The time has come for the final stages at the International Circuit Napoli in Sarno (Salerno, ITA). The racing action will be broadcast live on Sunday, March 28th, starting from Prefinals at 10:50 and Finals at 14:20.
A total of 42 qualifying heats have been run on Friday and Saturday to define the finalists that will battle for the victory of KZ2, OK, OKJ and MINI on Sunday by the 271 (out of the 300 entered) verified drivers coming from 47 nations. Several new names came to the fore due also to the new layout of the Sarno circuit and its 1.550 all-to-be-discovered meters. Among the most represented nations, Italy features 54 drivers, then Russia (24 drivers) and France (16).
Gustavsson leads KZ2 after the heats.
The poleman Juho Valtanen (KR Motosport/KR-TM Racing), Adrien Renaudin (Sodikart/Sodikart-TM Racing), Simo Puhakka (Tony Kart Racing Team/Tony Kart-Vortex), Marijn Kremers (BirelART Racing/BirelART-TM Racing), classification leader Viktor Gustavsson (Leclerc by Lennox/BirelART-TM Racing) and Francesco Celenta (Parolin Motorsport/Parolin-TM Racing) are the drivers that won the heats of the most powerful category, KZ2. A lot of drivers can still aim to the win though. After the heats, Renaudin pays the fee of a DNF that pushed him away from the top.
KZ2 classification after the heats: 1. Gustavsson; 2 Kremers; 3. Puhakka; 4. Van Walstijn; 5. Celenta; 6. Iglesias; 7. Valtanen; 8. Ippolito.
Antonelli leads OK.
A big duel in OK was fought by the Italian Andrea Kimi Antonelli (KR Motorsport/KR-Iame), who won three heats, and his teammate from Brazil Rafael Camara, that is leading the classification. The latter won two heats. Their teammate at KR Motorsport from America Ugo Ugochukwu was also among the front runners, as the poleman Arvid Lindblad (KR Motorsport/KR-Iame), the two Russians Artem Severiukhin (Ward Racing/Tony Kart-Vortex) and Andrey Zhinov (Team Komarov/Tony Kart-TM Racing), the Bulgarian Nikola Tsolov (DPK/KR-Iame) and the Finn Tuukka Taponen (Tony Kart Racing Team/Tony Kart-Vortex).
OK classification after the heats: 1. Antonelli; 2. Camara; 3. Ugochukwu; 4. Lindblad; 5. Severiukgin; 6. Taponen; 7. Zhivnov; 8. Turney.
Powell is the favourite in OKJ, Dedecker and Krapin trail him.
The most successful driver in the 15 heats of OKJ was the Jamaican Alex Powell (KR Motorsport/KR-Iame) who claimed two wins and several good placings. The Belgian Douwe Dedecker (KR Motosport/KR-Iame) and the Russian Kostantin Krapin (Ward Racing/Tony Kart-Vortex) claimed three wins but were less constant. The French Enzo Deligny (Parolin Motorsport/Parolin-TM Racing) had a more fruitful path as he won only one heat but then he followed this result up with several good placings. Singapore’s Akshay Bohra (KR Motosport/KR-Iame) also has good chances, as the Russian Maksimilian Popov (Ward Racing/Tony Kart-Vortex), the Brit Freddie Slater (Ricky Flynn/Kosmic-Vortex), the Japanese Kean Nakamura Berta (Forza Racing/Exprit-TM Racing), the Dane David Walther (Koski Motorsport/Tony Kart-Vortex) and the Finn Luka Sammalisto (KR Motorsport/KR-iame).
OKJ classification after heats: 1. Powell; 2. Deligny; 3. Dedecker; 4. Bohra; 5. Krapin; 6. Popov; 7. Slater; 8. David.
Slater shining in MINI.
In MINI the 15 heats produced great battles. Eventually, the Brit Alfie Slater (Energy Corse/Energy-TM Racing) has been excellent taking three wins as the Czech Jindrich Pesl (Baby Race/Parolin-Iame). The Spaniard Christian Costoya (Parolin Motorsport/Parolin-TM Racing) also had a good day with the only exception of an unlucky heat. The Austrian Niklas Schaufler (Emme Racing/EKS-TM Racing) and the Dutch René Lammers (Baby race/Parolin-Iame) claimed two wins, the Italian Emanuele Olivieri (Formula K Serafini/IPK-TM Racing) and the French Jimmy Helias (Tony Kart Racing Team/Tony Kart-Vortex) one.
MINI classification after heats (sub-judice): 1. Slater; 2. Schaufler; 3. Kinnmark; 4. Helias; 5. Antonov; 6. Tarnvanichkul; 7. Costoya; 8. Pesl.
Complete classifications are here available.
The program of WSK Super Master Series Rd.3, Sarno
Sunday, March 28th: 8:30 Free practice, 10:50 Prefinals; 14:20 Final OK; 14:50 Final MINI, 15:20 Final KZ2, 15:50 Final OKJ.