As with the Under 18 class, suspense was maintained right to the end of the last round of the new CIK-FIA Academy Trophy, organised as a supporting class to the Under 18 World Championship. In this competition where all the drivers – coming from 34 different countries – have exactly the same machinery, the French lad Anthoine Hubert arrived at the Val d’Argenton circuit as the Championship leader. But the Finn, Niklas Tiihonen, several points adrift took all his chances. Right from the qualifying heats, it was clear that the battle for the title was going to come down to a duel between these two young drivers, after the outcome on the three circuits. But, for the minor battles, the races remained very open…
Closely following in the wake of Tiihonen during the first of the two races, the Argentinian Federico Paoloni mounted an attack on the last turn… But though he then took the chequered flag in first place, the Argentinian was then penalised and dropped down to 9th place. Consequently Niklas Tiihonen won this first race in front of his rival Anthoine Hubert, thus cranking up the pressure a notch. However he still did not have his destiny in his own hands before the second race. If Hubert again managed to finish immediately behind him in the second race, it would be the French lad who would be the first winner of the Academy Trophy. If he fared worse, the title would go to the Finn… From the start Tiihonen took control over Hubert. But, 6 laps from the end, the French lad was to yield in the face of constant challenges from Norwegian Oystein Helgheim, third in the first race. It was then the Greek Filipos Kalesis who benefitted from the scrap between Hubert and the driver from Monaco Charles Leclerc to secure his 3rd podium of the year… and 3rd place in the Championship. With his 4th place, Anthoine Hubert missed out on the title by only three points.
« I am so happy », confided Niklas Tiihonen for his part. « To win this Championship where everybody has the same machinery is a big moment in my young career. » In any case there we have a formidable launching pad for this young Finn who we must be hearing more of in the future. After all, this is, as well, the principle role of karting !
Info CIK / © Photo KSP