZÁLEZ MARTÍNEZ Gerard CEBRIAN ARIZA Eliseo MARTÍNEZ MEROÑO Miguel NOVAL CUETO

SR-KZ2 CARRERA 2 (C2) P N Driver 1 2 3 4 5

4 12 9 17 18

Pedro HILTBRAND AGUILAR Luis GONZÁLEZ MARTÍNEZ Lisard SANTOS GÓMEZ Eliseo MARTÍNEZ MEROÑO Miguel NOVAL CUETO

Equipements

Gap

Birel / Parilla / Vega Tony Kart / Parilla / Vega Croc Promotion / Parilla / Vega Fa Kart / Parilla / Vega Fa Kart / Parilla / Vega

8 Laps 2.811 4.606 5.453 5.475

Equipements

Gap

Croc Promotion / Parilla / Vega Birel / Parilla / Vega Tony Kart / Parilla / Vega Fa Kart / Parilla / Vega Fa Kart / Parilla / Vega

8 Laps 0.498 6.240 11.300 11.414

Equipements

Gap

Tony Kart / Parilla / Vega Tony Kart / Parilla / Vega Birel / Parilla / Vega Tony Kart / Parilla / Vega Tony Kart / Parilla / Vega

8 Laps 0.195 0.303 0.370 0.508

Equipements

Gap

Praga/Ok1 / Parilla / Vega Tony Kart / Parilla / Vega Tony Kart / Parilla / Vega Fa / Parilla / Vega Birel / Parilla / Vega

8 Laps 0.169 0.203 0.262 0.285

Equipements

Gap

Praga / X30 / Vega Fa Kart / X30 / Vega Crg / X30 / Vega Fa Kart / X30 / Vega Tony Kart / X30 / Vega

11 Laps 2.134 3.063 3.096 3.357

Equipements

Gap

Praga / X30 / Vega Fa Kart / X30 / Vega Crg / X30 / Vega Fa Kart / X30 / Vega Fa Kart / X30 / Vega

11 Laps 2.364 2.447 3.926 4.369

Equipements

Gap

Zanardi / X30 / Vega Fa Kart / X30 / Vega Praga / X30 / Vega Fa Kart / X30 / Vega Fa Kart / X30 / Vega

14 Laps 0.335 1.178 1.492 1.597

Equipements

Gap

Praga / X30 / Vega Fa Kart / X30 / Vega Zanardi / X30 / Vega Praga / X30 / Vega Fa Kart / X30 / Vega

14 Laps 0.785 0.984 1.306 3.186

Equipements

Gap

Crg / Maxter / Vega Fa Kart / Tm Racing / Vega Crg / Tm Racing / Vega Praga / Lke / Vega Praga / Lke / Vega

14 Laps 2.802 6.225 6.334 6.693

Equipements

Gap

Crg / Maxter / Vega Fa Kart / Tm Racing / Vega Croc Pr / Tm Racing / Vega Praga / Lke / Vega Praga / Lke / Vega

14 Laps 2.656 5.254 5.549 7.574

VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE 75

TECNICAL SIDE BENCH TEST - PART II

HOW TO DEAL WITH... HEADS In the last issue, we dealt with the most common test benches; that is, the ones with rollers: how they are made, how you measure torque, the importance of having the right sized roller relative to the performance you are measuring and the characteristics that good software must have to be able to do all this. However, there is something missing, something very important, which we only just mentioned here and there, that something is, how a good “roll” should be carried out properly. REPORT: SIMONE SUARDI

76 VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE

STARTING POSITION

cannot be overlooked. Check and

to open the throttle at the lower

It may seem silly, but, believe me,

make sure that everything is ok,

revs just as we would on a track, or

we really do see lots of strange

from anchorage of the various

just below: it’s pointless starting

things; it’s of utmost importance to

components (a screw can act like a

too low in a test like this, without

follow the right method for tests in

bullet if it ends up between a wheel

considering the fact that the set

order to get the right results, and

or a gear…) to lubrication and chain

up which isn’t the best, in those

also be able to repeat tests; this is

tension. Now we’re ready to start.

circumstances, could do nothing

absolutely necessary in case tests

but make the repeatability of the

have to be carried out at given

WARM-UP E TEST

interval of time.

Start the engine and let it run at

Don’t forget that we have kept the

We’ll take a normal inertia roller test

idle for a while, then press the gas

engine in idle, or however in low

bench for a motorbike as a “test

pedal a couple of times, but always

revs/low load for a while, so you

case”, which is the commonest one

remaining at low load (authors note:

have to do a first launch test lap

and also the most complete.

by “load” we mean the percentage

building up to maximum revs to

Obviously when talking about

of guillotine/throttle opening).

“clean” the engine, seeing that

roller benches for automobiles or

The time it takes depends on the

carburetion on a racing engine

motorbikes, there are some things

cooling system, so if the water

has to always be slightly rich in

that need to be done before you

pump is always moving , such as

those circumstances with the aim

start to make sure that all data

when it’s mounted directly onto the

of preserving the engine during

tests more difficult.

measurements are comparable even after months since the initial test. For example, check tyre pressure and make sure that it’s always the same; belt tension has to be more or less always the same and so on. Carry out operations symmetrically which are matters of common sense, set reference

CARRYING OUT TEST PROPERLY IS VERY IMPORTANT TO GET THE RIGHT RESULTS ON A TEST BENCH, BESIDES BEING ABLE TO REPEAT IT AND COMPARE TESTS EVEN AFTER SOME TIME

points, review everything for safety: it’s all very important from several points of view. Well, this

drive shaft or if it’s electric, or if it is

the braking phase. We are always

also applies to test benches for

connected to the rear wheel. If the

dealing with an engine with two

kart engines. All the variables that

thermal group has a thermostatic

jets, one needle and one guillotine:

could affect the torque reading

valve it doesn’t really make all that

it will never be possible to optimise

must be checked. On one hand

difference, as no cooling liquid

each possible condition of use,

it could be the print of the rear

goes in unless you reach a given

so it’s right for carburetion to be

tyre on the roller (micro-skidding

temperature.

perfect in the arc of use that really

and rolling friction), but also any

When the temperature of the water

interests us. We have to come to

variation of the final ratio has to be

is about 50°C (engine exit) we are

terms with what happens beyond

checked. The lighter the vehicle

operative: select the given gear for

this.

is and the smaller the engine the

the test, usually 3rd or 4th, and at

Among other things, my advice is

more important it is to avoid these

the minimum revs that allows you

to keep one or two points more

variations. For example, even on

to have a “clean” increase of revs,

on the idle jet: consecutive tests

a minibike that doesn’t have any

with no hesitation. As we said in the

where you go at full speed until

suspension; the weight of the driver

last issue, it would be a good idea

you reach maximum revs, and

VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE 77

TECNICAL SIDE BENCH TEST - PART II

then close suddenly at the end

engine casing heats up constantly,

the private weather station could

of the test isn’t what you’d say is

this together with the variation

be a difference of 3 to 5°C. All

healthy for the engine and all the

of the allowance/interference, is

important variations considering

rest, the condition of max revs and

what affects the performance of a

the fact that the software “corrects”

minimum load is the most critical

two-stroke engine most. Between

the performances, retaking them

for the crank mechanism (the

one roll and another, besides the

to the performance used as

connecting rod goes into traction,

working conditions of the engine,

reference (usually 20°C, 1013 mbar

the lubrication is critical (knowing that it works with petrol/oil mixture and the oil is scarce) and detonation (due to instantaneous and strong increase of residues in the combustion chamber) is a concern. Having to say goodbye to an engine whilst on a test bench isn’t very nice, so be careful!

AT LEAST THREE CONSECUTIVE “LAUNCHES”

AFTER A FIRST ACCELERATION TO “CLEAN” THE ENGINE, YOU NEED THREE TESTS TO GET RELIABLE RESULTS. IN THE MEANWHILE YOU HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE ON TEMPERATURES keep an eye on and update if

and 50% humidity), according to

necessary the environmental

the environmental conditions that

Something we mentioned in the

conditions of your test room, i.e.

you have put in. Once this “minor

last issue, on a roller test bench,

temperature, pressure and relative

problem” was found, it gave a

unless you have got a brake

humidity. If for the last two, the

further “boost” to the repeatability

that can simulate the actual

values read on any private weather

of my tests. I’ll leave you to work out

resistance to forward movement

station are fine, never be too sure

what caused this “error” originating

(tyres tuning and aerodynamics)

about temperature values. It is

from the private weather station

on the acceleration phase, best

fine for a “stable” environment like

and how you can bypass it with

carburetion on the bench will

your home, or if your test room is

hardly any expense.

never be like best carburetion on

enormous or heated, but at this

the track. Usually, it is much leaner

point, I’m not telling you anything

on the test bench. Obviously, if we

new in this column because you

PRIORITY TO TEST REPEATABILITY

want to have proof, tests must be

probably work in a proper racing

Back to us, as you need three turns

carried out with the proper set up

department, in “normal” conditions,

to see that everything has gone

for that particular condition, and

with the bench placed inside a

well, the three data acquisitions

then enriching carburetion a bit on

small room which is thermally and

have to be overlaid, but they will

the track shouldn’t affect us at all.

acoustically insulated, the engine

never be perfectly the same:

After the first “test” launch, we

is nothing but a stove, which is

the first run, which is actually the

do another three consecutive

there to heat up, and quite a bit

second seeing that we have already

launches to confirm the test,

too, the environment where it is

let it run once to clean the engine,

always keeping a close watch on

(and therefore the indicted air). OK,

might have the temperature at the

the temperate of the engine while

taking a room measuring 3x3 m

exhaust slightly cooler compared

working. Personally, I fix optimum

and 2.20 m high with insulation as

to the next two runs, or there could

range between 50 and 55°C,

an example, like the room I work in,

be micro-skids on the clutch, but

with temperature taken on exit

from beginning to end of the test,

it must be clear that it’s always the

from cylinder head: this way it’s

between the “actual” temperature

same test even if you happened to

believed that the load inside the

and the temperature reading on

see it after months without having

78 VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE

DYNAMOMETRIC BRAKE We have already mentioned it, just here and there, but not specifically. This paragraph is going to be dedicated to the real king of the R&D department; in fact, some call it the “real” test bench: we’re talking about the dynamometric brake. It’s not very commonly used in the 2-stroke field and by normal engine tuner’s, but it’s practically the only thing used in imread the previous results.

portant factories to carry out engine research and development, which previously has been

Optimising test repeatability, by

delegated to special roller bench tests where you have assess to carry out measurement and

means of well defined test methods

accelerate the engine mounted on the vehicle. Differently to its cousin, the roller test bench,

or appropriate measurements, must

except for those dedicated especially for karts, the dynamometric brake has to be mounted

be the priority for any professional

directly on the engine on the bench with the brake on, by means of an appropriate cou-

mechanic that works with a roller

pling, directly onto the driving shaft or the gearbox output shaft. The connection at the

test bench. There are several

end of the gear is to reduce the rotation speed of the brake; in fact, the latter is more likely to

variables that can affect the results,

slow down very high torque, rather than being able to turn at very high speed. Torque from,

if we don’t keep them accurately

usually a parasite current brake has to be opposed to keep the engine stable and is measured

under control in the best way

through an appropriate load cell. I won’t go into the detail concerning how it works because

possible, we really do risk getting

you can find anything you want to know online and in

things mixed up. I have seen it over

books, and it’s explained very well and more detailed

and over again, power curves that

than how I’d do it here in just a few lines. Back to us,

were neither here nor there and

tests on this sort of bench are carried out point by

the operator didn’t even notice it

point in stationary conditions, and this is where the

… lots of collateral effects resulting

real difference lies compared to the usual rollers. Put-

from roller test benches, caused by

ting it clearer, you set a given rotation speed, you wait

the high speed and the apparently

the required time for the engine to stabilize perfectly

simplicity in carrying out engine

in terms of temperature, pressure and torque and at

performance tests. We could say,

that point you register the data concerning those revs.

having a test bench is one thing,

You do this for each rotation speed that interests us.

but being able to use it properly is another.

YOU NEED TIME AND PATIENCE

why unfortunately, few are used.

You can see that to carry out the

“Instruments” on a 2-stroke

usual 3 launches with a roller bench

We decide to buy a dynamometric

it takes 1 minute, roller deceleration

the previous columns You have to

brake; we want to win, so we aim

time included. To carry out a whole

measure to be able to understand,

to carry out a serious development

curve on the brake it takes at least

you can’t do anything about it…

on the engine we are going to

half an hour, but probably more.

knowing that one adjustment gives

use to race. We have therefore

It all depends on how detailed we

so much horsepower more really

decided to spend a certain amount

want it. However, with the brake you

doesn’t mean anything if you really

of “KiloEuro” on several sensors

don’t have to do the same test three

don’t know where it is coming

and data acquisition systems.

times, once is enough.

from. Of course, this is my modest

Now, where and what should we

For example, let’s do the 1000 rev

opinion!

measure?

turns at maximum speed, with a

Time required for a test, the cost

point every 250 revs, for a total, in

of the instrument (which in itself, is

some cases, of over 30 measuring

aligned to that of the roller bench

points. It doesn’t take a second,

of similar quality) and the tens

FROM EXCEL TO THE SPECIFIC SOFTWARE

but as the engine is in stationary

of acquisition sensors/systems

There are several specific software

conditions, in revs, we can measure

required to give sense to the use

programs supplied directly by the

anything we want to, pressure

of a dynamometric brake, and the

factories that provide systems for

cycles inside the cylinder and knock

elongated stress that the engine is

post-processing all the acquired

level included, as we said in one of

subject to, are reasons enough as to

data, otherwise, you can use good

VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE 79

TECNICAL SIDE BENCH TEST - PART II

“INSTRUMENTS” ON A 2-STROKE We decide to buy a dynamometric brake; we want to win, so we aim to carry out a serious development on the engine we are going to use to race. We have therefore decided to spend a certain amount of “KiloEuro” on several sensors and data acquisition systems. Now, where and what should we measure?

Pressure (average) inside the filter box, under the filtering element: we can measure the loss of air resulting in the air passing first from the outside to the inside of the air box and then through the same filter (author’s note there is pressure drop with every loss).

Temperature inside the filter-box: this is important to see the “real” temperature of the engine because the air could warm up due to the closeness of the engine block or due to expansion if this air passes near the air box.

Pressure (average) on exit from carburettor – in the intake manifold: must not be used if the diameter of the duct is very small, certainly not if the diameter is less than 30 mm, because the sensor would disturb flow too much.

This however, isn’t such vital information because probably loss at the opening of the Venturi and along the carburettor isn’t much and it isn’t even very easy to reduce it once the design is finalised.

Pressure “fast” inside the engine casing: we want to pick up pressure flow during the engine cycle to see how expansion interacts with the reed valve. Here position isn’t trivial; I think one of the best places could be in the lower part of the casing chamber, opposite the canal of the third port, unless there is a canal for water flow there. In any case, the reed pack must not “shield” the sensor, therefore, check where the point reaches and how the reed opens.

Temperature inside the engine casing: we can therefore measure how much heat the load inside the same casing suffers, and optimise cooling. So the thermocouple has to go inside because as we say where I come from, we are not very interested in knowing the temperature of the metal.

“Kistler” fast pressure sensor inside the cylinder: this is located at the “top” so to have the complete pressure cycle, with maximum peak reached in combustion and in the “low” part that determines the pumping cycle, that is, the amount of energy that the engine has to spend to carry out the transfer and scavenge phase. The problem is that, on a 54 mm hemispheric chamber, it’s not trivial to find the right place without literally sending the geometry of the combustion chamber to hell. This has to be evaluated very carefully, but it does give us very important information. .

Fast pressure along the expansion (exhaust ) pipe: usually you need at least three; one on the collector just after the exhaust duct , one on the central and constant part, (the “bulge”) and one at the centre of the last converging cone. Obviously, the ideal thing would be to have one for each variation in cone, but practically speaking it isn’t so easy to interpret data; just one sensor on the fast sensor could be enough. Being a 2-stroke based on the dynamics of the exhaust, it’s pointless my telling you that it is important to measure it.

Temperature in the exhaust collectors + lambda probe: we have a double effect, know the temperature of the exhaust gas, to which the efficiency of the engine is connected (the more hot gas is downloaded the more energy we are literally throwing away), and in the meanwhile also carburetion.

The lambda probe alone cannot be taken as the only reference point, because in some conditions the 2-stroke has slow trap yield, in other words a lot of fresh load is expelled at the exhaust and unfortunately it isn’t just air, but also fuel in these conditions.

In such conditions, the lambda probe tells us that carburetion is poor, when in fact it isn’t so, only because it has been hit by air loss at exhaust, air that hasn’t even been involved with combustion.

Furthermore, the oil could give some problem as far as reading is concerned after a certain time, just like in cases where carburetion is particularly rich, that is with air-petrol ratio at about 10, when the stoichiometric, for a typical RON 98 petrol is about 14.2 : 1.

Also thermocouple alone can’t be a real indication of carburetion, for the simple fact that gas temperature at the exhaust is affected, for example, by ignition advance. Combining the two outputs, with a bit of experience, you can collect all the information you need on set up. It’s not trivial, but it’s better to play it by ear!

As for measuring the temperature, a K type 3 mm thermo-couple will do, if you are, like you were for the brake, stationary; if, instead, you have to measure temperature on the track or on a roller bench, therefore on something that moves, do not go over 2 mm, much much better to stay at 1.5 mm otherwise they are very very slow.

One last thing, if wisely you want to put instruments on your engine, there is just one thing to say on the position of the sensors: in case the pressure data points are close together, considering the flow direction always put the pressure transducer IN THE FRONT, and only after the thermocouple. This is because if the fluid hits the thermocouple first, it will create a trail behind it, and with it there will be a drop in pressure, falsifying the measurement completely.

old Excel (if you can use it, it can

have a clearer vision of what lies

worthy of such a name, or are they

really do all sorts of things); but

behind test benches and the tests

just trying to sell you horsepower at

with just one “handicap” it isn’t

carried out on the test bench, and

high costs.

interactive.

some more notions to see if the

This is the end for now, I hope you

mechanic and the tuner are really

80 VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE

Rock On!

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REPORT: GUCCI - PICS: P. POSITIVO

TRACK TEST

DR S97/ TM S JUNIOR

Lucky accident for Mattia Caminiti during the second warm up lap in Mini Rok prefinal in Adria held on 19th June, it did shock everyone a bit for the consequences on the driver seeing that the kart landed on him, he ended up with a traumatic pneumothorax. Mattia is much better now, even if he has to wait another 6 months before his lungs will be back to normal. So, thankful that he is out of danger, we at Vroom have asked ourselves: how could this have happened seeing that the driver was wearing a normal rib protector?

TESTER A. BECHERINI OIP DATA ACQUISITION

82 VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE

Together with Daniele Parravano and Andrea Saccucci from “Officine in Progress” we have worked with Danilo Rossi’s DR team to do a test at the circuit in Arce, near Frosinone. On this occasion, our test driver Ayrton Becherini has been able to test the TM powered DR OKJ together with the “soft” rib protector that has recently been presented by MIR, it protects from blows thanks to a new material that derives from material used for bullet proof jackets. This is what he has to say about the test plus lots of other data that he has gathered.

AND MIR RIB PROTECTORS

VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE 83

TRACK TEST NO ONE HAS EVER REALLY QUESTIONED THE ACTUAL PROTECTION THAT RIB PROTECTORS OFFER, SO WE WANTED TO LOOK A BIT CLOSER INTO THE ISSUE

So we decided to look into this topic, rib-protectors that are very much a part of karting and so commonly used and “taken for granted” that they have never been really studied in detail. No one has ever doubted the fact that rib protectors are fundamental for a kart driver, then there are cases like Mattia’s, having the weight of a kart on you is no joke, the rib protector was of uttermost importance.

Then there are the various bumps, the effects of normal driving during race weekends when there are loads of races to do. Lots of “bangs” – and not just slight ones, if you hit the curb… at the end of the day they all add up.

TRACK IDENTIKIT CIRCUIT: VALLE DEL LIRI, ARCE (FR) Homologation class: International A Circuit length: 1200 m.

Circuit width: 8/10 m.

Number of turns: 11 Driving direction: clockwise Lateral acceleration (positive for right turn, negative for left turn): Lateral acceleration chassis level, measurement carried out near the mass centre: -2.18 G / +2.46 G Acceleration measured inside the vest (further up): -2.23 G / +2.60 G Longitudinal acceleration, measurement carried out near the mass centre: -0.85 G / +0.62 G Speed: max 110 km/h - minimum 47.7 km/h Altitude: 160 m slm – maximum difference in level: 4 m 84 VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE

AYRTON BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL When the editor of Vroom told me that we were going to test the new Mir rib protector, and no other than the DR OKJ chassis powered by TM at the circuit in Arce, I was so excited, just like when you are drawing closer and closer to a racing weekend. The circuit in Valle del Liri is one of my favourites, it’s where I raced for the first time and U stopped fastest lap and got pole in the 60 Baby class, but moreover Arce is Danilo Rossi’s home track, Danilo a real star, with a collection of karting championship wins, enough to be the envy of any Formula One driver. The OKJ is an ideal class for me, in 14 years I have had a chance of driving in the direct drive, the historical 100cc MRC valve and reed, but to be able to try a TM powered DR and at Arce is really the top, a great satisfaction. Added to all this there’s the fact that Mizzuddin Musyaffa Bin Abdul Gafar stopped second best time in the European Championship at Arce and Portimao on this kart, which confirms DR team’s high competition level.

APPOINTMENT AT VALLE DEL LIRI

TECHNICAL FORM CLASS

125CC OK JUNIOR

CHASSIS

DR S97

CIK HOMOLOGATION

35/CH/17

CHASSIS HEIGHT (FRONT/REAR)

STD / STD

SUPPLEMENTARY BARS

FRONT STD

TRACK

FRONT 122 CM, REAR 140 CM

CAMBER

4 MM OPEN BELOW

CASTER

NEUTRAL

TOE-IN

OPEN 4 MM

REAR AXLE

D.50, DR5, 1020 MM.

THIRD BEARING

FIXED WITHOUT GRAINS

TYRES

VEGA TYPE HX

ENGINE

TM RACING S JUNIOR

CIK HOMOLOGATION

31/M/24

RATIO

12/79

FUEL MIX.

ELF HTX 909 4%

CARBURETTOR

Ibea F3

I get to the circuit at 10:10 am and I wear the official DR pilot suit for one day: the well organised team is setting up the karts and among them there’s “my” OKJ. Besides them there’s also Bruno and Riccardo Mazzeschi in charge of the MIR Racing Line, Andrea Saccucci and Daniele Parravano from Officine in Progress. Andrea and Daniele have mounted an ‘Orion’ box and several sensors for obtaining data were put on me, sensors that will monitor body response whilst driving. The chassis and the engine were in expert hands, Marco Rossi’s.

Thanks to the characteristics of Arce, it’ a great track for testing the engine: the first turn (Enzo Ferrari turn) that can be covered almost without closing gas, allows you to “evaluate chassis response racing at high speed and so do the narrow turns (ramp 1 and ramp 2) that lead to the second straight. You can see how agile the kart is on a mixed part of the track. The characteristics of the asphalt are such that early on during the day you can’t take data regarding time, but evidently on pre-racing day as there are lots of karts on the track the asphalt is better performing sooner. Obviously, carrying out the test during the week means that you have to follow the changing track conditions with the right setup.

Usually we can approximately say that there’s on average one second different from when the asphalt is at its best and the track on normal days. The VEGA tyres being used are in excellent conditions, but here too, you can easily find a 2-4 tenths difference between a new set and a set that has already done one or two sessions. Marco Rossi thinks that

VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE 85

TRACK TEST

in today’s track conditions a good time to stop could be 49”40 while on a track with good grip for racing it should be about 48”30.

The first session was just five laps to set the sensors and rib protector; in any case, I take advantage of the situation and warm up tyres so from second lap on I press hard. Already from the first lap, I’m really surprised by the braking system: the brakes on the DR are better than those on karts I had driver before and they allow you to delay braking without upsetting the chassis. The MIR rib protector is very comfortable and despite the high temperature there’s no problem with sweating, while when driving along the bumpy part of the track it allows me to keep gas open without feeling any uncomfortable blows at ribs. Differently to my rigid rib protector vest the PRO TOR – EIP vest has vertical strips that are ultra shock absorbent and anti-vibration that the soften blows and absorb the impact without “hurting” (I had further confirmation the following

NO BRUISES THE DAY AFTER GOES TO CONFIRM THAT THE MIR RIB PROTECTOR VEST REALLY WORKED WELL.

morning when I noticed that I didn’t have any of the usual bruises on my torso or any aches and pains, which aren’t very nice, connected with it.

For the next session, Andrea puts another sensor on my vest, this one is for monitoring the degree of sweat, Marco Rossi sets the pressure and slightly touches up carburetion, and back I go to the track with the following setup: Tyres: Vega HX Front pressure: 0.66 bar Rear pressure: 0.64 bar Front track: 122 cm

86 VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE

Rear track: 140 cm Camber: 4 mm open below Toe-in: 4 mm open Crown: 79 The session is longer this time, about 8 laps.

Carburetion is slightly leaner at high revs allows me to do more laps and at a speed you feel especially at the braking point of the turn that leads to the main straight (the American’s turn).

With the new pressure I tend to improve with each lap, but the track still hasn’t got much grip and without the right entry, when I try to steer the forecarriage tips and from half way through the turn the rear starts jumping. I go back to the pit and as I tell Marco what had happened, my sensations, before I even finish, he says that he had already noticed it all, and it’s necessary to adjust the chassis to track conditions loading the angle of incidence “caster” by at least one degree more.

Having changed setup, the chassis is perfect on the lap that follows, chassis response is absolutely neutral and this allows me to gain important tenths round turns. When they gave me the Ok from the pit to fiddle around with the carburettor, I easily go below the”theoretic crono” set by Marco.

On the last session they mounted a set of tyres that still had the line (practically it had just been run in) and seeing the high temperatures of the asphalt (with the tendency to slightly increase lap time after the seventh lap) the tyre pressure is slightly lowered, from 0.66 to 0.62 bar for the front and from 0.64 to 0.60 bar for the rear. Lap time stopped goes down by another three tenths and this is quite satisfactory.

Personally, I can only confirm the brilliant sensation that I got on the DR and with TM engine not to mention the rib protector, really great.

A COROLLARY AND CONFIRMATION OF WHAT AYRTON SAID WE HAVE THE DATE PICKED UP BY THE DATA LOGGER.

Gyroscope

After the first adjustments the driver manages to driver faster round turns and also turn entry is better, the kart tends to skid less because it’s more agile in speed change and therefore this helps corner exit and acceleration. All this also tells us how competent the Rossi team is when dealing with adjustments, a warranty!

VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE 87

TRACK TEST MIR RIB PROTECTOR VEST MIR, TELEMETRIC RESULTS ON THE TRACK AND IN LAB

Bullet proof We are used to using “mechanical” sensors on karts, that is, the ones that register acceleration, movement and so on. But when you are “measuring” monitoring the human body, the driver’s, what do you use? In this case too, it depends on the data that you want to study: for example, through an EMG sensor (electromyography) you can register the action of muscles and nerves, which starts off by a very weak current, and with this information we can find important data concerning stress and driver’s reaction.

Instead, for sweat, this changes the electrical activity of the skin, and for this reason special sensors for this “read” the skin through electrodes. The value you get from these sensors is directly in millivolts, therefore you compare the results u get under stress with results you get in normal mal conditions (for example 20°C when resting and so on). To check stress that the driver’s body is subject to, instead we used a normal triaxial sensor for accelerations, even if in this specific case we decided to measure one axis at a time (longitudinal or transversal) to differentiate the ones in acceleration from braking. This sensor was placed (stuck) on my rib protector vest at rib height. The rib protector being tested was the new MIR PRO-tor EIP (extreme impact protection) that applies this new “philosophy” to soften blows by allowing force to dissipate from a soft material instead of a stiff material. The tests were carried out in two separate moments, on the track with the driver and in the laboratory.

As the driver on the track said afterward, “there were no problems as far as sweat was concerned, while in the bumpy part of the track, it allowed me to press down on gas pedal without feeling any uncomfortable blow on the ribs”. What is the actual reason for this? Let’s see… On the track we measured acceleration both on kart (chassis) and driver, and we found the latter higher. The reason is simple, the sensor placed on the driver is at a higher level and the further we go from the ground the more the movement (hence stress) become lateral, with greater load transfer.

To give a more mathematical comparison the capability of absorbing blows guaranteed by the material used for making the MIR rib protector, we set up a small test in a laboratory: a steel sphere was dropped from the height of 1 metre and an accelerometer was put on the top of the “base” and the sphere, and then it was compared to the usual system plastic + foam rubber.

88 VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE

Sensor mounted on the sphere, blow with hard rib protector

The impact with the material simulates a rigid based protection with very evident peaks, these peaks show the deceleration of the sphere, and furthermore this force isn’t softened immediately it lasts several tenths of a second.

Sensor mounted on the sphere, blow on MIR Pro-TorEIP

The impact with the material simulates a rigid based protection with very evident peaks, these peaks show the deceleration of the sphere, and furthermore this force isn’t softened immediately it lasts several tenths of a second.

Blow with seat having no protection

The blow drags on

Blow on MIR Pro-Tor EIP

The blow is softened in intensity and duration

OUR READERS CAN HAVE SOME FUN AND TRY TO SEE THE DIFFERENCES, EVERY TIME THAT WE LOOK AT THE GRAPH THINK ABOUT WHAT AYRTON SAID: “I HAD FURTHER CONFIRMATION THE MORNING AFTER WHEN I WAS PLEASED TO SEE THAT I DIDN’T HAVE ANY BRUISES ON MY TORSO AND NONE OF THE USUAL PAIN, WHICH ISN’T AT ALL VERY NICE”.

VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE 89

TRACK TEST

SWEAT SAFETY COMES FIRST, BUT ALSO COMFORT AND ERGONOMICS ARE IMPORTANT, SO WE CARRIED OUT SOME TESTS ON SWEAT TOO, TO SEE HOW HOT IT IS INSIDE A RIB PROTECTOR AND A SUIT. TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, AT 30°C ENVIRONMENT AND 42% HUMIDITY, DRIVING A KART WITH JUST A T-SHIRT UNDER THE SUIT, THE SWEAT MARKS WENT FROM 200 AVERAGE MV UP TO A MAXIMUM OF 700 MV. THANKS TO THIS TRANSPIRING MATERIAL AND THE SPECIAL MEMBRANE USED, WHICH ALLOWS HEAT TO DISSIPATE, WEARING A RIB PROTECTOR THE MAXIMUM WE GOT WAS ONLY 1.022 MV.

sweat

Speed Sweat level Lateral Force G on chassis Lateral Force G on Rib proetctor best

90 VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE

Here you can see a view of the track with the points of maximum lateral acceleration, speed and sweat level.

The table below show how sweat increases while lapping, and how it is affected by the driver’s determination to stop best lap time.

LAP

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

AVERAGE LAP SWEAT LEVEL (MV) TEMPERATURE

560 600 500 524 800 836 927 840 890 960

56.40 52.30 51.00 51.00 50.70 50,20 50,30 50,40 50,30 53,70

It is also interesting to see how a higher value was found in the last lap: the kart slowing don counts a bit and with it the air on the driver (which does however have a degree of cooling down effect), but undoubtedly this also allows us to see that what we feel at the end of a race when concentration drops and we suddenly the tiredness accumulated (and with it perhaps a few aches and pains) when earlier on we hadn’t the slightest idea, isn’t just a sensation.

CONCLUSION

STIFF RIB PROTECTORS AND SOFT ONES HAVE DIFFERENT CHARACTERISTICS BUT THE SAME AIM: PROTECT THE DRIVER FROM STRONG LATERAL ACCELERATION. HOWEVER, IN CASE OF ACCIDENTS, ESPECIALLY IF THE VEHICLE OVERTURNS WHEN THE DRIVER ISN’T THROWN OUT OF THE KART BUT REMAINS CAUGHT UP IN IT UNFORTUNATELY LUCK (BESIDES THE WEIGHT F THE KART ) PLAY SAN IMPORTANT ROLE. IN THE MOTORCYCLING FIELD, WHERE IN CASE OF A FALL THE DRIVER RARELY REMAINS CAUGHT UP IN THE KART, FOR SOME TIME NOW THE SYSTEM WITH AN AIRBAG SYSTEM IS INTEGRATED IN THE SUIT, AND THANKS TO THIS THE ACCELEROMETERS TAKE THE BLOW AND THE KART OVERTURNING

BY OPENING SOME AIR POCKETS AT THE POINTS WHICH ARE MOST AT RISK. MATERIALS ARE BEING STUDIED THAT, IN CASE OF BLOWS, THEY GET STIFFER AND FORM A SORT OF SHELL AROUND THE DRIVER. VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE 91

TELEME...TRICKS

MOTORSPORT@OFFICINEINPROGRESS.IT

CHANGING SEEMS EASY

PART 8 – In the gear classes one often hears people talking about engines that go well over the torque-power value.

Once on the track, sometimes you can’t make the most of such potential because the engine isn’t used in its power-band.

The data study in this case can give important answers to both mechanic and driver. REPORT: ANDREA SACCUCCI

Gears, as a definition, are a device that is used to make the engine work in the “area” where there’s the most power available. While the driver is driving and making the vehicle balance, he also has to get the most out of the engine also by using the right gear.

92 VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE

CHANGING POINT The changing point, that is, the rpm at which it’s best to change gear, is very important and it depends on the shape of the power curve of the engine (especially from the area intended by the turn) The tests carried out on the bench therefore also help to see the most efficient point at which to change gear.

For example, take the graph x-y (speed-rpm) given in the picture using the data of an internal test run.

The driver (a professional) changes gear at the

RPM

12600 12800 13000 13200 13400 13600 13800 14000 14200 14400

RPM

As you can see in the table each gear corresponds to a specific drop in revs.

Totale

GEAR

1 2 3 4 5 6

RPM

14400 14400 14440 14400 14400 14200

SHIFTING SPEED

70 KM/H 85 KM/H 105 KM/H 110 KM/H 123 KM/H 135 KM/H

RPM DROP

1800 RPM 2000 RPM 1200 RPM 1600 RPM 1400 RPM

Now, let’s try to see if, for example, gear 2 and 3 is the best point, to do this you need engine power measured at the test bench.

In gear 2-3 you drop from 14400 rpm to 12600 rpm, the following table can be used to work out the area below the power curve.

32 36 38 41 44 47 48 46 40 38

Summing up the power at various engine revs (red band)

12200 12400 12600 12800 13000 13200 13400 13600 13800 14000 14200 14400

speed given in the table

POWER

HORSE POWER

33 37 38 39 41 43 45 47 48 43 38 33

415

419

You have a total of 415 hp for the red band.

Studying and trying to increase the power area and hence the number of total horsepower we see the Blue band that goes from 12400 to 14200 with 419 CV overall.

Therefore it would be good to change 2-3 at 14200 rpm, to do this, nowadays lots of dashboards have, besides the led, shift-lights that can be programmed according to the gear inserted giving the driver a visible help.

VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE 93

TELEME...TRICKS

IN THIS PICTURE YOU CAN SEE THE COMPARISON BETWEEN THE TWO DIFFERENT WAYS OF CHANGING Ciascun preparatore si può quindi esercitare a cercare l’area di maggior potenza per il cambio marcia più efficace. Va comunque detto che la potenza erogata dal motore su un circuito piuttosto che su un altro varia in base a molti fattori rendendo importante una misura ‘in pista’ di questa grandezza per un riscontro diretto.

Change duration

GEARING UP: WITH OR WITHOUT?

There are some racing drivers, especially those who race in cars who when gearing down prefer to do a sort of Blipping (double), talking with the drivers, it’s not very clear whether they do it out of habit, or to brake down engine, one thing is sure, this action on a 2-stroke engine helps to perturb carburetion when gas is being released.

CHANGE DURATION

Time “spent” on gear changes is time when the vehicle doesn’t receive any acceleration from the engine, in a gear class engine this is influenced by the on-off operation on the accelerator. Therefore, in calculating time taken for gear change you also have to consider tps.

In a kart, the time taken for changing gears might seem very brief, but when you look to performance though, this parameter too is important when looking to best time.

In fact, a consistent driver has a constant shift-timing lap after lap.

KEEP PUSHING!

ANYONE INTERESTED IN SUGGESTING TOPICS, SENDING PICTURES OR MAKE SUGGESTIONS CAN DO SO WRITING TO :MOTORSPORT@OFFICINEINPROGRESS.IT 94 VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE

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SPECIAL AT WHAT POINT ARE OK KARTS?

At the first round of the continental KFJ championship held in Portugal, Kenny Roosens sets the pace. The Belgian now deservedly leads the provisional standings that will award the European crown.

ON THE TECHNICAL SIDE

TILLOTSON CARB MAINTENANCE

ALEX IRLANDO TAKES THE FIRST EVER ROTAX GRAND FINALS TITLE TO ITALY WITH A DOMINANT PERFORMANCE IN SENIOR MAX

N. 182

GARAGE COOLING SYSTEM

AUGUST 2016 € 5.00

INTERNATIONAL

LEGENDARY KART / MISLIJEVIC’S 1996 ESPRIT

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KARTING

RACES

PHOTO KSP

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ON THE TECHNICAL SIDE ROTAX MAINTENANCE

KARTING

FROM KART TO F1

2016 SWS Finals Rotax Max Euro Challenge Australian Rotax Pro Tour DKM MSA Ok & Ok J British Championships Super One Series Can-Am Karting Challenge 2nd Annual Epcot Challenge X30 Euro Series

FOCUS HOW TO GET TO GRIPS WITH OK ENGINES

TECHNICAL SIDE TEST BENCH – PART 1 N. 164 FEBRUATRY N. 169 2015 INTERNATIONAL

KARTING

CELEBRITY OF THE MONTH

RUBENS BARRICHELLO

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Global success The SWS FINALS 2016 set a new standard for leisure karting with more than 230 drivers coming from 31 different countries on grid at Racing Kart Cormeilles.

FOTO: VVL SPORT IMAGE

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€ 5.002015 JULY € 5.00

SPECIAL THE CHEMICAL PART OF POWER

FERNANDO ALONSO KARTING CIRCUIT

CLOSE UP

LAMBORGHINI KART DRIVERS PROGRAM & DANILO ROSSI'S DR

CLOSE UP

N. 181

JULY 2016 € 5.00

MOJO TYRES

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EURO CHAMPS RD.2

• RALF SCHUMACHER • JEAN-MARIE VERGNE

N. 180 INTERNATIONAL

KARTING

FOCUS NEW ENGINES - THE CIK SPEAKS OUT

DOUBLE TRACK TEST!

In Portimao, Continental round 3, Tom Joyner (Zanardi/Parilla) gets a deserved win and now leads the OK Championship

JUNE 2016 € 5.00

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ONE ON ONE

Martono (KFJ) and Joyner (KF) grab the win at PFI, but despite the quality of the on-track action, the event was hardly a success. Too many problems afflict the sport, starting from ever-feeble grids. But dwindling numbers, now also at the highest level – both in directdrive and gearbox classes - is only the tip of the iceberg.

KARTING

JOYNER STRIKES AGAIN

SPECIAL MAX VERSTAPPEN THE YOUNGEST DRIVER TO WIN F1

BRIT ATTACK

INTERNATIONAL

CLOSE UP MODENA ENGINES MKZ FORMULA MEDICINE

THE NEW PARILLA OK BY IAME THE LATEST KZ10C BY TM FOR 2016

TALKING TO AXEL CHARPENTIER TELEME...TRICKS STUDY DRIVER'S PERFORMANCE

N. 175 INTERNATIONAL

KARTING

HOMOLOGATION SPECIAL

THE PREVIEW OF THE NEW ENGINES, CARBS, ACCESSORIES AND SILENCERS

WINTER CUP BUILD UP

HOW TO DRIVE ON THE RENOVATED SOUTH GARDA TRACK IN LONATO

TECHNICAL SIDE

COMBUSTION CHAMBER (PART TWO)

ELECTRIC KART

WHY ELECTRIC TRACTION GOES WELL WITH KART TECHNOLOGY

Fantastic!

THE CIK FIA EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP IS CONFIRMING TO BE ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING IN THE HISTORY OF KARTING. After Hajek’s win (Kosmic/Vortex) in Zuera

the KZ final is expected to be breathtaking thanks to Ardigò, Hajek and Iglesias being very close. Also the European championship of the new born OK class is more surprising than ever. In Zuera, the final won by Karol Basz (Kosmic/Vortex) has lived memorable moments. The potential on the track at the moment is really fantastic.

We’re going to see some incredible things are in store!

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FULL STEAM AHEAD!

THE NEW HOMOLOGATION ENGINES HAVE STIRRED MUCH INTEREST ALSO THANKS TO A GREATER RESPONSE. COULD THIS BE THE RIGHT TIME FOR THE CIK DIRECT DRIVE CLASSES TO BRING KARTING DRIVERS BACK TO RACING? AWAITING CONFIRMATION VROOM PRESENTS THE NEW ENGINES, AND YOU CAN READ ABOUT THE TRACK TEST ON THE NEW PARILLA OK ENGINES AND THE NEW TM KZ10C.

PORTIMAO, CIK-FIA European OK-OKJ Championships RND. 3 CIK-FIA Academy Trophy RND. 2 ADRIA, CIK-FIA European KZ2-OK-OKJ Championships RND. 2 Rotax MAX Asia Challenge RND. 4 Rotax MAX Australian Pro Tour RND. 4 ROK Cup USA - Florida Championship RND. 4 IAME International Open German Kart Championship RND. 2 US Open Karting Championship RND. 2

RACES

PHOTO: D. PASTANELLA

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MARTA GARCIA / BREANNA MORRIS

TRACK TEST TELEMETRY 60 MINI

TELEME... TRICKS

DRIVER PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS PT.2

TECHNICAL SIDE OFF THE CUFF

VINTAGE LEON RIPPY

LEGENDARY KARTS MASSIMILIANO ORSINI’S 1995 SWISS HUTLESS

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L LL IA EC HA E SP A F I AM K- F 5 CI OF 201

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JANUARY 2016 € 5.00

W W W W. M O D E N A - E N G I N E S.IT

MKZ SIMPLE, POWERFUL, INNOVATIVE. AVAILABLE FOR ENTRY LEVEL OR RACING VERSION

2016 INTERNATIONAL CALENDAR 18.09 Le Mans FRA CIK-FIA ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP OK 18.09 Triscina ITA Campionato Italiano ACI Karting (4) OK, OK-Junior, KZ2 18.09 Sepang Karting Circuit MYS X30 Challenge Malaysia (4) X30 Cadet, X30 Jr, X30 Sr, X30 Master, X30 Veteran 25.09 Kartodromo Veracruz MEX Mexico National Karting Champs Reto Telmex (9-10) KF2 25.09 Kerpen DEU ADAC Kartrennen Kerpen - KZ2, KF, KF-Junior 2.10 Adria International ITA WSK Final Cup - OK, OK-Junior, KZ2 09.10 Adria International (RO) ITA Rotax International Open DD2, MAX, MAX Jr 16.10 Le Mans Karting Int. FRA Iame International Final X30 Jr, X30 Sr, X30 Super Shifter, X30 Master, X30 Super Pro/Super Sport 16.10 Val Vibrata ITA Campionato Italiano ACI Karting (5) OK, OK-Junior, KZ2 22.10 Circuito Internazionale Sarno-Napoli ITA Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals DD2, DD2 Master, MAX, MAX Jr 22.10 Pista South Garda Lonato (BS) ITA Rok Cup International ROK Shifter, S-ROK, ROK, ROK Jr 30.10 Pista South Garda Lonato (BS) ITA 45° Trofeo delle Industrie OK, OK-Junior, KZ2 30.10 Le Mans FRA Championnat de France SK Open (4)

2016 CIK-FIA ZONE SPORTING CALENDAR 11.09 Sentul International Karting Circuit IDN Eshark ROK Cup Asia 2016 (5) - ROK Sr, ROK Jr, ROK Cadet, ROK Mini, ROK Master 11.09 Kartodromo Valle MEX Mexico National Karting Champs Reto Telmex (7-8) - KF2 18.09 Sepang Karting Circuit MYS X30 Challenge Malaysia (4) - X30 Cadet, X30 Jr, X30 Sr, X30 Master, X30 Veteran 25.09 Kartodromo Veracruz MEX Mexico National Karting Champs Reto Telmex (9-10) - KF2 15.10 Kartodromo de Guadalajara MEX Mexico National Karting Champs Reto Telmex (11-12) KF2

98 VROOM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE

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South Garda KartinG Lonato (BS) Italy

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Learning from the big boys

Even the youngest kart drivers can now play like the grown-ups do, thanks to the new MINI KID chassis, a scaled-down version of the full size chassis classes from Tony Kart. The same quality, same attention to safety, and in addition, some details specially designed for drivers aged 7 to 9 years old: adjustable pedals, a sliding seat, hydraulic brake system, and an Alcantara steering wheel with specific size for young drivers.

TONY KART by OTK KART GROUP

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