The KF2 World Cup was down to the nitty-gritty on Friday afternoon at the Zuera circuit in Spain. Qualifying Practice and the first Qualifying Heats are on the schedule for the 81 drivers. Although certain favourites were in the line-up, some also experienced their first disappointments. But the weekend is only just beginning …
In bright sunshine, with hardly a breath of wind and temperatures close to 30°C, the weather did not affect Qualifying Practice on Friday afternoon. All the Drivers had practically identical conditions in which to start their campaigns. Top speed and strategy on a track, where slipstreaming so important, should indeed play a role.
Ahead of first Practice for this KF2 World Cup fought at Zuera, it was a brave person who dared to make a definite prediction of the result. Qualifying Practice would only confirm expectations: it would be a battle of the greats beneath the Spanish sun! During Qualifying Practice, 60 Drivers were within one second of each other… the Norwegian Dennis Olsen (Energy-TM) was fastest, just 31 thousandths of a second ahead of the Briton Jordon Lennox-Lamb (CRG-BMB), recent winner of the KZ2 World Cup (second division for gearbox karts). The Dutchman Max Verstappen (CRG-TM) and the Italian Felice Tiene (CRG-BMB) were only 71 and 98 thousandths behind. The European Champion Ben Barnicoat (ART GP-Parilla) completed the Top 5, ahead of the Italian Matteo Vigano (Top Kart-Parilla), the Spaniard Carlos Gil (Tony Kart-Vortex), always formidable on home soil, the Briton Sam Snell (Energy-Parilla), the Pole Igor Waliko (LH- BMB) and the amazing Russian Pavel Rudakov (Tony Kart-BMB). But Denmark’s Nicklas Nielsen (Kosmic-Vortex), Italy’s Antonio Fuoco (Kosmic-Vortex), Monaco’s Charles Leclerc (ART GP-Parilla) and Britain’s Tom Joyner (LH-BMB), were other victory candidates just outside the Top 10. Other Drivers to watch are the Finn Niklas Tiihonen (FK-Parilla) in 16th place, the Frenchman Anthoine Hubert (FK-Parilla) in 19th, the Spaniard Pedro Hiltbrand (FA Kart-Vortex) in 20th and the Italian Flavio Camponeschi (Tony Kart-Vortex) in 24th position. At this stage of the competition, some already know that the task will be difficult, particularly the Pole Karol Basz (Birel-BMB), back in 42nd and the Italian Damiano Fioravanti (Tony Kart-Vortex) in 55th position, to name just two.
The first three Qualifying Heats held late on Friday brought no major, with victories going to Dennis Olsen, Felice Tiene and Nicklas Nielsen.
Info CIK / © Photo KSP