Breathtaking finals for the FIA Karting titles in Germany
On Sunday morning, the Super Heats had already given a glimpse of the competition at Wackersdorf. But that was nothing compared to the afternoon's Finals, which produced a breathtaking spectacle with many unexpected twists and turns. At the end of a memorable FIA Karting competition, Italy's Paolo Ippolito was crowned KZ World Champion, Germany's Niels Tröger won the KZ2 World Cup and Italy's Davide Forè added the FIA Karting International Super Cup - KZ2 Masters to his impressive list of honours.
The constant fine weather over the Upper Palatinate for several days made a major contribution to the success of an FIA Karting event of rare intensity, with 25° in the morning and 30° in the afternoon. The 1190m Pro Kart Raceland circuit and the quality of the organisation were also major factors in this success. Crowded into the grandstand, on the balconies and all around the track, the public enjoyed a first-class sporting spectacle. Although the LeCont tyres used in the three categories were put under pressure, they were not criticised. FIA Karting President Akbar Ebrahim made a point of being present in Wackersdorf. Broadcast live from Friday afternoon on Motorsport.tv, the FIA Karting website and its networks, the event attracted a large international audience.
Mondokart.com FIA Karting World Championship - KZ: Deserved crown for Ippolito and KR
David Trefilov (DEU-Maranello/TM Kart/LeCont) confirmed his performance in the Qualifying Heats by winning Super Heat A ahead of Tom Leuillet (FRA-Tony Kart/Vortex/LeCont) and Jérémy Iglesias (FRA- CRG/TM Kart/LeCont). Emilien Denner (FRA-Sodi/TM Kart/LeCont) was well ahead of Paolo Ippolito (ITA-KR/IAME/LeCont) and Stan Pex (NLD-KR/TM Kart/LeCont) in Super Heat B.
Trefilov and Ippolito shared the front row of the grid in the Final, ahead of Denner and Pex, then Iglesias and Leuillet. As soon as the red lights went out, a series of incidents, not serious but not without consequences, affected the running of the Championship. Several protagonists such as Trefilov, Denner, Iglesias and Leuillet had to retire on the first lap. Danilo Albanese (ITA-KR/IAME/LeCont), then Senna van Walstijn (NLD-Sodi/TM Kart/LeCont), Pedro Hiltbrand (ESP- Birel ART/TM Kart/LeCont) and Giuseppe Palomba (ITA-Birel ART/TM Kart/LeCont) added to the list of those who failed to reach the finish. Viktor Gustafsson (SWE- CRG/TM Kart/LeCont) took advantage of the situation to make up ten places towards the front of the race. Positioned almost two seconds behind Ippolito at the halfway stage, he looked capable of pulling off a feat. But Ippolito had enough reserves and motivation to take the coveted victory with a lead of almost five-tenths. Driving for the KR Motorsport team, he gave Dino Chiesa's Kart Republic brand its first KZ world title.
Mondokart.com FIA Karting World Championship - KZ standings
1- Paolo Ippolito (ITA)
2- Viktor Gustafsson (SWE)
3- Stan Pex (NLD)
4- Matteo Vigano (ITA)
5- Lorenzo Camplese (ITA)
The FIA Karting World Cup - KZ2 goes to Tröger and Maranello
Maksim Orlov (Parolin/TM Kart/LeCont) won Super Heat A ahead of Thomas Imbourg (FRA-Sodi/TM Kart/LeCont) and Alex Powell (JAM-KR/IAME/LeCont), while Kean Nakamura-Berta (GBR-KR/IAME/LeCont) won Super Heat B ahead of Niels Tröger (DEU-Maranello/TM Kart/LeCont) and Robert Kindervater (DEU-Birel ART/TM Kart/LeCont). Tröger and Powell were on the front row of the grid for the Final ahead of Imbourg and Daniel Vasile (ROU-Birel ART/TM Kart/LeCont), then Kindervater and Nikolas Roos (ZAF-CRG/TM Kart/LeCont).
Powell immediately set off in pursuit of Tröger, while Vasile was firmly entrenched in third position. The field thinned out with the early disappearance of several drivers at the start of the race, including Kindervater, Orlov and Roos. Nakamura-Berta had been held up in 21st position after the start. Powell reduced his gap to the leader to two-tenths around the halfway mark but was unable to attack. Tröger gradually extended his lead and won the Cup by 1.4". It was the first German success at world level for several decades and the first on home soil. The Maranello SRP Factory Team had not yet won a world title. The official team of the Italian marque Maranello has close links with Germany, particularly through its manager Maik Siebecke.
FIA Karting World Cup - KZ2 standings
1- Niels Tröger (DEU)
2- Alex Powell (JAM)
3- Daniel Vasile (ROU)
4- Thomas Imbourg (FRA)
5- Jean Nomblot (FRA)
FIA Karting International Masters Super Cup - KZ2 for Forè and Sodi
Alessandro Manetti (ITA-CRG/TM Kart/LeCont) took the lead over Davide Forè (ITA-Sodi/TM Kart/LeCont) in Super Heat A, while Daniel Bray (NZL-Parolin/TM Kart/LeCont) won Super Heat B ahead of Mirko Mizzoni (ITA-Italcorse/TM Kart/LeCont).
Bray was on pole position for the start of the Final alongside Forè, with Manetti and Mizzoni on the second row. Forè jumped into the lead as soon as the lights went out, ahead of Bray and Manetti. Manetti overtook Bray, who retired with a technical problem on lap 4. Thomas Mich (FRA-Birel ART/TM Kart/LeCont) got off to a good start and moved up to third place. Forè was already 2'' ahead of the runner-up, but Manetti then set a very fast pace. Thanks to his great speed, he caught up with the leader at the halfway point. After preparing his strategy, he went on the attack on lap 21 but met with stiff resistance from Forè. Meanwhile, Mich defended his third position against Mizzoni at the head of a chasing group. Manetti came back to Forè on the last lap, but again without success. Forè won the race by 15 thousandths of a second and, at 49 years of age, added a new world title to his list of honours thanks this time to the Renda Motorsport team. Another multiple champion, Manetti, at 52, had nevertheless demonstrated a pleasing competitiveness. With his third-place finish, Mich, at the age of 35, made a comeback to the international competition.
FIA Karting International Masters Super Cup - KZ2 standings
1- Davide Forè (ITA)
2- Alessandro Manetti (ITA)
3- Thomas Mich (FRA)
4- Riccardo Nalon (ITA)
5- Alessio La Martina (ITA)
Next round at Franciacorta from 6th to 8th October for the FIA Karting World Championship - OK and Junior supported by Mondokart.com.