#11 – June 4TH 2014
Great battles to be relived on TV.
It is already time to take stock of the situation of the standings after the first out four rounds of the European CIK-FIA Championship. The second appointment hosted by the circuit of Zuera (Spain) ended last weekend: the KF and KFJ categories arrived at halfway point in the racing season, which started in Muro Leccese (Italy). The Championship, so far, has been very hard for drivers and teams: also the round in Zuera showed how there are many talented pretenders to the title in both the categories. There were many changes in the standings, not only between the two rounds but also during each event thanks to the points awarded after Saturday’s qualifying session. Gripping on track and thrilling on TV too: the occasion to relive all the changes in the standings, both in the races and in the Championship, is on Rai Sport 2, with the delayed broadcast of the finals of Zuera scheduled for today at 10.30pm. Double appointment, in two days, with the special report of the whole weekend in Spain: the appointment is on Friday 6th June at 00.30 with rerun on Saturday 7th June at 01.30pm.
Nielsen and Norris in the lead: an unpredictable battle in KF.
The battle between the top drivers of international karting is as exciting as ever. Their performances are similar as well as their gaps: the standing is very crowded in its top positions. The first six drivers are within seven points and very often we find drivers on equal points. As a matter of fact there are two drivers in the lead: the Danish Nicklas Nielsen (Kosmic-Vortex-Dunlop) and the English Lando Norris (FA Kart-Vortex-Dunlop) . They lead the pack thanks to a consitent performance: they scored points in all the events. Nielsen managed to score 44 points in Zuera thanks to a second position achieved in the final, while Norris gathered the same amount of points achieving the leadership of the intermediate standing in La Conca and the third place in the Final. We find the Finnish Niko Kari (Tony Kart-Vortex-Dunlop) two points behind: he was the runner-up in Muro Leccese. A curiosity about the winners of the two rounds: the two English team-mates, Callum Ilott and Tom Joyner (Zanardi-Parilla-Dunlop) -who won in Italy and Spain respectively-, are both occupying the fourth place with 37 points. The Italian Felice Tiene (CRG-TM-Dunlop) can boast the same score. He was the best in the intermediate standing in Zuera. This situation tells us that the Championship final result is going to be unpredictable. In fact, in the next two rounds there are two more drivers who could join the race to the title: the Italian Alessio Lorandi (Tony Kart-TM-Dunlop) and the Spanish Pedro Hiltbrand (CRG-TM-Dunlop). They are both seventh with 24 points and, in case they get a positive result, they will be able to haul themselves up to the top positions. Complete the top-ten list the Polish Karol Basz (Tony Kart-Vortex-Dunlop) and the dutch driver Martijn van Leeuwen (Zanardi-Parilla-Dunlop).
Ahmed keeps at bay Defrancesco in KFJ.
Also the race to the KFJ title is absolutely thrilling. This category, in Zuera, saw two drivers swapping places throughout the whole weekend: the English Enaam Ahmed (FA Kart-Vortex-Vega) and the American Devlin Defrancesco (Tony Kart-Vortex-Vega). The former arrived in Spain as the leader of the standing. He did not achieve good results in the heats and, on Saturday evening, he was overtaken by his opponent. Defrancesco put in a consistent performance, even though his best result was achieved in the heats of La Conca. Ahmed, who opened the season winning the Final in Italy, closed the gap immediately and scored a podium position in Zuera. He has gathered 47 points so far, and he is the current leader even though he is only one point ahead of Defrancesco. Good performance also for the Swedish Anton Haaga (Kosmic-LKE-Vega); he dominated in Spain – both in the heats and in the Final – and he has closed the gap with the two leaders: he is now third with 40 points. Fourth position for the American Logan Sargeant (FA Kart-Vortex-Vega). The drivers who follow are expected to counterattack in the next two rounds, also because they are separated by very few points. Among them, the closest one is the English Daniel Ticktum (Zanardi-Parilla-Vega), fifth with 28 points; then the German David Beckmann (Tony Kart-Parilla-Vega) with 22. Good expectations also for the Russian Artem Petrov (DR-TM-Vega) and Alexander Vartanyan (Tony Kart-Vortex-Vega); they both occupy the 7th position together with the German Mick Junior (Tony Kart-Vortex-Vega). The Spanish Eliseo Martinez (CRG-TM-Vega) closes the top ten with 16 points.
Next Appointment.
The round at the Horensbergdam Circuit of Genk (B), on schedule in two weekends, is reserved to the KF category. The round will take place alongside with the season opener of the European KZ and KZ2 Championships and of the CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy. The KFJ, on the other hand, is on schedule for next 27th July at the Swedish circuit of Kristianstad. On this occasion, too, the round is concurrent with the KZ and the KZ2 Championships.
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