French Drivers Strong At South European Trophy
Top performances from French drivers Enzo Guibbert, who won KF2, and Esteban Ocon, second in KF3, added a special touch to theCIK-FIA South European Trophy held in France on the weekend.
The first of its kind, the South European Trophy was organised in France by the FFSA and ASK Varennes, and proved to be a highly successful event, both from a sporting and a show point of view for the many fans who attended it.
"The weather was very nice, races were of a particularly high standard and French drivers showed some striking performances"Jean-Pierre Deschamps said. "As president of the Commission Nationale de Karting, I am very happy with this success. The young French drivers are very talented and their success is extremely encouraging for our sport: it is a good omen for the future".
Spanish, Italian, Swiss and German drivers contributed to the quality of this international event, with their best representatives in the lead places of the meeting, against a group of French competitors very motivated by the high stake of the event.
Race officials did not make the task particularly easy by showing an uncompromising severity to ensure sporting fairness. But that did not prevent the French delegation from qualifying 21 of its members for the European Championship, which will be held in Zuera (Spain).
Enzo Guibbert had the last word in KF2 by winning the final at the end of a relentless recovery against Spaniards Adrian Del Rio and Gerard Barrabeig and Italian Damiano Fioravanti, who finished second.
Victor Sendin, 5th, proved to be one of the men to beat in the group. German Marvin Kirchhöfer, 6th, revealed his more than promising talent just like French driver Nicolas Gonzalès, who concluded in the top 10.
Esteban Ocon lived up to the hopes placed on him by standing head and shoulders above anyone else in KF3. Although it was Spaniard Alex Palou who won the final race, Ocon reacted perfectly after a difficult start by going up to the second step of a podium completed by Benjamin Gérard, one of the revelations of the weekend.
Other drivers showed their international worth in Varennes: Paolo Besancenez, Dorian Boccolacci - 5th after a series of problems - as well as Hubert Petit, Simon Tirman and Florian Latorre in the final top 10.
