Preview: European KZ Championships
Tweetpress release
This weekend, the Prokart Raceland circuit of Wackersdorf will host the European Championships of three categories. While the German stage will constitute the first of two events for the KF2 category, the European Championship titles of the KZ1 and KZ2 classes will be directly awarded further to these two races held within the same meeting. With 282 entries and unbelievably open competition in the three categories, Wackersdorf is undoubtedly a rendez-vous not to be missed!
Karting enthusiasts who will make the trip to Bavaria will not be disappointed as they will be able to attend a fantastic race weekend.
Like last year the Prokart Raceland circuit will host the single-round of the European KZ1 and KZ2 Championships, the two categories of gearbox karts.
As tension will go crescendo and with a title to conquer in a 25-lap Final, it will be a thriller until the chequered flag.
In KF2, the category mainly regrouping Hopefuls, the Championship consists in two events comprising two Races each. After the opening in Germany it is at Brandon, in Great Britain, that the Champion will be designated on 22 July.
This meeting anyhow promises to be the busiest in the season: with 282 Drivers split into the three categories, the CIK-FIA and the Organisers have had to adapt the time schedule and start one day earlier. For KZ2 and KF2, Qualifying Practice will take place on Thursday at the end of the day. On Friday and Saturday, no fewer than 45 Qualifying Heats and a second chance heat will be organised. On Sunday the 34 finalists will run in either a Prefinal and Final (in KZ1 and KZ2) or two Races with Championship point allocation (in KF2). A total of 54 starts will be given throughout the weekend!
KZ1: A Champions’ Combat
Mainly regrouping professional Karting Drivers directly entered by the Manufacturers, the top category of gearbox karts promises to offer breathtaking spectacle. According to the specialists, there are approximately ten of them – at least! – who can claim victory at the finish of the decisive Final. Although the reigning European KZ1 Champion Paolo De Conto changed Teams this winter (he will henceforth represent the Birel factory), he is nonetheless determined to keep his number 1. He will however have to face the strongest opposition with several Drivers boasting first-class lists of results. Former European Champions and winners of the World Cup for KZ1, the Dutchman Bas Lammers (Praga-Parilla) and Belgium’s Jonathan Thonon (CRG-Maxter) are among those ones, just like the former World Champions Marco Ardigo (Tony Kart-Vortex), Davide Foré (CRG-Maxter), Arnaud Kozlinski (PCR-TM) and Alessandro Piccini (Tony Kart-Vortex), still as motivated despite his 47 years of age.
Against these Karting stars, the list of challengers still in search of a maiden major title in the category is quite attractive with the Belgians Yannick de Brabander (FK-TM, vice-Champion in 2011) and Rick Dreezen (Tony Kart-Vortex), the Briton Ben Hanley (ART GP-TM), as well as France’s Anthony Abbasse (Sodi-Maxter), Jérémy Iglésias (Intrepid-TM) and Armand Convers (Kosmic-Vortex), who was on the podium last year. Last but not least, the young Dutchman Jorrit Pex (CRG-TM) and two Drivers from KZ2: the Italian Fabian Federer, European Champion in the 2nd division of gearbox karts last year, and Holland’s Joey Hanssen, winner of the World Cup for KZ2.
KF2: Places will be Highly-Coveted!
With two events and four opportunities to score points (the three best results will be retained for the final count), KF2 Drivers will have to approach Wackersdorf differently. They must indeed associate speed and regularity, both in the German event and in the second rendez-vous, in Great Britain. However, with 122 entries there will be rough points-chasing.
While the reigning Champion, Belgium’s Sami Luka (Tony Kart-Vortex), will throw in his crown, several Drivers competing in the World KF1 Championship have also given top priority to the European competition. Leader of the World Championship, Italy’s Flavio Camponeschi (Tony Kart-Vortex) will therefore find again in his way other World Championship front-runners such as his compatriot Felice Tiene (CRG-BMB), the Dutchman Max Verstappen (Intrepid-TM), Poland’s Karol Basz (Birel-BMB), the Brits Matthew Graham (Zanardi-Parilla) and Tom Joyner (LH-BMB), the Frenchman Anthoine Hubert (FK-TM) or even the Czech lady Driver Tereza Gromanova (Kosmic-Vortex). Amongst the main outsiders are Denmark’s Andreas Hansen (Maranello-Maranello), who made it to the podium of this Championship last year, the Finn Niklas Tiihonen (Energy-Parilla) and the Italian Antonio Maria Giovinazzi (Tony Kart-Vortex).
Finally, several Motor Sport Hopefuls from the KF3 category wish to have a direct impact at the higher level. Winner of the World Cup for KF3 in 2011, Monaco’s Charles Leclerc (ART GP-Parilla) will lead a young generation which also includes his British Team-mate Benjamin Barnicoat (ART GP-Parilla) and the Norwegian Dennis Olsen (Energy-TM), to name but the most competitive ones.
KZ2: Very Uncertain Forecasts
Defined as the second division of gearbox karts, the KZ2 category often allows young Drivers or very experienced gentlemen-Drivers to demonstrate their talent.
Discovering this year the handling of these vehicles which go from 0 to 100 km/h within 3.5 seconds, the Italian Loris Spinelli (FK-TM) hopes to confirm his victory in last year’s World Cup for KF2. Regular competitor in the World KF1 Championship, Britain’s Jordon Lennox-Lamb (CRG-Maxter) is also among the favourites as he has obviously adapted well to gearbox karts.
Against these two young Drivers, a few regulars of the category want to make a name for themselves, like the Netherlands’ Yard Pex (CRG-TM), the Italians Marco Zanchetta (Energy-TM) and Yuri Lucati (Kosmic-TM), the Dane Andrea Fasberg (Tony Kart-Vortex) as well as the former French European Champion Julien Poncelet (ART GP-TM) and Germany’s Marcel Jeleniowski who will be able to perform in front of his public. But in this category, it is even more difficult to tip the winner safely. It is therefore after Thursday evening’s Qualifying Practice session that we shall be able to have a clearer idea of those who should be at the fore in the decisive Final to be held on Sunday afternoon.
- Event guide, entry list for each class etc HERE
