The last European Competition of the 2018 FIA Karting season kept all its promises at the Aunay-les-Bois / Essay circuit. Exceptional performances and multiple twists came with the victories by Gabriele Mini' in OK Junior and Dexter Patterson in OK. But the titles went to drivers who had accumulated enough points in the ranking previously to negotiate this last competition with relative caution, a task that is not always easy. Paul Aron (EST) is the new FIA Karting European Junior Champion, while Hannes Janker (DEU) has become FIA Karting European Champion in OK without finishing the Final.
An attentive observer of the entire Essay Competition, CIK-FIA Vice President Kees van de Grint wanted to share his enthusiasm for this great sporting event in Normandy: "The Essay Competition again offered a fantastic karting weekend, as the sport should always be.

In Essay (FRA), 24 Qualifying Heats were run under increasing heat this Saturday, 4th August, 2018. The sporting intensity grew in parallel with the rise in temperatures as we approach the end of this crucial phase of the 4th and last FIA Karting European Championships Competition for OK and OK-Junior. Junior poleman Bedrin remained in control, while Patterson and Thompson dominated the OK category. Six heats remain on the programme for Sunday morning before we will know the 34 finalists of the two categories in the running.

At the Aunay les Bois / Essay International Circuit (FRA), high temperatures accompanied the opening phase of the fourth and final FIA Karting European Championship for OK and the FIA Karting European Junior Championship Competition. After three Qualifying sessions, Dexter Patterson was fastest in the OK class, while Nikita Bedrin took pole position in OK-Junior. Although several drivers entered at the Championships were not present at the French Kart Grand Prix, the overall field still exceeded 130 drivers and of course no defections were registered among the title contenders. The air temperature exceeded 33°, while the new track surface at Essay reached 50°. In these difficult conditions for the Drivers and the equipment, the Qualifying Practices happened perfectly on the 1215m of the Norman circuit. In each category, the performances were mostly equivalent between the three groups.

The 2018 Canadian Open will take place in Mont-Tremblant (Québec) Canada between August 31^st and September 2^nd on the fantastic Mont-Tremblant karting track, home track of Formula 1 driver Lance Stroll.  The event is a National event open to foreign participation.

The fourth and closing round of the CIK-FIA European Championship will take place on the French circuit of Essay from August 3rd to 5th. CRG colors will be protagonist with Hiltbrand, who is currently second in the standings, and Bortoleto, presently third in OK-Junior.