What a race! The layout of Macao, even with a new good quality surface, is always conducive to twists in the races. There was earth shattering theater on the grid, Flavio Camponeschi (Tony Kart / Vortex) was stopped by an engine that wouldn’t start. The energetic efforts of his mechanic with the battery and the starter didn’t help, so the leader of the provisional classification of the World KF1 Championship would not start.
Felice Tiene (CRG / BMB) could have had an opportunity to score a lot of points, but also retired, at 5 laps, allowing Camponeschi still maintain the championship lead. The race has been an exciting one, especially over the first few laps with Ben Hanley (ART GP / Parilla) unleashed as he was in 2009. Max Verstappen (CRG / TM) started first ahead of Daiki Sasaki (Kosmic / Vortex) and Tiene, but the Japanese went off at the first hairpin and lost places. Hanley, who started 9th, was already third peak before the end of the first lap ahead of Pedro Hiltbrand (FA Kart / Vortex), Davide Fore (CRG / BMB), Tom Joyner (LH / BMB), Sasaki and Jordon Lennox-Lamb (CRG / BMB).
Hanley got rid of Tiene and attacked Verstappen. The British driver took control on the second lap, while in fourth Tiene dropped behind Hiltbrand. Sasaki fell to 10th. Max went on the attack and took the lead under braking at the hairpin, before escaping by some lengths, followed by Joyner who was closing. Hiltbrand was far behind, Lennox took fifth position. Tiene was back to 8th place after a little clash with his teammate Fore who tried boldly to pass. Fore had to give up the opportunity.
Before halfway Joyner showed his teeth and attacked the leader, stealing the lead on lap 8. Tiene then dropped back to 6th place with Sasaki in its wake, but dropped back a few laps later, his frame being distorted with the force from the engine. Up to 6th place, Eddy Tinini (CRG / BMB) could not resist the return Takeshi Kasai (Tony Kart / Vortex) and Sasaki. In the lead, Joyner was strong, but Verstappen seemed slower at the end of the race and Hanley was dangerously close while Hiltbrand failed to find an opening on the experienced British driver. Verstappen controled the situation well on the last lap and kept his second place ahead of Hiltbrand while Joyner flew to victory. Hanley was penalized 10” due to a maneuver considered beyond the limit on Hiltbrand and found himself fifth. Lennox took fourth position ahead of Kasai who was just ahead of Sasaki, in 7th, Tinini finally took 8th place, the Australian Cian Fothergill (Kosmic / Vortex) ninth then the Chinese driver Kang Ling (Tony Kart / Vortex) 10th.
The provisional classification of the Championship is that Camponeschi retains first place, but Sasaki is close by 6 points, both drivers going a little ahead of the pack led by Joyner who is now tied with Tiene in third, Verstappen fifth by one point and Fore 6th by 3 points.
Info Kartcom with Kartlink / © Photos KSP