VALENCIA - René Lammers has started the FIA European karting championship with a podium. This season the 14-year-old driver from Zandvoort moved from OK Junior to the highest category in karting and is showing his great potential in the OK-class! He finished in third position in the OK class at the Kartodromo Internacional Lucas Guerrero near Valencia in the first round of the FIA European Championship. The factory driver of Italian karting brand Parolin is now second in the standings on points, as all results from the heats also count towards the standings. 

"It was definitely a good weekend for us, especially to get to know the new European Championship tyres for this season," René said, while looking back on the weekend in the highest category of karting in Valencia.

In qualifying, the Dutch talent drove to the third fastest time in his session, which meant the eighth fastest time in a field of 86 drivers. In the five heats that followed, he recorded P2, P2, P1, P1 and P4 and the son of former F1 driver Jan Lammers also drove the fastest race lap four times.

After winning the pre-final on Sunday, René had to start the final from second position. This put him on the dreaded outside. . "I had a good start and was second after the first corner, only at the end of the first lap ‘I didn’t close the door enough and was overtaken, ‘which caused me to lose a lot of time. That meant the win was out of the question, but third is still a great result and I am now second in the standings."

Father Jan Lammers sees a fine development. "René continues to make progress and that was rewarded this weekend with a great results. This boosts confidence for the future." 

The FIA European Championship counts three more rounds in Czech Trinec (18-21 May), Danish Rodby (15-18 June) and Italian Cremona (27-30 July).