NEWS

What a race! The Wackersdorf circuit allows the spectators to see the entire circuit and it vibrated to overtaking and retaking which marked the first KZ2 race. The weather was always overcast, but the sun overrode the grey clouds.

Jack Hawksworth (Energy / TM) made the best start, but was followed very closely by Angelo Lombardi (Tony Kart / Vortex) and Patrik Hajek (Tony Kart / Vortex). In 4th, Devid De Luchi (Intrepid / TM) headed the chasing pack including Riccardo Piccoli (CKR / TM) and Roland Ecker (DR / Maxter). Paolo De Conto retired on lap 2 after a crash. De Luchi quickly took the advantage from Hajek who now faced the threat of Piccoli.

Lombardo attempted an attack on Hawksworth, but was soon retaken. He managed to capture the lead a few laps later. Hawksworth looked as though he could afford to try something in the end, but instead he had to watch out for De Luchi. Indeed, he took second place 2 laps from the end. The British driver did not appreciate it and was very incisive ... One of his attacks destabilized De Luchi and two drivers lost time. Hajek was on his tail and Hawksworth, trying to defend the inside line, ended up in the gravel trap with Hajek. The race had heavy consequences for him ...

Lombardo was first, De Luchi second then Jorrit Pex. Piccoli was 4th. Hajek and Hawksworth were ranked 26th and 27th, leaving the field open for Piccoli, and gave a chance to De Luchi and Lombardo.

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Thanks to a very good run, the Italian Angelo Lombardo (Tony Kart / Vortex), 10th in the European KZ2 Championship before the event, has taken pole position for the pre-final. He has 4 wins and a 3rd place in the qualifying heats which have been dry since Saturday. Jack Hawksworth (Energy / TM) took second position with excellent results. The current championship leader, Patrik Hajek (Tony Kart / Vortex), is in 3rd position which preserved his chances significantly ahead of his immediate rivals Riccardo Piccoli (CKR / TM) in 6th and Paolo De Conto (Energy / TM) in 17th.

There were fine results for Devid De Luchi (Intrepid / TM) in 4th and Marco Zanchetta (DR / Maxter) in 5th. The Pex brothers (CRG / TM) are running together with Jorrit 8th and Yard 9th. Eric Ramon (Sodi / TM) could have been in the top 10, but was too light at the end of the last race when he finished 4th. The penalty pushed him back to 25th place. Clément Da Silva (Birel / TM) was the top French driver in 16th position. The third French driver was William Benedetti (CRG / TM ).

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At the end of the qualifying races of the European KZ1 championship which is being held this weekend at Wackersdorf in Germany, a pattern is beginning to emerge:  the races are particularly open and it is difficult to make any forecast.  Bas Lammers, Norman Nato and Jonathan Thonon are best placed, but there are several other drivers capable of making the podium and even taking the European crown.

The qualifying heats of the European KZ1 Championship (the principal category of gearbox karting) had already promised a superb battle between the top drivers.  The qualifying races largely confirmed this.   In particularly good form since the start of the weekend, the Intrepid factory could be delighted on Friday by the fastest time being set by the young Frenchman Norman Nato (Intrepid-TM).  They got even stronger this Saturday.  Whilst Nato, winner of one race, dropped back a row, it was to the profit of his Dutch team mate Bas Lammers (Intrepid-TM), unbeaten in his two qualifying races.  So an all-orange front row will line up for the pre-final this Sunday which will determine the starting grid of the final, scheduled for Sunday at 15.45.  “I am obviously very happy to find myself in such a position”, declared Bas Lammers during the Press Conference.  “Obviously, we are really fast.  But I am not the only one and tomorrow is another day.  In any event, I will give my maximum!”

Second fastest in qualifying, reigning title holder Jonathan Thonon (CRG-Maxter) also possessed a turn of speed, finishing his two races in the wake of the winner.  “It will be hot!” the Belgian said with a little smile.  “There are many really fast drivers.  In my favour, I worked on my setup in order to be on top at the time of the final.  But the competition is hard!”  Finally third in the intermediate classification (and therefore third on the grid of the pre-final), Thonon was in front of the 3rd Intrepid driver Frenchman/Spanish Jeremy Iglesias.

Second at the World Cup in 2007 and 2008 (each time behind Thonon) Marco Ardigo (Tony Kart-Vortex) was placed 5th in the intermediate classification.  But the Italian wants to believe in his chances, just like the Frenchman Thomas Mich (Birel-TM), not so far from the leading driver.  Behind these front runners we find the Dutchman Thomas Knopper (PCR-TM), the Frenchman Arnaud Kozlinski (CRG-Maxter), Finland’s Simo Puhakka (PCR-TM) and the Italian veteran Alessandro Piccini (Intrepid-TM),  four times the World Champion and still competitive at 45 years of age.

As regards the unlucky driver of the day one points to Davide Fore (CRG-Maxter) only 13th after a problem in his second race.  It was worse still for Gary Catt (Tony Kart-Vortex), victim of three sets of problems (two in the heats and one during the repechage) already putting an end to his weekend racing.

In addition to the European KZ1 Championship the “Prokart Raceland” circuit at Wackersdorf  hosts the second and final event of the European KZ2 Championship (the second division of gearbox karting).  Three qualifying races remain to be contested on Sunday morning but the favourites remain the Italian Angelo Lombardo (Tony Kart-Vortex), winner of three races (out of a possible four), the Briton Jack Hawksworth (Energy-TM) who took two wins and  two second places, and the leader of the Championship the Czech Patrick Hajek (Tony Kart-Vortex) perfectly positioned.

Info CIK / © Photo KSP

Not surprisingly, Intrepid took the first two places at the end of the heats with Bas Lammers and Norman Nato. Next came Jonathan Thonon (CRG / Maxter) in 3rd place ahead of Jérémy Iglesias. Marco Ardigo (Tony Kart / Vortex) is 5th, Thomas Mich (Birel / TM) 6th and Thomas Knopper (PCR / TM) 7th. Arnaud Kozlinski (CRG / Maxter) will start in 8th position, followed by Simo Puhakka (PCR / TM) and Alessandro Piccini (Intrepid / TM) to complete the top 10.

Gary Catt was forced to retire during the repechage as a result of a spin. Despite a strong attack, Gianni Gazurelli failed to qualify. Armand Convers won the race ahead of Danny Bleek and Francesco Laudato.

There was a lot of speculation over whether the fine weather forecast would match reality. The weather will play a large role in the progress of the races, for sure.

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The reputation of French tuner Tec-Sav continues to grow internationally. Known for the exceptional performance of its TM and Maxter engines, Patrick Savard also prepares LKE engines for Lenzo and Annunziata in KZ1 and VM engines for Janous in KZ2. For an event like the European Championship at Wackersdorf, this represents about 35 drivers to run!

Thonon, Fore, Dreezen and Gallepe use Tec-Sav Maxters in KZ1, and Alvarez and Tilloca in KZ2. For TM, there is Nato, Lammers, Iglesias and Piccini in KZ1, and De Luchi and Garbarino in KZ2. Needless to say, Tec-Sav's organization should be perfect to maintain its reputation. For the recipe we need to look to the Savard family. Indeed, the wizard Patrick Savard is often preparing engines back in his den, but he can count on his sons Thierry, Eric and Yannick to follow up with customers during the races.

Tec-Sav placed four of its engines in the top four places in KZ1 on Saturday night at Wackersdorf, further proof of the effectiveness of the team before the races tomorrow ...

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