FIA Karting: Racing already well underway in Kristianstad
The Swedish Åsum Ring has been the scene of some promising battles in all three categories of this FIA Karting event, with the final Free Practice and Qualifying sessions taking place. The Qualifying Heats, which start on Saturday morning, should not disappoint the spectators and observers.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli (ITA) was the poleman of the FIA Karting World Championship - KZ and Senna Van Walstijn (NLD) took an impressive pole position in the FIA Karting International Super Cup - KZ2. Finally, David Walther was the fastest in the third and final competition of the FIA Karting Academy Trophy.
The weather was very pleasant all day with a light cloudy sky and temperatures rising to 23°. The 159 drivers were able to compete in Qualifying in ideal conditions, especially as the participants in the KZ and KZ2 categories had been able to take advantage of an extra day of Free Practice on Wednesday to perfect their knowledge of the circuit and the set-up of their equipment.
Antonelli already at the top of KZ
In 2019, the young Italian Andrea Kimi Antonelli took an impressive pole position in the FIA Karting European Championship - Junior on the Kristianstad circuit. The strong understanding with his team manager Dino Chiesa continues to bear fruit two years later as this time Antonelli has achieved pole position in the FIA Karting World Championship - KZ, a category in which he is making his debut, alongside his OK programme where he was crowned European Champion. He set a time of 49''826 on his third run, while Sweden's Noah Millel was two thousandths away. In this very close session, the top six finished within four hundredths of each other. Fabian Federer (ITA) was third ahead of Matteo Vigano (ITA) and Pedro Hiltbrand (ESP), while Adrien Renaudin (FRA) followed in sixth place. Some of the favourites failed to get the results they were hoping for, which should make for some interesting Qualifying Heats.
Van Walstijn stands out in KZ2
Qualifying Practice for the FIA International Karting Super Cup - KZ2 saw the clear domination of Dutchman Senna Van Walstijn, who distanced all his rivals by more than two tenths of a second with a time of 49''901 achieved in the last heat. Italian Lorenzo Travisanutto confirmed his progress in his first season in the category by being the fastest in the first session with a time of 50''123, which allowed him to take the second place in the overall classification. His compatriot Danilo Albanese finished third as leader of Session 2 and another Italian, Giacomo Pollini, the recent European KZ2 Champion, finished 4th having set the fastest lap in Session 3. Samuel Luyet (CHE) completed the top five ahead of Giuseppe Palomba (ITA) and David Trefilov (DEU). In eighth, Jean Luyet (CHE) was ahead of Alessio Piccini (ITA) and Fabrizio Rosati (ITA).
Walther on the front row of the Academy ahead of Gowda
Denmark's David Walther took pole position in 53'475 in the second timed session of the FIA Karting Academy Trophy, in which Poland's Maciej Gladysz and Japan's Leon Ochiai were also outstanding. Further back, Croatia's Leon Zelenko and Ukraine's Oleksander Bondarev were only three thousandths apart.
Singapore's Dion Gowda was the closest of his rivals in the first session, setting 53''652 on the clock. Sweden's Ludvig Fransson was just one tenth from the leader, while American Caleb Gafrarar and his two pursuers, Italian Ricccardo Ianniello and Austrian Nando Weixelbaumer, were only six thousandths of a second apart.
Top five of the FIA Karting Academy Trophy Qualifying practice:
1- David Walther (DNK)
2- Dion Gowda (SGP)
3- Maciej Gladysz (POL)
4- Ludvig Fransson (SWE)
5- Leon Ochiai (JPN)
The provisional program for the Kristianstad event
Saturday 4th September
08:45 - 10:10: Warm-up
10:15 - 17:10: Qualifying Heats
Sunday 5th September
08:45 - 10:10: Warm-up
10:15 - 12:10: Qualifying Heats
13:10 - 16:05: Finals