European Superkart Championship, Round 1

Queensland Superkart driver Carlo Chermaz has finished well inside the top 20 at his European Superkart debut in France over the weekend. Driving with support from the PVP factory team, Chermaz qualified 20th (of 41 drivers to set a time) for the first race, setting his time in the opening qualifying session. Race 1 saw an excellent 13th place finish. The Australian was 16th in Race 2. By picking up 3 points in the opening race, Chermaz sits 17th in the championship.

Race report below. Full results from qualifying and both races HERE.

Above: Gavin Bennett, Race 1 and Race 2 winner, CIK-FIA European Superkart Championship, Round 1, Magny Cours, France

Above: Race 1 podium, with from left to right : Damien Payart (F), Gavin Bennett (GB) and Peter Elkmann (D)

CIK-FIA press release

Gavin Bennett (Anderson-FPE) from Great Britain made the perfect start in his bid to regain the European Superkart Championship. Starting from the 2nd row he had some good fortune in race 1 when pole sitter Peter Elkmann (MS Kart-Yamaha) of Germany was involved in contact on the first turn and dropped back to 9th place. Bennett, chasing fellow Brit Lee Harpham (Anderson-FPE) then inherited the lead shortly after the half race distance when Harpham suffered a broken ignition trigger bracket.

Reigning Champion Elkmann fought back strongly and battled with Frenchman Damien Payart (PVPFPE) as they both gave chase to Bennett. But the 2007 Champion had 3.351 seconds to spare when he took the chequered flag from Payart 2nd and Elkmann 3rd. John Riley (Anderson-Rotax) starting in 26th place after a dreadful qualifying session came strongly through the fi eld to fi nish 4th. Malcolm Crowe (Anderson-FPE) was almost as impressive going from 25th to 6th. Marcel Maasmann (MS Kart-VM) confirmed his status as the top Dutch Superkart driver with an excellent 8th place.

Above: Germany’s Peter Elkmann (#1) set the fastest time in Qualifying Practice

Less fortunate were Mark Owens (ADE-DEA) who started on the front row but went out on the 2nd lap with main bearing failing. Thomas Johansson (Anderson-FPE) of Sweden was going well when his race was halted by mechanical failure with just one lap to go. Carlo Chermaz (PVP-PVP) from Brisbane, Australia had a most creditable 13th place on his European Championship debut.

In race 2 Lee Harpham was the early leader but Peter Elkmann passed him on the 3rd lap and led for the next 7 laps. But Bennett who went past Harpham from 3rd to 2nd just after halfway, took the lead on lap 10 and held off the determined challenge as Elkmann fought back for the lead. Harpham was relieved to secure a finish as he came home in a deserved 3rd place. Likewise Mark Owens who was never out of the top 4 where he eventually finished. Damien Payart who had only qualified in 10th position, finished a strong 5th in front of Malcolm Crowe, once again having to come through from 25th on the grid.

British driver Carl Hulme (Anderson-FPE) 8th, had his 2nd top ten finish of the weekend as did fellow Brit Paul Kennings (Anderson-FPE) when finishing 9th, and Dutchman Marcel Maasmann, 10th this time. Carlo Chermaz 16th had his second top twenty finish.

So Gavin Bennett takes a perfect score to Most (CZ) next month but defending champion Peter Elkmann with a 2nd and a 3rd is well placed. Damien Payart would perhaps have hoped for better than a 2nd and 5th in his home country. Lee Harpham is clearly very fast but will have been hurt by the non-finish in race 1. Similarly John Riley’s failure to complete race 2 was a severe blow to his championship aspirations.

Above: UK’s Lee Harpham (#8) and Gavin Bennett (#6)

Above: Race 2 podium, with from left to right : Peter Elkmann (D), Gavin Bennett (GB), Lee Harpham (GB) + Kim Strotzki (D), first lady driver

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