Podium fades for Tony Kart at the european champ in Spain
At MotorLand Aragón, the site of the first round of the FIA Karting European Championship for KZ, KZ2 and KZ2 Masters classes, their official driver Tom Leuillet steadily runs in a place at the top of the standings, however he is forced to retire in Sunday's final.
The 2024 edition of the FIA Karting European Championship for the shifter classes starts in Spain, at the MotorLand Aragón in Alcañiz. The Tony Kart Racing Team is on the starting grid in KZ, KZ2 and KZ2 Masters classes with a total of sixteen drivers, all at the wheel of their Tony Kart Racer 401 RR powered by the VTZ engine from Vortex, the engine division of OTK Kart Group.
In KZ, Tom Leuillet turns out to be, since Friday, one of the main protagonists of the category. The French driver in fact, sets the fourth best time in the qualifyings and hits a second place in the first eliminatory heat. On Saturday, their driver closes twice second in the last two qualifying heats scheduled and takes the lead in the intermediate ranking. Finally, after a third position in Sunday morning's super heat, Leuillet secures the third starting grid box for the afternoon final; unfortunately, after a good start of the race, the 24-year-old is forced to a premature stop.
Francesco Celenta closes the Spanish round with a remarkable eleven-position comeback. Marijn Kremers and Lorenzo Camplese record interesting chrono results in view of the next championship round.
In KZ2, Nicola Rossini gets a seventh place as his best result in the qualifying heat. The Italian recovers twelve positions from the starting grid during the final, but a collision with a rival behind him sends all the efforts made up to that moment up in smoke. David Walther climbs the rankings by an impressive nineteen positions in the final, a performance that proves his speed on the track. Genis Civico Espona finishes sixth in the B Super Heat, but he too raises the white flag in the final due to an accident.
Usually involved in the single-gear categories, Xavier Avramides narrowly misses out on the final race of the weekend. Gabin Leuillet and Alfredinho Ibiapina, on the other hand, make their debut with their official colors. Ziming Wang's apprenticeship with their staff continues.
In KZ2 Masters, Roberto Profico steadily improves his results throughout the weekend and, after a third place in the last heat on Saturday, he enters the top-5 of the intermediate standings. Thanks to his fourth place gained in the Sunday morning's warm-up and a fifth in the following super heat, the Italian shows off in the final and passes eighth under the chequered flag.
After twenty years of inactivity on the track, Ennio Gandolfi makes his return to the track in Alcañiz and right with the team. After an initial and careful study phase between Friday and Saturday, the Italian makes his best in the final and, through a comeback of eight positions, runs close to the top-10. Andre Nicastro closes the eliminatory heats with a fourth place as his best finish and a seventh position in the intermediate ranking. Unfortunately, in the final he slips to the back of the group, due to a collision with another driver while running in eighth place. Also taking part in the weekend are Andre and Eduardo Martins, already present in this category last year and the year before, always as bearers of their Racing Team’s colours.
From Spain to Sweden: the Tony Kart Racing Team will move to Kristianstad in two weeks (July 17 - 20) for the fourth round of the Champions of the Future Euro Series, reserved for OK and OKJ classes.