Preview: KZ World Championships
| 2 September 2016 |
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173 drivers from 45 Nations and all five continents will be competing in Kristianstad, Sweden, this weekend at the CIK-FIA KZ World Championship. The event will also host the International Super Cup for KZ2, the final round of the one-make Karting Academy Trophy, plus an Historic Karting Super Cup.
Several Australians are competing in KZ2 - see HERE for the previous article about them. Two Kiwis are competing in KZ - see HERE for the previous article about them.
Links to follow the event:
- Live timining HERE
- Live Stream video of Sunday's track action HERE (from 10am CET, 6pm AEST)
- Competition guide HERE
Above: Jason Pringle with his KZ2 Ricciardo Kart in Sweden
Above: View from the starting gantry at Kristianstad
from CIK-FIA
After Le Mans (FRA) in 2015 and Sarno (ITA) in 2014, Sweden is soon to organise the CIK-FIA World Competition open to the KZ, KZ2 and Academy categories. The Kristianstad circuit, the organising club and the Swedish ASN, the SBF, have been deservedly rewarded for the efforts made over several years to reach the level of organisation required for such a Competition, 32 years after the last World Karting Championship held on Swedish soil, at Jönköping in 1984.
The 1221m of the Asum Ring track offers a particularly technical framework for sporting confrontation and surprises may well decide the outcome.
Italy tops the best represented nations with 29 Drivers entered, ahead of Sweden with 25 Drivers. In total, nearly 50 Scandinavian Drivers are on the lists, proof of the dynamism of the discipline in northern Europe. Historic Karts will therefore be welcomed to the Kristianstad circuit for the CIK-FIA Historic Karting Super Cup.
Barrichello among the professionals in World KZ
A professional competition for many, the CIK-FIA World Championship for KZ will bring together the elite of the Karting world totaling an impressive international record. The Italian Marco Ardigo (Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega) will arrive in Sweden crowned as the European Champion in late July against the Czech Patrik Hajek (Kosmic / Vortex / Vega) and the Frenchman Jérémy Iglesias (Sodi / TM Racing / Vega). The Italian clan can also count on Paolo De Conto (CRG / TM Racing / Vega), Flavio Camponeschi (CRG / Parilla / Vega), Davide Fore (Righetti Ridolfi / TM Racing / Vega) and Leonardo Lorandi (Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega), a young man moving up from KZ2. This is also the case for the Dutchman Stan Pex (CRG / Vortex / Vega) supporting his brother Jorrit (CRG / Vortex / Vega), the 2015 World Champion.
Anthony Abbasse (Sodi / TM Racing / Vega) will again set off in search of a major title for France in the company of Arnaud Kozlinski (CRG / TM Racing / Vega), who will make a comeback for this occasion. We will also watch out for the Swedes Joel Johansson (Righetti Ridolfi / TM Racing / Vega) and Douglas Lundberg (Mach 1 / TM Racing / Vega) who are always formidable at home. The Brazilian former F1 driver Rubens Barrichello, who has regularly competed in karting for several seasons, has decided to take on a worthy challenge by taking part in this Championship driving a BirelART / Parilla / Vega against the specialists in the category.
| No. | Driver | Entrant | Equipment |
| 1 | Ardigo, Marco | Tony Kart Racing Team | Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega |
| 2 | Hajek, Patrik | Kosmic Racing Dept | Kosmic / Vortex / Vega |
| 3 | Iglesias, Jérémy | Iglesias, Jérémy | Sodi / TM Racing / Vega |
| 4 | De Conto, Paolo | CRG SpA | CRG / TM Racing / Vega |
| 5 | Abbasse, Anthony | Sodikart | Sodi / TM Racing / Vega |
| 6 | Puhakka, Simo | CRG SpA | CRG / TM Racing / Vega |
| 7 | Camponeschi, Flavio | CRG SpA | CRG / Parilla / Vega |
| 8 | Pescador, Jorge Carlos | Praga Racing Team | Praga / TM Racing / Vega |
| 9 | Lennox-Lamb, Jordon | Birel ART Srl | Birel Art / Parilla / Vega |
| 10 | Lammers, Bas | Sodikart | Sodi / TM Racing / Vega |
| 11 | Fore, Davide | Gold Kart Racing Team | Righetti Ridolfi / TM Racing / Vega |
| 12 | Dreezen, Rick | Ricciardo Kart Racing | Ricciardo Kart / Parilla / Vega |
| 14 | Pex, Jorrit | CRG Holland | CRG / Vortex / Vega |
| 15 | Lundberg, Douglas | Mach 1 Motorsport | Mach 1 / TM Racing / Vega |
| 16 | Armstrong, Marcus | Tony Kart Racing Team | Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega |
| 17 | Johansson, Joel | Gold Kart Racing Team | Righetti Ridolfi / TM Racing / Vega |
| 18 | Carlton, Gary | Formula K Racing Team | Formula K / TM Racing / Vega |
| 19 | Camplese, Lorenzo | Parolin Racing Kart | Parolin / TM Racing / Vega |
| 20 | Dalè, Andrea | Nuova 3M Srl | CRG / TM Racing / Vega |
| 21 | Backman, Andreas | Kosmic Racing Dept | Kosmic / Vortex / Vega |
| 22 | Barrichello, Rubens | Birel ART Srl | Birel Art / Parilla / Vega |
| 23 | Kozlinski, Arnaud | CRG SpA | CRG / TM Racing / Vega |
| 24 | Hanley, Ben | Croc Promotion Srl | Croc Promotions / TM Racing / Vega |
| 25 | Chubarov, Ivan | Croc Promotion Srl | Croc Promotions / TM Racing / Vega |
| 26 | Pex, Stan | CRG Holland | CRG / Vortex / Vega |
| 27 | Lorandi, Leonardo | Baby Race Srl | Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega |
| 28 | Specken, Guust | PDB Racing Team | Gillard / Vortex / Vega |
| 29 | Kokko, Henri | Hemet Racing | Ninar / TM Racing / Vega |
| 30 | Kuovi, Jan | Kuovi, Jan | Kosmic / TM Racing / Vega |
| 31 | Myszkier, Pawe | Mach 1 Motorsport | Mach 1 / TM Racing / Vega |
| 32 | Bray, Daniel | N-Zed Motorsport | GP Racing / Maxter / Vega |
| 33 | Forss, Andreas | Ga' Co Racing | Sodi / TM Racing / Vega |
| 34 | Giambo, (V. Giambattista) | Giambo, (V. Giambattista) | Praga / TM Racing / Vega |
Eclectic and very tough field in KZ2
The CIK-FIA International Super Cup for KZ2 promises an absorbing spectacle with 89 entries including the top seeds of the recent CIK-FIA European Championship for KZ2. The Champion, the Italian Fabian Federer (CRG / Modena Engines / Vega), will again face most of the European top 10 with his compatriots Matteo Vigano (Top Kart / Parilla / Vega), Alessandro Irlando ( Energy / TM Racing / Vega) and Luca Corberi (Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega).
Other specialists in the category will join the confrontation. This is the case for the Frenchman Alexandre Arrue (Righetti Ridolfi / TM Racing / Vega), 3rd in 2013, or for the Spaniard Pedro Hiltbrand (CRG / Maxter / Vega), the Vice-European Champion of 2015. But the 2016 Competition will feature several top drivers more used to direct-drive karts who are ready to try their luck with the gearbox engines. These include the Briton Tom Joyner (Zanardi / Parilla / Vega), the Spaniard Marta Garcia Lopez (Evokart / Parilla / Vega), the Swede Noah Milell (Exprit / Vortex / Vega), the Russian Alexander Smolyar (Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega) and the Dutchmen Martijn Van Leeuwen (BirelART / Parilla / Vega) and Bent Viscaal (CRG / TM Racing / Vega).
| No. | Driver | Entrant | Equipment |
| 101 | Federer, Fabian | SRP Racing Team | CRG / Modena Engines / Vega |
| 102 | Vigano, Matteo | Comer | Top Kart / Parilla / Vega |
| 103 | Irlando, Alessandro | Energy Corse | Energy Corse / TM Racing / Vega |
| 104 | Corberi, Luca | Tony Kart Racing Team | Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega |
| 105 | Besancenez, Paolo | Goudant, Cédric | Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega |
| 106 | Norris, John | KSM Schumacher Racing Team | Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega |
| 107 | Davies, Dylan | CRG Keijzer Racing | CRG / TM Racing / Vega |
| 108 | Schmitz, Alexander | KSW Birelart Austria R.T. | Birel Art / Vortex / Vega |
| 109 | Dahlberg, Alexander | Ward Racing | Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega |
| 110 | Leuillet, Tom | Leuillet, Francis | Sodi / TM Racing / Vega |
| 111 | Mosca, Tommaso | Maranello Kart | Maranello / TM Racing / Vega |
| 112 | Piccini, Alessio | Tony Kart Racing Team | Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega |
| 113 | Törnqvist, Persson Benjamin | CRG Holland | CRG / TM Racing / Vega |
| 114 | Skaras, Emil | Ward Racing | Tony Kart / TM Racing / Vega |
| 115 | Ippolito, Paolo | Novalux Srl | Lenzokart / LKE / Vega |
| 116 | Gonzalez, Javier | Ricciardo Kart Racing | Ricciardo Kart / Parilla / Vega |
| 117 | Kremers, Marijn | Birel ART Srl | Birel Art / Parilla / Vega |
| 118 | Picot, Nicolas | Picot, Nicolas | Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega |
| 119 | Martinez Merono, Eliseo | Praga Racing Team | Praga / TM Racing / Vega |
| 120 | Iacovacci, Francesco | Novalux Srl | Luxor / LKE / Vega |
| 121 | Rosati, Fabrizio | CRG SpA | CRG / TM Racing / Vega |
| 122 | Zani, Cristopher | DR Srl | DR / Modena Engines / Vega |
| 123 | Romkema, Ricardo | KSW Birelart Austria R.T. | Birel Art / TM Racing / Vega |
| 124 | Johansson, Andreas | CRG Holland | CRG / TM Racing / Vega |
| 125 | Simoni, Mauro | DR Srl | DR / Modena Engines / Vega |
| 126 | Nilsson, Brandon | Brandon Racing | Righetti Ridolfi / Vortex / Vega |
| 127 | Horio, Fuma | CRG SpA | CRG / TM Racing / Vega |
| 128 | Prosperi, Oliver Enrico | Renda Motorsport S.a.s. | Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega |
| 129 | Cavalieri, Alberto | Kosmic Racing Dept | Kosmic Kart / Vortex / Vega |
| 130 | Loeskow, Troy | Ricciardo Kart Racing | Ricciardo Kart / Parilla / Vega |
| 131 | Baciuska, Rokas | Energy Corse | Energy Corse / TM Racing / Vega |
| 132 | Cervera Guardeno, Arnau | Novalux Srl | Luxor / LKE / Vega |
| 134 | Van Leeuwen, Martijn | Birel ART Srl | Birel Art / Parilla / Vega |
| 135 | Christensen, Michael E. | CKR Srl | CKR / Vortex / Vega |
| 136 | Negro, Riccardo | Energy Corse | Energy Corse / TM Racing / Vega |
| 137 | Hiltbrand, Pedro | CRG SpA | CRG / Maxter / Vega |
| 138 | Joyner, Tom | CRG SpA | Zanardi / Parilla / Vega |
| 139 | Garcia Lopez, Marta | Evokart Srl | Evokart / Parilla / Vega |
| 140 | Viscaal, Bent | CRG Holland | CRG / TM Racing / Vega |
| 141 | Smolyar, Alexander | Ward Racing | Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega |
| 142 | Tiene, Felice | CRG SpA | CRG / TM Racing / Vega |
| 143 | Milell, Noah | JP Racing | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 144 | Celenta, Francesco | Formula K Racing Team | Formula K / TM Racing / Vega |
| 145 | Cebrian Ariza, Gerard | CRG SpA | CRG / TM Racing / Vega |
| 146 | Zanchetta, Marco | Maranello Kart | Maranello / TM Racing / Vega |
| 147 | Kallasmaa, Kaspar | SRP Racing Team | CRG / Modena Engines / Vega |
| 148 | Lindholm, Daniel | Ward Racing | Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega |
| 149 | Ohlin, Simon | Ward Racing | Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega |
| 150 | Westerholm, Jesper | Ward Racing | Tony Kart / TM Racing / Vega |
| 151 | Rismyhr, Finn Erik | DR Srl | DR / Modena Engines / Vega |
| 152 | Stien, Nikolai | DR Srl | DR / Modena Engines / Vega |
| 153 | Babington, Sean | Energy Corse | Energy Corse / Parilla / Vega |
| 154 | Fife, Joshua | Energy Corse | Energy Corse / TM Racing / Vega |
| 155 | Al Rawahi, Abdullah | Birel ART Srl | Birel Art / Parilla / Vega |
| 156 | Arrue, Alexandre | Gold Kart Racing Team | Righetti Ridolfi / Maxter / Vega |
| 157 | Hansen, Jonas | Andersen, Johnny Frode | GP Racing / TM Racing / Vega |
| 158 | La Gala, Alberto | Comer | Top Kart / TM Racing / Vega |
| 159 | Öberg, Viktor | PDB Racing Team | Gillard / Parilla / Vega |
| 160 | Pieruszek, Kevin | KSW Birelart Austria R.T. | Birel Art / Vortex / Vega |
| 161 | Pollini, Giacomo | Renda Motorsport S.a.s. | Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega |
| 162 | Stell, Daniel | SRP Racing Team | CRG / Modena Engines / Vega |
| 163 | Zanchi, Matteo | Zanchi, Matteo | GP Racing / TM Racing / Vega |
| 164 | Andersson, Fredrik | Ward Racing | Kosmic / Vortex / Vega |
| 165 | Bergh, Gustav | Ward Racing | Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega |
| 166 | Forslöf, David | Ward Racing | Tony Kart / TM Racing / Vega |
| 167 | Lagerstrom, Linus | Ward Racing | Tony Kart / TM Racing / Vega |
| 168 | Sandin, Felix | Ward Racing | Tony Kart / TM Racing / Vega |
| 169 | Sandström, Jesper | Ward Racing | Tony Kart / TM Racing / Vega |
| 170 | Giannoni, Lorenzo | CKR Srl | CKR / TM Racing / Vega |
| 171 | Kristensen, Michael | CKR Srl | CKR / Vortex / Vega |
| 172 | Pelizzari, Alessandro | CKR Srl | CKR / TM Racing / Vega |
| 173 | Aarni, Tommi | Hemet Racing | Ninar / TM Racing / Vega |
| 174 | Eiristö, Kaisa | Hemet Racing | Ninar / TM Racing / Vega |
| 175 | Ojaranta, Arto | Hemet Racing | Ninar / TM Racing / Vega |
| 176 | Tubben, Max | CRG Holland | CRG / TM Racing / Vega |
| 177 | Weering, Max | CRG Holland | CRG / TM Racing / Vega |
| 178 | Sundahl, Kevin | Sundahl, Kevin | Maddox / TM Racing / Vega |
| 179 | Sundahl, Simon | Sundahl, Kevin | Maddox / Parilla / Vega |
| 180 | Bengtsson, Axel | JP Racing | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 181 | Brito Mendizabal, Jose Enrique | CRG SpA | CRG / TM Racing / Vega |
| 182 | Hansen, Tim | Andersen, Johnny Frode | GP Racing / TM Racing / Vega |
| 183 | Kauppi, Henri | Kauppi, Henri | CRG / Maxter / Vega |
| 184 | Larsen, Nicolaj | Larsen, Nicolaj | Maranello / TM Racing / Vega |
| 185 | Piirimägi, Sten Dorian | AIX Racing Team | Energy Corse / TM Racing / Vega |
| 186 | Pringle, Jason | Ricciardo Kart Racing | Ricciardo Kart / Parilla / Vega |
| 187 | Ruotsalainen, Petteri | Ruotsalainen, Jaakko | Tony Kart / Vortex / Vega |
| 188 | Santos Gomez, Lisard | Croc Promotion Srl | Croc Promotions / TM Racing / Vega |
| 189 | Sotiropoulos, Fotios | Evokart Srl | Evokart / Parilla / Vega |
| 190 | Staerkaer, Daniel | Staerkaer, Lars | Bremer / TM Racing / Vega |
Coronation expected for Bradshaw in the Academy
This one-make Competition aimed at revealing young talents from around the world this year uses new equipment provided by OTK Kart Group. 51 drivers from 39 nations are using Exprit chassis and the Vortex OK-Junior engine, but with a specific carburetor, and Vega tyres.
The CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy should go to the Briton Callum Bradshaw after the third and final Competition of 2016 with his lead of almost 30 points in the standings and his performance on the track. Only the Belgian Xavier Handsaeme can mathematically deny him the overall victory. The places of honour should be decided between the Dane Mads Eielso Hansen, the Briton Oliver Clarke and the Swede Alfred Nilsson. The final top 10 will no doubt be full of fierce battles between many participants.
| No. | Driver | Entrant | Equipment |
| 501 | Sabater Saura, Rubén | Sabater Ribes, Rubén | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 502 | Saval Martín, Carlos | Saval Palacio, Juan Carlos | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 503 | Forest, Henri | Bressan Forest, Henri Daniel | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 504 | Schoma, Victor | De A. S. Lourenço, Vivienne C. | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 505 | Bradshaw, Callum | Bradshaw, Pete | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 506 | Clarke, Oliver | Clarke, Jeremy | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 507 | Tunik, Arsenii | Tunik, Michail | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 508 | Lomko, Lev | Lomko, Aleksey | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 509 | Mialane, Thomas | Mialane, Olivier | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 510 | Imbourg, Thomas | Imbourg, Sebastien | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 511 | Ventura, Simão | Ventura, Tony | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 512 | North, Jordan | North, Hector | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 513 | Nilsson, Alfred | Nilsson, Tony | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 514 | Bergqvist, Alex | Bergqvist, Ola | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 515 | Goldstein, Elie | Goldstein, Olivier | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 516 | Handsaeme, Xavier | Handsaeme, Xavier (parent) | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 517 | Haverkort, Kas | Haverkort, P.W.A. | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 518 | van Walstijn, Senna | Arts, Gregor | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 519 | Ollikainen, Jonne | Ollikainen, Antti | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 520 | Zviedris, Valters | Zviedris Aigars | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 521 | Machulda, Marek Boris | Boris, Marek | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 522 | Peklin, Ivan | Peklin, Oleksandr | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 523 | Vaskelis, Kasparas | Vaskelis, Virginijus | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 524 | Heyerdahl, Emil | Heyerdahl, Erik | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 525 | Al Qubaisi, Hamda | Al Qubaisi, Khaled | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 526 | Füngeling, Luke | Füngeling, Heribert | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 527 | Tsukada, Kaito | Tsukada, Masakazu | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 528 | Tsujimoto, Shion | Tsujimoto, Kuniyuki | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 529 | Ang, Zi Yang Alvis | Ang, Chee Yong | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 530 | Szyszko, Maciej | Szyszko, Arkadiusz | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 531 | Wisnicki, Piotr | Wyrzykovski, Marek | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 532 | Hansen, Mads Eielso | Hansen, Kenneth | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 533 | Jones, Jagger | Jones, Parnell | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 534 | Shaw, Elliott | Shaw, Andrew | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 535 | Schmidli, Titus Shanghai | Schmidli, Christian | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 536 | Hong, Yukui | Hong, Bingxue | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 537 | Ugran, Filip-Ioan | Ugran, Claudiu | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 538 | So, Lester | So, Pak Chuen | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 539 | Sharma, Manav | Kumar, Mahesh | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 540 | Leedmaa, Siim | Leedmaa, Eero | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 541 | Alvarado Laurentin, José Miguel | Alvarado, Giovanni | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 542 | Beshara, Talal | Beshara, Othman | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 543 | D'Arcy, Alexander | D'Arcy, Scott | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 544 | Dalkiran, Mehmet Mert | Dalkiran, Mehmet Onder | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 545 | Lee, ChanJoon | Lee, Dongwon | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 546 | Novela, Jeffrey | Novela, Carmo Joao | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 547 | Dimitrov, Alexander | Dimitrov, Georgi | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 548 | Al-Najjar, Ameer Hisham | Al-Najjar, Hisham | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 549 | Akabi, Ali | Akabi, Namir | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 550 | Al Habsi, Shihab | Al Habsi, Ahmed Salim | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
| 551 | Prunk, Nik | Prunk, Martin | Exprit / Vortex / Vega |
4th edition of the CIK-FIA Historic Karting Super Cup
Once again this year CIK-FIA Historic Karting Super Cup will take place as part of the most prestigious meeting of the sporting season. 34 Karts, reflecting the history of the discipline from its origins, will be invited to participate in numerous demonstrations on the track during the World Competition and will enjoy the popularity of the event to show a wide audience the ingenuity of the pioneers of the discipline along with the rigour of restoring the venerable machines on display in the paddock. Thanks to the privileged geographical position occupied by the Kristianstad in Nothern Europe, we can expect to see some rare gems.
