Nyck De Vries wanted to end his very busy 2008 karting season with a brilliant performance in October. Already in the top 10 at the Monaco Kart Cup, this young kartman from Holland climbed to the second step of the Bridgestone Cup podium at Lonato.
On 18th and 19th of October, Nyck De Vries discovered the Monaco Kart Cup prestigious circuit. The track, which runs through the famous harbour, coincides in part with the Formula 1 Grand Prix circuit, from the well-know bends of La Rascasse to the Bureau de Tabac, through the Swimming pool “S’s”. “Racing in a place so full of history was very exciting” Nyck said. “My dad told me all about it, because he competed in a few car races in the Principality. At a first glance, the circuit looks easy, but that is just an impression. It is full of difficult and selective little features”.
After setting the 10th time in timed practice, Nyck regained a few places during the qualifying phase, although he withdrew from one heat. “I had a collision at the start and a bent steering rod forced me to withdraw”. After a good performance in the pre-final, he was once again slowed down by the hasty manoeuvre of another pilot, at the start of the final. “I was a bit angry to be 27th on the first lap, while I was 13th at the start. There was not much I could do, except doing my best”. After a superb attack and many passes, Nyck De Vries conquered an extraordinary 10th place with his Zanardi-XTR. Like Michaël Schumacher, Robert Kubica and Sebastian Vettel, who all won the Monaco Kart Cup in the past, the Dutch driver would have liked to fight for victory, but race mishaps decided otherwise.
From Lonato to Lonato
Nyck De Vries’ 2008 season started at Lonato in February, at the Winter Cup, and it was on this same Italian circuit that it ended, on the 25th and 26th of October. “The Bridgestone Cup was a good chance to compete one last time in a prestigious event” Nyck explained. “The organisation was good, but unfortunately the technical check was not as accurate as at the European Championship. So we could not know the real set-up adopted by our opponents”.
But apart from these considerations, Nyck was determined to achieve a good result on his father’s birthday. Fast and sharp, just like during the rest of the season, Nyck showed again an excellent performance… “I had a carburettor problem during one of the heats, so I was 24th at the start of the pre-final, but then I managed to climb to 8th place”. After the best lap in race in the final, he finally reached the best driver of the day, Russian Daniel Kvyat. “I tried to pass him at the end of the race, but he closed all the doors. I took my chance on the last bend, we were side by side. He tried to force me to change my trajectory and in the end, he managed to keep an advantage of just one 100th of a second when we crossed the finishing line. But all in all, it was an excellent race. Reaching the second place after starting from 24th position was good”.
German Champion and winner of the WSK in 2008, now Nyck De Vries will start preparing at best for 2009; indeed, a new series of tests has already been scheduled for November. The future is fast approaching... |
