First Race In LH Sees First Victory For Muth
press release
For his first race at the wheel of his new LH kart, Esteban Muth took top honours this weekend in Mariembourg, Belgium. Thanks to a 3rd place and a victory in these two rounds, the young Brussels driver in fact goes to the top of the French Community Championship. And so he prepares to begin the Belgian Championship in high spirits.
Esteban Muth did not take long to win in his new colours. With his LH kart, running with the initials and in the colours of Lewis Hamilton, on Sunday the young Brussels driver (9) competed in the first round of the French Community Championship. On a Mariembourg track made treacherous by rain, Esteban immediately stopped the clock in the lead in the Mini class in the presence of a majority of the best Belgian drivers in his age group.
In the first round, Esteban was unable to resist Enzo Ferrari and took the flag in third place. “I was a bit disappointed only to finish in third,” he confided. “In the rain, I was frightened about going off, but between the two races I talked a lot with my dad. He told be not to be frightened because I’m here to learn. So I decided to attack harder in the second round.”
From the start, Esteban was at the front of the pack and, in a much more incisive style than a few hours earlier, he took a lead of several lengths. But Enzo Ferrari, winner of the first round, made it back and recovered the lead … before making the mistake of attacking a little too strongly. As a result, spectators then watched a duel between the champion Ulysse De Pauw and Esteban Muth. Intelligently maintaining his advantage, Esteban crossed the finishing line with … a lead of 7/100 second! “It’s a shame for Enzo, because he drove very well,” Esteban explained. “But I’m happy to have driven faster than in the first race. I didn’t make a mistake and I managed to keep Ulysse behind me at the finish. For the first time, I was standing on the top of the podium at the end of the day and I’m first in the championship.”
All those with the young driver were more than satisfied. “Once he got to know the new Rookie tyres, Esteban acclimatised very quickly and he made a lot of progress throughout the day,” said his delighted father John. “This first victory in the general classification warms the heart. I would like to thank all of our sponsors for putting Esteban behind the wheel and, once he is 8, his younger brother O’Neill. I would also like to thank François Duval, with whom I won the Wallonia Rally in 2009, who went out of his way to encourage Esteban. He also gave him some valuable advice which will always be useful in the future.”
This first victory augurs well for more. Next weekend, Esteban and Caren Burton Racing will be returning to Mariembourg, on Saturday and Sunday, to compete in the first two rounds of the Belgian Championship. This time, Esteban will be wearing his new Bell helmet, decorated with the LH logo, for a brand which Esteban is relying on to return him as soon as possible to the top step of the podium!
