A Briton who was spotted for his speed when he started in KF3 in 2011, Callum Ilott put in strong performances in KF in 2013, but he had to wait for the 2014 season to win the CIK-FIA European Championship. His participation in many Competitions with reputable teams has made him a very experienced driver whose future in motorsport is very promising.
How did you win the European Championship?
– It was very difficult. There is no shortage of good Drivers at this level in KF, so you have to fight all the time. The title was decided in the last Final at PF International. All went well at the first Competition at La Conca: I was fast and I won the Prefinal and the Final. But then in Spain, it was a disaster. After a retirement in the Prefinal, I could not move up enough to score points. Luckily, I bounced back at Genk, finishing second behind Nielsen, which enabled me to arrive at PFI in a favourable position for the Championship.
But it wasn’t easy at PFI?
– In fact, I had to fight to the end! I had the advantage of a good knowledge of the circuit and was even more effective than at La Conca. However, the first two or three laps of every race were not easy to negotiate. This is where everyone wants to attack, so I had to defend without taking too many risks before finding the right pace. I managed to take the lead in the Qualifying Heats and I also won the Prefinal. Although I started on Pole Position for the Final, I was passed on the first lap. I tried to stay calm for my turn to attack later. I absolutely needed to take the advantage away from Nielsen, my most serious rival in the Championship. The win and the European title is a great reward.
What are your plans for the future?
I will of course race in the CIK-FIA World Championship in France. I also had the opportunity to race in KZ, including Kristianstad, the last Competition of the CIK-FIA European Championship. It was a good experience. It is now time to move to cars in 2015.
(Extract from CIK-FIA 2014 Best-of)
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