Already around 180 drivers at Wackersdorf
Already around 180 drivers at Wackersdorf

Already around 180 drivers at...

Already around 180 drivers at Wackersdorf

Already around 180 drivers at Wackersdorf

Roughly 180 drivers representing 20 nations already entered the opening round of the 2025 Rotax MAX Challenge Euro Trophy.
RMC Euro Trophy Entries open for Wackersdorf
RMC Euro Trophy Entries open for Wackersdorf

RMC Euro Trophy Entries open for...

RMC Euro Trophy Entries open for Wackersdorf

RMC Euro Trophy Entries open for Wackersdorf

Registration is now open for the opening round of the 2025 Rotax MAX Challenge Euro Trophy. The four-round championship will kick off in Germany at the Prokart Raceland circuit in Wackersdorf.
RMC Winter Series: Viterbo crowns the Champions of the Winter Series
RMC Winter Series: Viterbo crowns the Champions of the Winter Series

RMC Winter Series: Viterbo crowns the...

RMC Winter Series: Viterbo crowns the Champions of the Winter Series

RMC Winter Series: Viterbo crowns the Champions of the Winter Series

A sunny and mild Sunday marked the conclusion of the Rotax MAX Challenge Winter Series, celebrating new round winners and overall champions. Victories on the day went to Oliver Spencer (KR Sport),...
Livestream: Round 2 of the 2025 Rotax MAX Challenge Winter Series at the Leopard Circuit in Viterbo
Livestream: Round 2 of the 2025 Rotax MAX Challenge Winter Series at the Leopard Circuit in Viterbo

Livestream: Round 2 of the 2025 Rotax...

Livestream: Round 2 of the 2025 Rotax MAX Challenge Winter Series at the Leopard Circuit in Viterbo

Livestream: Round 2 of the 2025 Rotax MAX Challenge Winter Series at the Leopard Circuit in Viterbo

The first champions of the 2025 season will be crowned this weekend at the brand-new Leopard Circuit in Viterbo. Located one hour from Italy’s capital, Rome, the circuit will host the final act...
RMC Winter Series: Viterbo, the leaders after heats
RMC Winter Series: Viterbo, the leaders after heats

RMC Winter Series: Viterbo, the leaders...

RMC Winter Series: Viterbo, the leaders after heats

RMC Winter Series: Viterbo, the leaders after heats

The long day of heats at Round 2 of the Rotax MAX Challenge Winter Series has just concluded at the Leopard Circuit in Viterbo. A damp track pushed the drivers to their limits, delivering plenty of...
RMC Winter Series: Read, Kobakhidze, Mentier, Kristensen and Picot shine in the rainy qualifying at...
RMC Winter Series: Read, Kobakhidze, Mentier, Kristensen and Picot shine in the rainy qualifying at...

RMC Winter Series: Read, Kobakhidze,...

RMC Winter Series: Read, Kobakhidze, Mentier, Kristensen and Picot shine in the rainy qualifying at...

RMC Winter Series: Read, Kobakhidze, Mentier, Kristensen and Picot shine in the rainy qualifying at...

The qualifying day and first heats have just concluded at the Leopard Circuit in Viterbo, which for the first time is hosting a round of the RMC Winter Series.
Results: Round 2 of the 2025 Rotax MAX Challenge Winter Series at the Leopard Circuit in Viterbo
Results: Round 2 of the 2025 Rotax MAX Challenge Winter Series at the Leopard Circuit in Viterbo

Results: Round 2 of the 2025 Rotax MAX...

Results: Round 2 of the 2025 Rotax MAX Challenge Winter Series at the Leopard Circuit in Viterbo

Results: Round 2 of the 2025 Rotax MAX Challenge Winter Series at the Leopard Circuit in Viterbo

The first champions of the 2025 season will be crowned this weekend at the brand-new Leopard Circuit in Viterbo. Located one hour from Italy’s capital, Rome, the circuit will host the final act...
Live timing: Round 2 of the 2025 Rotax MAX Challenge Winter Series at the Leopard Circuit in Viterbo
Live timing: Round 2 of the 2025 Rotax MAX Challenge Winter Series at the Leopard Circuit in Viterbo

Live timing: Round 2 of the 2025 Rotax...

Live timing: Round 2 of the 2025 Rotax MAX Challenge Winter Series at the Leopard Circuit in Viterbo

Live timing: Round 2 of the 2025 Rotax MAX Challenge Winter Series at the Leopard Circuit in Viterbo

The first champions of the 2025 season will be crowned this weekend at the brand-new Leopard Circuit in Viterbo. Located one hour from Italy’s capital, Rome, the circuit will host the final act...
Winter Series Champions to be crowned in Viterbo
Winter Series Champions to be crowned in Viterbo

Winter Series Champions to be crowned in...

Winter Series Champions to be crowned in Viterbo

Winter Series Champions to be crowned in Viterbo

The first champions of the 2025 season will be crowned this week at the brand-new Leopard Circuit in Viterbo. Located one hour from Italy’s capital, Rome, the circuit will host the final act of...
RMC Grand Finals 2025 the ultimate showdown returns to Bahrain
RMC Grand Finals 2025 the ultimate showdown returns to Bahrain

RMC Grand Finals 2025 the ultimate...

RMC Grand Finals 2025 the ultimate showdown returns to Bahrain

RMC Grand Finals 2025 the ultimate showdown returns to Bahrain

BRP-Rotax is thrilled to announce that the RMC Grand Finals 2025 is set to take place once again in the magnificent Kingdom of Bahrain! From November 29 to December 06, 2025, the world’s best...
Sunday live streaming coverage: 2025 Rotax Max BNL Karting Series - Round 1 at Karting Genk
Sunday live streaming coverage: 2025 Rotax Max BNL Karting Series - Round 1 at Karting Genk

Sunday live streaming coverage: 2025...

Sunday live streaming coverage: 2025 Rotax Max BNL Karting Series - Round 1 at Karting Genk

Sunday live streaming coverage: 2025 Rotax Max BNL Karting Series - Round 1 at Karting Genk

Live-timing 2025 Rotax Max BNL Karting Series - Round 1 at Karting Genk
Live-timing 2025 Rotax Max BNL Karting Series - Round 1 at Karting Genk

Live-timing 2025 Rotax Max BNL Karting...

Live-timing 2025 Rotax Max BNL Karting Series - Round 1 at Karting Genk

Live-timing 2025 Rotax Max BNL Karting Series - Round 1 at Karting Genk

The BNL KartingSeries is back and ready to kick off an epic season! Karting Genk “Home of Champions“ will be the place to be during the first round of the 18th season of the BNL Karting...
2025 Rotax National Cup heads to Albury Wodonga
2025 Rotax National Cup heads to Albury Wodonga

2025 Rotax National Cup heads to Albury...

2025 Rotax National Cup heads to Albury Wodonga

2025 Rotax National Cup heads to Albury Wodonga

Karting Australia can confirm that the 2025 Rotax National Cup will be hosted at Albury Wodonga Kart Racing Club on September 13-14.
RMC Winter Series: Championship standings update
RMC Winter Series: Championship standings update

RMC Winter Series: Championship...

RMC Winter Series: Championship standings update

RMC Winter Series: Championship standings update

The first round of the Rotax MAX Challenge Winter Series is now in the books. Four thrilling finals delivered excitement and surprises, also shaping the overall standings.
RMC Winter Series: Spencer, Sejersen, Bishop, Bezel and Picot win in Cremona
RMC Winter Series: Spencer, Sejersen, Bishop, Bezel and Picot win in Cremona

RMC Winter Series: Spencer, Sejersen,...

RMC Winter Series: Spencer, Sejersen, Bishop, Bezel and Picot win in Cremona

RMC Winter Series: Spencer, Sejersen, Bishop, Bezel and Picot win in Cremona

A day full of emotions marked the end of the first of two rounds of the Rotax MAX Challenge Winter Series at Cremona Circuit.
Livestream: Round 1 of the 2025 Rotax MAX Challenge Winter Series at the Cremona Circuit
Livestream: Round 1 of the 2025 Rotax MAX Challenge Winter Series at the Cremona Circuit

Livestream: Round 1 of the 2025 Rotax...

Livestream: Round 1 of the 2025 Rotax MAX Challenge Winter Series at the Cremona Circuit

Livestream: Round 1 of the 2025 Rotax MAX Challenge Winter Series at the Cremona Circuit

The stage is set at the Cremona Circuit for the highly anticipated first round of the Rotax MAX Challenge Winter Series. Approximately 200 drivers will battle it out on the Lombardy-based track,...
RMC Winter Series: Sun and exciting battles in Cremona
RMC Winter Series: Sun and exciting battles in Cremona

RMC Winter Series: Sun and exciting...

RMC Winter Series: Sun and exciting battles in Cremona

RMC Winter Series: Sun and exciting battles in Cremona

A sunny day set the stage for the race heats of Round 1 of the Rotax MAX Challenge Winter Series at Cremona Circuit.
Relentless rain at Cremona Circuit as first heats conclude
Relentless rain at Cremona Circuit as first heats conclude

Relentless rain at Cremona Circuit as...

Relentless rain at Cremona Circuit as first heats conclude

Relentless rain at Cremona Circuit as first heats conclude

The Rotax MAX Challenge Winter Series opening round is well underway at Cremona Circuit, where the rain shows no signs of stopping. The first heats have been completed, setting the stage for an...
First polemen of the year in a rainy Cremona
First polemen of the year in a rainy Cremona

First polemen of the year in a rainy...

First polemen of the year in a rainy Cremona

First polemen of the year in a rainy Cremona

The 2025 season is officially underway, and a rainy Friday has crowned the first polemen of the year.
Results: Round 1 of the 2025 Rotax MAX Challenge Winter Series at the Cremona Circuit
Results: Round 1 of the 2025 Rotax MAX Challenge Winter Series at the Cremona Circuit

Results: Round 1 of the 2025 Rotax MAX...

Results: Round 1 of the 2025 Rotax MAX Challenge Winter Series at the Cremona Circuit

Results: Round 1 of the 2025 Rotax MAX Challenge Winter Series at the Cremona Circuit

The stage is set at the Cremona Circuit for the highly anticipated first round of the Rotax MAX Challenge Winter Series. Approximately 200 drivers will battle it out on the Lombardy-based track,...
Rotax Thunder! Jort Coone charges to the podium at the DEKM in Ampfing: “It was really a good feeling for me!”

Published on Sunday, October 13, 2019

Rotax Thunder! Jort Coone charges to the podium at the DEKM in Ampfing: “It was really a good feeling for me!”

AMPFING – With third place in the fourth round of the DEKM, the German Electric Kart Championship, Jort Coone again proved to be one of the certain front-runners in the international field contesting the 2019 title. This was a huge boost for the young Dutch driver because the 15-year old from Lemmer had never actually raced on the challenging Ampfing circuit before while having no time more recently for any further testing due to his studies.

Jort’s promising result was coming all weekend long. On Saturday, he finished fifth in the final and Sunday was even better. He was fast in practice, which resulted in posting the sixth-best lap time in qualifying. He then managed to secure fifth place in the pre-final, before progressing in the changing weather conditions during the final, to finish with a strong third position.  

“The race went really well for me. It started to rain lightly just before the race, which is why we had to make the decision between dry and wet tyres at the last moment. We chose to run slicks. It was then a search for the driest race line, but everyone with rain tyres immediately had the grip and clear advantage. I was obviously way behind these guys, until after about three laps when the track began to dry and their tyres were wearing quickly. As we went faster, I was able to catch and pass them to join the close race to the chequered flag.” About taking third across the line, Jort said: “It was really a good feeling for me!”

His father was also delighted with the fantastic result. Senior is Jort’s personal support crew during the race weekends and the young driver admittedly enjoys their on-track partnership. “I like racing with my dad. My mother and sister almost always go too. It is nice to go karting as a family and to talk a little with my father about the races, chassis set-up, etc.”

Electric karting is something new in this sport, so Jort, therefore, finds it more like an adventure. “We entered this without any prior knowledge of e-karting. You see that everyone first had to get used to Formula E racing and now that has become an exciting championship in which all the major car manufacturers will participate. Formula E was a matter of getting used to it and this is now the case for electric karts. They are just like the cars in Formula E where you only hear the sound of hitting a curb and the tyres. I also like traditional ‘normal’ karting as we know it and that will always be good, but this is something different and a cool challenge.”

Not only are the e-karts different to standard-type karts that have combustion engines, the race events are different from Jort’s knowledge of non-electric championships in which he has previously driven. “In the DEKM, all the competitors are together in a large tent so we have good contact with each other and also good sportsmanship between us in the races. The DEKM organisation of IK Media is excellent. Rotax also provides technical support with its team of technicians who do their best to provide great support for all of us and that’s very nice. From a sporting perspective, there is definitely more than enough challenge,” Jort believes.  “The DEKM series is innovative. The karts are fast, despite the weight due to the batteries. In Ampfing we achieved up to 110 kilometres per hour.” It certainly would not have been easy for him.

“I didn’t know this circuit up until this weekend, so the training sessions were all about getting to know it. It’s interesting and has some unusual parts that you need to fully understand. The podium place in Ampfing had at least given the fast student of the Zuiderzee Lyseum in Emmeloord the satisfaction he has longed for, particularly after being so close to the podium already at the second round in Kerpen. “It was a pity that it didn’t work out better for us in Kerpen. I was there fighting with DTM [German Touring Cars] driver Ferdinand Habsburg, who participated as a VIP guest driver. We had a fabulous battle, he just made it onto the podium and I was fourth. It was great to meet Ferdinand and I kept in contact. He later invited me to the DTM race following in Assen, where I got to look behind the scenes of his team, even allowed to visit the pitbox and the motorhome. That was completely crazy!”

Thanks to his terrific result in Ampfing, Jort is sitting in fifth place in the general classification. With one more DEKM weekend to go, he can still finish even higher in the rankings. The deciding round will be held in Sarno, Italy during the special 20th edition of the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals, where the best Rotax MAX drivers from around the world compete against each other. “I’m looking forward to the last race,” he said with much anticipation. “I’ll see my old teammates and racing buddies from my Rotax era there, such as Dani van Dijk and Mike van Vugt, who have now won their ticket.  We have spoken about it already, so I’ll show them more about what’s happening with us in e-karting and how it all works.”

To be able to train as often as possible to continue developing his own driving skills and racecraft, Jort will keep looking for additional support for the coming season. Jort Coone thanks his parents and Rotax for their support this year, as well as the DEKM for the organisation. 

 

Rate this article:
5.0
Comments (0)Number of views (7443)
Print