Almost four years after the previous FIA Karting Championship at Campillos, the Andalusian circuit was perfectly suited to the eagerly-awaited European opener, contributing to the success of the first 2025 competition. The Finals lived up to their promise in both categories. Britain's Noah Baglin made the difference in OK-Junior, while Australian James Anagnostiadis emerged victorious from an intense duel in OK. Several of the drivers in the top three were already wearing the colours of academies set up by Formula 1 teams, including Baglin with Ferrari and Anagnostiadis with Mercedes.
At the Mondokart.com FIA Karting European Championships, the drivers who qualified for the Super Heats on Sunday morning, and then for the Finals in the afternoon, encountered pleasant weather conditions and temperatures, with mild sunshine over the region of Campillos, a town in the south of Spain close to Malaga, Seville and Granada. The Maxxis tyres were put through their paces on this fast circuit and the teams involved spared no effort to find the best possible balance to perform well from the first to the last lap.
In OK, the day started with Thibaut Ramaekers (BEL) and James Anagnostiadis (AUS) winning the Super Heats, which put them on the front row of the Final, in that order, after a race incident involving Chiara Battig (SUI). In the OK-Junior class, Noah Baglin (GBR) consolidated his position as leader by winning his Super Heat, with his Prema Racing team-mate Dean Hoogendoorn (NED), another of the morning's winners, alongside him on the grid for the Final.
Anagnostiadis the early leader of the OK European Championship
Thibaut Ramaekers (BEL) made the most of his pole position to take the lead during the opening laps of the Final. His compatriot Van Langendonck was the first to catch up and overtake him. This was just the start of a suspenseful second half of the race, which saw several drivers battling for the podium. It was Anagnostiadis' turn to make his move, overtaking his rivals one by one to cross the finish line victorious. It didn't take long for the 2024 Junior World Championship runner-up to win at the next level!
Iacopo Martinese (ITA), who had made a brilliant comeback from 14th to second place with the fastest lap in the race, dropped back in the closing laps with a puncture. Van Langendonck then had to hold off Filippo Sala (ITA) to secure second place on the podium. Starting 10th, Christian Costoya (ESP) crossed the finish line in fourth position, before completing the top three due to a five second penalty imposed on Sala (incorrect position of the front fairing resulting in a drop down to 10th position). In fifth place, Ramaekers saved important points in the overall classification by holding off the very competitive Chiara Battig, who set the second fastest lap of the Final. A group of drivers less than two seconds apart came in just behind, including Borys Lyzen (POL), Daniel Kelleher (IRL), Thomas Pradier (FRA), Louis Cochet (FRA) and Oliver Kinmark (SWE). Zac Drummond (GBR) was one of the big losers in this Final.
Provisional standings for the Mondokart.com 2025 FIA Karting European Championship - OK after Competition 1:
1- James Anagnostiadis (AUS - KR / IAME / Maxxis) 91 pts
2- Thibaut Ramaekers (BEL - KR / IAME / Maxxis) 81 pts
3- Dries Van Langendonck (BEL - KR / IAME / Maxxis) 78 pts
4- Chiara Battig (SUI - KR / IAME / Maxxis) 64 pts
5- Thomas Pradier (FRA - Tony Kart / Vortex / Maxxis) 46 pts
6- Christian Costoya (ESP - Parolin / TM Kart / Maxxis) 44 pts
OK Team Ranking after Campillos
1- Prema Racing (ITA) 169 pts
2- VictoryLane (FRA) 86 pts
3- VDK Racing (BEL) 81 pts
4- Forza Racing (GBR) 58 pts
5- Tony Kart Racing Team (ITA) 49 pts
6- Parolin Motorsport (ITA) 44 pts
Noah Baglin from start to finish despite strong competition
It's never easy to start from the outside front row and Dean Hoogendoorn (NED) found that out when he completed the first lap of the Final in fifth position, while his team-mate Noah Baglin (GBR) took advantage of an open track to quickly build up an advantage of around a second. For much of the race, Baglin did his utmost to close the gap to the rest of the field led by Bosco Arias (ESP), who was spreading his wings in his homeland. Hoogendoorn was determined to regain his initial position and eventually moved back into second place. It was then William Calleja’s (AUS) turn to put the pressure on Arias. It wasn't until the last lap that the order was reversed, with Calleja taking third place.
After his misadventures on Saturday, Ilie Crisan (CAN) made superb progress, climbing from 15th to sixth place in the wake of Henry Domain (GBR), who was a solid fifth. The last places in the top 10 went to Devin Walz (USA), Iskender Zulfikari (TUR), Will Green (GBR), and Luka Scelles (FRA).
Provisional standings for the Mondokart.com 2025 FIA Karting European Championship - Junior after Competition 1:
1- Noah Baglin (GBR - KR / IAME / Maxxis) 100 pts
2- Dean Hoogendoorn (NED - KR / IAME / Maxxis) 79 pts
3- Bosco Arias (ESP - LN / TM Kart / Maxxis) 75 pts
4- William Calleja (AUS - Exprit / TM Kart / Maxxis) 66 pts
5- Henry Domain (GBR - Exprit / TM Kart / Maxxis) 62 pts
6- Iskender Zulfikari (TUR - Exprit / TM Kart / Maxxis) 54 pts
OK-Junior team standings after Campillos
1- Prema Racing (ITA) 179 pts
2- Forza Racing (GBR) 136 pts
3- Ricky Flynn Motorsport (GBR) 75 pts
4- KR Motorsport (ITA) 60 pts
5- VictoryLane (FRA) 48 pts
6- Tony Kart Racing Team (ITA) 28 pts
Campillos results can be found on fiakarting.com.
Follow the evolution of the International Karting Ranking (IKR) after the Campillos Competition.