The Birel ART Racing Team was looking forward to the start of the FIA Karting European Championships. They arrived in Portimao with a particularly sharp technical package, both in the OK class and in OK-Junior. Kirill Kutskov was constantly at the top of the rankings and could certainly have aimed for better than 8th place in the Junior Final, if he hadn't had a retirement in a Qualifying Heat. And in OK, Cristian Bertuca was close to the top ten when he had to retire.

In both OK and OK-Junior, the great competitiveness of the Birel ART-TM Racing karts on the international circuit of Zuera in Spain enabled several drivers from the red army to be in a position to fight for the podium. The progress of the races was not always favourable to the official Lissone team, but Matheus Morgatto created a sensation in the OK Final by gaining 16 places to reach 5th position! On the other hand, Tymoteusz Kucharczyk deserved better, as did William Macintyre, a serious candidate for the podium in OK-Junior.