Kerpen. After a nine-week-long break, the participants of the German Kart Championship are going to start on the Erftlandring in Kerpen now. The venerable track has been a constant part of the DKM racing calendar for years and always poses a special challenge. Formula 1 record World Champion Michael Schumacher and four-time Formula 1 World Champion and DKM patron Sebastian Vettel already began their motorsports careers there. In the DEKM, DTM-driver Ferdinand Habsburg is going to start as a popular guest driver.
186 participants from all over the world are going to travel to Kerpen next weekend and drive the half-time races of the German Kart Championship. The 1.107m long Erftlandring has been a part of the highest German kart racing series for decades and still has a special flair. Unlike some of the new tracks, this one is especially challenging and demands full concentration. In the past, there were always several surprises regarding the fights for victory in Kerpen.
As leading drivers, Lorenzo Travisanutto (DKM), Robert De Haan (DJKM), Fabian Federer (DSKM) and Valentino Fritsch (DSKC) are going to start. No one has clearly set themselves apart yet in all four-grade series and close races can be expected at the half-time event as well. From a German viewpoint, there are several candidates for victory. In the German Kart Championship, Hugo Sasse (TB Racing Team) is on second place and wants to repeat his victory from 2018 in Kerpen.
Local driver at the juniors is Jakob Bergmeister (Millenium Racing Team), who has a good starting position on third place of the overall list of rankings. With Valentino Fritsch (BirelART Racing KSW), a German driver is leading the DMSB Shifterkart Cup. Fritsch was able to score due to a high consistency and is ready to celebrate his first race victory in Kerpen. Only in the DSKM there is no German driver competing for the title. Here, all eyes are on reigning Champion Fabian Federer (SRP Racing Team). He has good chances of defending his Championship cup, but the competition isn’t sleeping either. Seven-time Champion Jorrit Pex (SP Motorsport) gained his second European Championship title a couple of weeks ago and is now starting highly motivated.
Popular VIP driver in the DEKM
Austrian Ferdinand Habsburg is going to start as a popular VIP driver in the German Electric Kart Championship in Kerpen. Habsburg celebrated his first motorsport victories in various Rotax classes and is making his debut in the German Touring Car Masters this year. Next, to Habsburg, the Championship fights will be the center of attention. After the kick-off in Wackersdorf, Luka Wlömer from Berlin is leading the Championship. A double burden awaits local driver Nico Hantke (Hürth). He is also a guest driver and simultaneously starts in the DKM.
The karts are already going to start on the Erftlandring on Friday. The participants can get used to the track during numerous free training. The official kick-off is then going to be qualifying and the heats on Saturday. These will determine the starting positions for the final races on Sunday.