Apulian Alex Irlando didn’t leave a mark in the FIA Karting OK World Championship held in Alahärmä, Finland.  After the positive training race at the end of August, no one could have imaginated such a complicated OK World Championship for Alex Irlando. The BirelART driver doesn’t qualify for the final race and his fight for the World crown finishes on Sunday morning after heats.

The 2019 FIA Karting World Championship in Finland proved to be a much more difficult race than expected for all competitors. On the Alahärmä circuit, where drivers lacked experience, the changeable weather added to the harshness of the situation. Despite the extremely difficult conditions, the Birel ART team never gave up and took several of their drivers to the Finals. And especially, the Italian Cristian Bertuca, who managed to earn his place in the top 10. 

The wet asphalt betrayed Bortoleto at the start of the OK final (4^th in the starting grid). Vieira Galli was immediately out for a contact as well, whilst a double penalty in the heats deprived Hiltbrand of the qualification for the final, so as for Gallo and Hakalehto in OKJ.

Australian James Wharton’s hopes of victory at the FIA World Junior Karting Championship expired on lap five of the main event in Finland overnight. Following a successful run throughout the heat races, Wharton started the 21-lap final from fourth position before slotting himself into second on the opening lap. The 13 year-old then matched the pace of the race leader aboard his Parolin chassis on the wet track for the ensuing laps.