European CIK-FIA Championship Summary


series press release 18 June 2014
 

After the round of Genk, Ardigò (I – Tony-Vortex KZ), Nielsen (DK – Kosmic-Vortex KF) and Dalè (I – CRG-Maxter KZ2) are in the lead in the European CIK-FIA Champs.

The race for the titles is getting heated

Analysis of standings and strategies for the next races of the Championship: as usual, after each race teams and drivers try to analyse the results achieved in the event of Genk (B). The CIK-FIA European Championship is at halfway stage and all the competitors are preparing their strategies for the remaining appointment of the 2014 season.

Also the round of Genk left its mark on the standings, and now the picture of those who can aim at winning the KZ and KZ2 titles is less blurred, with still two more rounds to go: in Wackersdorf (D) and Kristianstad (S). However, the race of Genk affected in particular the standing of the KF European Championship, which is getting ready for the final sprint of Brandon (GB), fourth and last appointment on schedule next 31st August.

Jordon Lennox-Lamb sits 3rd in KZ2
Above: Jordon Lennox-Lamb sits 3rd in KZ2
pic - Press.net Images

Marco Ardigò is the first leader in KZ

Also the KZ has got a crowded shortlist of pretenders to the title. In Genk, from qualifying to the Finals, the positions of the top drivers changed many times, sometimes radically, so much so that the Italian Marco Ardigò (Tony Kart-Vortex-Bridgestone) was the fastest neither in qualifying nor in the heats, but he eventually dominated the Final.

The current standing is led by Ardigò with 33 points; second, four points behind, the Belgian Rick Dreezen (Zanardi-Parilla-Bridgestone). The English Jordon Lennox-Lamb (CRG-Maxter-Bridgestone), third with 22 points, added his good performance in the heats to the podium scored in the Final of Genk, and keeps his third place in the standing ahead of the Dutch Jorrit Pex (CRG-TM-Bridgestone).

Second in KZ points is Belgium's Rick Dreezen
Above: Second in KZ points is Belgium's Rick Dreezen
pic - Press.net Images

After the season opener, the current standing reflects the order of arrival of the first race: in fact, behind the English Ben Hanley and the Italian Mirko Torsellini (Art GP-Bridgestone), fifth and sixth respectively, there are the French Anthony Abbasse (Sodi-TM-Bridgestone), the Dutch Bas Lammers (FK-Parilla-Bridgestone), the Italian Massimo Aceto (Righetti-Parilla-Bridgestone), the Finnish Simo Puhakka (Birel-TM). There are remarkable absences in the top ten positions: the Italian Paolo De Conto (Birel-TM), the French Arnaud Kozlinski (Intrepid-TM) and the Belgian Jonathan Thonon (Praga-Parilla). They were the veritable protagonists of the first phase of the event, but they were obliged to retire in the Final. They are, of course, ready to strike back in the next round of Wackersdorf.

Marco Ardigò leads the KZ points
Above: Marco Ardigò leads the KZ points
pic - Press.net Images

Nicklas Nielsen at large in KF

Nicklas Nielsen (Kosmic-Vortex-Dunlop) had been far from success since the beginning of the season, even though he had showed to master all the skills a driver needs to achieve victory. The Danish driver, finally, managed to get back to victory lane right in Genk at the end of a race where all the main roles were played by the four drivers at the top of the championship standing: the English Callum Ilott (Zanardi-Parilla-Dunlop), Tom Joyner (Zanardi-Parilla-Dunlop) and Lando Norris (FA Kart-Vortex-Dunlop).

These three drivers and Nielsen dominated the whole weekend  as well as they are dominating this year's KF European Championship. So far, only Norris - hit by bad luck in Genk, where he was obliged to retire - has not won: the other three drivers can boast a success each.

Nielsen is in the lead with 76 points, 9 more than Ilott, while Joyner and Norris are both in third position with a wider gap. A gap they will have the chance to close on the PFI circuit in Brandon, at the end of August. However, there are other drivers who are doing well in this season: in particular the Finnish Niko Kari (Tony Kart-Vortex), on the podium at the season opener of Muro Leccese and fifth in the standing, and the Italian Alessio Lorandi (Tony Kart-Parilla), who performed a great recovery in Genk starting from the back rows of the grid and finishing 4th.

Lorandi is sixth together with another Italian, Felice Tiene (CRG-Parilla), who would deserve a better position in the standing because this year, too, he has showed to be endowed with great driving skills. Also the Spanish Pedro Hiltbrand (CRG-Parilla), eighth, is eager to achieve a good result to close his championship; behind him the Dutch Martijn van Leeuwen (Zanardi-Parilla), back in the top-five in Genk, and the Polish Karol Basz (Tony Kart-Vortex), who closes the top ten.

Nicklas Nielsen, KF
Above: Nicklas Nielsen, KF
pic - Press.net Images

Andrea Dalè starts leading the KZ2

In KZ2 Andrea Dalè (CRG-Maxter-Bridgestone) dominated throughout the whole weekend in Belgium. He achieved the highest score possible and he is now leading the championship with 35 points, 7 more than the Danish Andreas Hansen (Tony Kart-Vortex-Bridgestone), his most dangerous rival.

The intermediate results are crucial to establish the first KZ2 standing. In fact, the Italian Fabian Federer (CRG-Maxter-Bridgestone), who was out of the top ten positions after the heats, recovered as far as the third place in the Final, but he is only fifth in the Championship, behind the Swedish Douglas Lundberg (Alpha-Parilla-Bridgestone) and the Lituanian Simas Juodvirsis (Energy-Maxter-Bridgestone).

Outstanding performance on the Horensbergdam Circuit also for the Dutch Finn Koijman (CRG-TM-Bridgestone), the Italian Simone Brenna (TB Kart-Modena), the Swedish Joel Johansson (Righetti-Parilla), the Czech Jan Midrla (Birel-TM) and the Dutch Dylan Davies (DR-TM).

Andrea Dalè, KZ2
Above: Andrea Dalè, KZ2
pic - Press.net Images

Rinus van Kalmthout in the lead of the Academy Trophy

In the CIK-FIA Academy Trophy, the Dutch Rinus van Kalmthout, the runner-up of the Final in Genk, made the most of the result scored in the heats and he is now at the top of the standing. In second place is the Japanese Kakunoshin Ota, winner of the Final but with zero points after the heats. Behind them the Turkish Berkay Besler,  the British Martin Ross and the Brazilian Murilo Della Coletta.

The Academy Trophy drivers
Above: The Academy Trophy drivers
pic - Press.net Images

 

 

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