The double CIK-FIA World Championship held in Bahrain from 16th to 19th November 2016 will remain in the annals of Karting for many reasons. With Pedro Hiltbrand and Victor Martins, two great Champions were crowned after Races of exceptional intensity. Suspense and twists animated the winning of the titles, from beginning to the end. The Competition benefited from the major contribution of the host country, the Kingdom of Bahrain, whose quality of welcome deserves to be highlighted.
In Bahrain, the Vice-President of the CIK-FIA Kees van De Grint couldn’t hide his enthusiasm at the end of the Competition:
“We had a real dream week in Bahrain. First of all, the high number of Drivers engaged in this first World Competition for the OK and OK-Junior categories, a long way away from the usual European Karting bases, was very satisfactory. The other important point concerns the warm and efficient welcome to our guests. What the people of Bahrain did to host several hundred people in perfect conditions was incredible. Taking care of travel, accommodation, catering and transfers made this Competition very affordable. We must congratulate and thank the Kingdom of Bahrain for the human and financial efforts which produced the success of this Competition. We are in another world that we are going to have to leave to find reality. It is not about making Bahrain a standard, but it feels good to live the dream from time to time.“
“The races were very exciting. The leaders changed on every lap, the overtaking was constant. Many motor racing enthusiasts, there for the last FIA World Endurance Championship Competition, the WEC 6 Hours of Bahrain, showed overwhelming enthusiasm for the intensity of the Kart Racing show.“
“The OK engines have proved their efficiency everywhere, offering competitors fantastic equipment to explode their talent. Congratulations on the crowning of the new World Champions, Pedro Hiltbrand and Victor Martins. I cannot help but think that if a Spaniard and a Frenchman can win a World Championship, when their respective countries do not currently organise a national series for OK and OK-Junior, one can only imagine what the dominance of Spain and France would be with true National Championships throughout the year for these categories…“
The sporting confrontation proved exciting to watch during the three days of the Competition. The importance of the stakes, combined with a track which was much appreciated by the Drivers and with the magic of the Night Races, all contributed to the success of this double CIK-FIA World Championship. The predictions remained very uncertain until the last moment and the tension was at its height at the start of the Finals.
Hiltbrand makes history
Winner of the CIK-FIA European Championship (OK) and the CIK-FIA International KZ2 Super Cup this year, the Spaniard Pedro Hiltbrand (CRG / Parilla / Vega) has undoubtedly marked the history of Karting by fighting to win the 2016 CIK-FIA World Championship. Few Drivers have been so successful over their careers; the name of Max Verstappen comes to mind immediately to evoke a success of this order. However, Pedro Hiltbrand hopes to remain in Karting as long as possible.
Italy’s Lorenzo Travisanutto (Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega) began by taking Pole Position in the Qualifying Practice ahead of the defending Champion Karol Basz (Kosmic / Vortex / Vega) who dominated in the Qualifying Heats, followed by the Finn Paavo Tonteri (CRG / Parilla / Vega). Russia’s Alexander Smolyar (Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega) created a surprise by winning Prefinal 1. The Italian Felice Tiene (CRG / Parilla / Vega) ceded Prefinal 2’s victory to Hiltbrand due to a penalty. In the Final, the Basz / Hiltbrand duel took place from the start. The young Dane Christian Lundgaard (Ricciardo Kart / Parilla / Vega) and Tonteri interfered for a while in the debates, but the two favourites then resumed their duel, punctuated by several reversals of the situation. Basz’s seizure of control on the 16th of the 22 laps seemed decisive, but Hiltbrand succeeded in regaining the lead during a daring overtake. The young Spaniard then kept his distance until the finish, while the Pole battled to return to the second step of the podium in front of Tiene, who climbed very well from 20th position on the starting grid.
Martins crowned among the youngsters
The Frenchman Victor Martins (Kosmic / Parilla / Vega) was one of the long list of favourites for the CIK-FIA World Junior Championship, but many twists kept the suspense up until the Final. The Dane Noah Watt (Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega) lost all hope in a very tense Qualifying Practice session. Spaniard David Vidales (Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega) won the Pole Position and was in the lead at the end of his five Qualifying Heats, just ahead of Martins. The final scenario was set up after the victory of these two Drivers in their respective Prefinals. Others, such as Brazil’s Gianluca De Castro Petecof (CRG / Parilla / Vega), Sweden’s Hampus Eriksson (Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega) and Britain’s Finlay Kenneally (FA Kart / Vortex / Vega) were still able to participate in the fight for the title.
At the start of the Final, Vidales and Martins clashed severely which allowed De Castro Petecof and Kenneally to briefly take the lead. Vidales took the lead while Martins found himself 5th, but the Spaniard dropped back in turn. Martins took over the lead and escaped definitively at the halfway point. Vidales managed to reach 2nd position by surpassing De Castro Petecof and Théo Pourchaire (Kosmic / Vortex / Vega) in the middle of the fight. Victor Martins won the Race and the title of World Champion with a good lead, David Vidales was on the second step of the podium followed by the young Theo Pourchaire.
Info CIK-FIA / © Photo KSP