With its many qualifying races which determine the 34 qualifiers for Sunday’s starting grid, the Saturday is traditionally a testing and competitive time in the European Championship. Whereas Jonathon Thonon dominated category KZ1, the competition has been fierce in KF1 and KZ2.
Will the much awaited duel in KZ1 (division 1 for karts with gearbox) between Jonathan Thonon and Bas Lammers live up to the high expectations? That is the question posed at Mariembourg after today’s qualifying races in this category. Only 8th fastest after a timed session on a track much wetter than the 7 drivers in front of him, Thonon (CRG-Maxter) totally dominated his two qualifying races. On the other hand, his principal championship rival, Bas Lammers (Top Kart-TM) was definitely less convincing. Co-leader of the championship with Thonon, the Dutchman will start in 16th place only after having been assessed a penalty in one of his races. Behind Thonon, the Dutchman Arjan Kievitsbosch (CRG-Maxter) and the young Belgian Rick Dreezen (CRG-Maxter) confirmed the good form of CRG in being classified in 2nd and 3rd places, in front of Andrea Benedetti (Tony Kart-Vortex) and Thomas Mich (Birel-TM) currently third in the championship. Once again the speed of Norman Nato (Intrepid-TM) caught the eye. The French lad who will soon be 16 years old, would have been on the front row had he not been penalised for a light contact with Alessandro Manetti (CRG-Maxter). He will finally start in 8th place, in front of the same Manetti, who as a result of the incident could not post his best time during the session.
The principal category of international karting, KF1 is decidedly wide open. The qualifying races on Saturday afternoon simply confirmed that several drivers on several different karts are all in with a chance. Second in qualifying practice and twice second in his qualifying races, Armand Convers (PCR-TM) will start tomorrow on pole position for race one. The Frenchman will start in front of a Tony Kart duo of world champion Marco Ardigo, and the young Finn Matias Laine, followed by the Italian Alessandro Bressnan (Kosmic-Vortex) and the Dutchman Jack Te Braak (Zanardi-Parilla), winner of a heat.
The unlucky driver of the day was Sauro Cesetti (Birel-TM). Extremely fast in his first qualifying race, he was increasing his lead when he was called in by his mechanics. In spite of his victory in race two, Sauro will only strat tomorrow in 15th place for race one. It was worse still for Arnaud Kozlinski (CRG-Maxter). Disqualified from a race due to non conformity of his clutch, the Frenchman will be 25th on the starting grid. In contrast, Gary Catt (Tony Kart-Vortex) recovered his precarious position well. Caught out by the rain in qualifying practice, the championship leader made a great improvement and will now start in tenth place on the starting grid, just behind local driver Yannick de Brabander (Intrepid-TM).
In KZ2, the 2nd division of gearbox karts, the qualifying races will continue this Sunday morning. But those which were contested on Saturday already suggest that there will be a fine spectacle with several drivers clearly emerging as potential winners. These include for the French Joffrey Demanse (PCR TM) and Tony Lavanant (Energy TM) and for the British Jack Hawksworth (Gillard TM), all three in very good form since the start of the season, and it is necessary to add the Dutchmen Joey Hanssen (PCR TM) and Kevin Jansen (Energy TM). The 6 qualifying races will again determine the starting grid for the first race.
Info CIK / © Photos KSP