WSK Euro Series – Sarno, 6th June 2010
Jonathan Thonon and Max Verstappen win the KZ1 and KF3 championships
Jonathan Thonon and Max Verstappen win the KZ1 and KF3 championships
08/06/10
Author: Vroomkart International
Double triumph for Crg Maxter in the first edition of the WSK Euro Series. In the last event at Sarno the three-time Champion of the World Jonathan Thonon wins the trophy in the KZ1 category; the young Verstappen gets the win of the series in KF3
Sarno (Salerno – Italy), 6th June 2010. Mission accomplished for the CRG chassis and the Maxter engines in the first edition of the Euro WSK. In the fifth and last event of the “FIA Authorised Series” continental championship on the “International Circuit Napoli” at Sarno, with 190 drivers on the track. CRG-Maxter official team succeeded in two of the four championships to be assigned: in the KZ1 category with the three-time champion of the world Jonathan Thonon and in KF3, the category dedicated to the new talents of international karting, with the young driver Max Verstappen.
Jonathan Thonon – born in Waterloo – was well aware of how to face this last battle of the WSK Euro Series in KZ1, after winning three world championships (…actually almost four) and a European championship.
On the track of Sarno, Thonon made the best of the competitiveness of the perfect couple CRG-Maxter: he made a great performance, annihilating his rivals with two undisputed wins, both in the pre-final and the final. He definitely deserves all the honours for this brand new trophy in the top level international karting.
Very few doubts in KF3 too, where the young Dutch driver Max Verstappen, a bit more than twelve years old, is demonstrating to be on the right path to emulate his father’s deeds, the former F1 driver Jos Verstappen, who was karting European champion in the ICA 100 in 1989.
On this occasion, Max Verstappen drove sensibly, administering his advantage in the ranking brilliantly and getting the placing in the pre-final which was what he needed to be certain of the trophy. He eventually managed to get onto the podium, thanks to an outstanding recovery.
If Thonon and Verstappen were able to have all the attention of the attendance of Sarno focused on them, CRG’s colours shone thanks also to the other “All Black” drivers of this last event of the WSK, starting from the always hard-fighting Gary Carlton, in KZ1 this year too and – on this occasion – Thonon’s perfect ‘straight man’. Excellent performances in Super KF with the equally hard-fighting ‘Koko’ Arnaud Kozlinski, Felice Tiene, Davide Forè and Eddy Tinini; or in KF2 with the quick Michelle Gatting, of the CRG Junior Team, besides Giovanni Martinez. And, again, in KF3 with the French Benjamin Gerard and the promising Mario Ziletti, besides many other private drivers of the CRG satellite teams.
So, this first edition of the WSK Euro Series is filed away more than positively for CRG-Maxter, with a worthy double trophy which further enrich the already rich CRG’s list of trophies.
THE INTERVIEWS
Giancarlo Tinini, CRG SpA Chairman: “We expected to achieve this great result. Max Verstappen had a tougher day than usual, but despite that he succeeded in getting to the goal and winning the KF3 Championship in the WSK Euro Series. Jonathan Thonon didn’t have any problem; since the practice which preceded this event, he demonstrated to be the quickest in KZ1. In KF2 we are disappointed for Michelle Gatting. She couldn’t perform at the same level she has been performing throughout the whole season, especially because of the crashes she got involved in. In Super KF we knew it would be tough, but we managed to take some little steps forward and soon we will have interesting developments which will allow us to take part in the new WSK World series at top level.”
Omar Di Gesualdo, CRG Team Manager: “It was a great championship, with five tough events but which gave us great satisfactions. We could count on a great Max Verstappen, who fought till the very end and managed to win the trophy in KF3, while Jonathan Thonon in KZ1 was terrific as usual, confirming to be a great talent, both as a driver and as a person. We suffered a bit in Super KF from the technical point of view, but our equipment is continuously developing and today we can say that we are at a good point to face with greater possibilities the WSK World Series. In KF2 we achieved great performances with Michelle Gatting, but we had as well several unlucky episodes and we couldn’t get as much as we deserved.”
Nico Carigiet, Maxter engines responsible: “This WSK Euro series was really hard, I would say we were at the levels of a European Championship of the good old days. We got the championship in KZ1, the most important category for us: we are really satisfied. In KF3 it went better than we expected. Max Verstappen, despite he was at his début, was able to exploit our equipment at its best. In KF2 we could do better, but Gatting was really unlucky in several occasions. In Super KF we work constantly, and we are on the good track to get good results there too.”
Jonathan Thonon (KZ1): “The race of Sarno was a really gripping one. All the team did a fantastic job, especially Omar, my mechanic. When we win it’s all the team that wins: the driver, the technicians, the mechanics, the chassis, the engine. This win of mine is a joy for everybody. I’m really happy. I want to thank Giancarlo Tinini, all CRG, the sponsors and my family which has always supported me. In the last four races I got four wins. The chassis and the engine have been always perfect and we showed everybody that CRG is the undisputed leader in KZ.”
Max Verstappen (KF3): “I’m really happy for this trophy. This last race was really hard, but I made it. It was my first international experience at top level and the first experience in KF3 too but I finished with a good success. I must thank my father and CRG for permitting me to achieve this great result, together with my mechanic who helped me a lot. Now there are other important meetings in this season: the WSK World Series and the CIK-FIA Championships with the KF3 European Championship and the World Cup, where I hope to get as good result as this.”
Gary Carlton (KZ1): “It was a demanding race with lots of competitive rivals. I can say I have learned a lot during this weekend. Racing in the WSK is different if compared to my habits in America: here there’s a lot more competition and everything is harder. I need some more tests, especially to exploit better my tyres. Now I’m taking part to the three WSK World Series events, where I hope to do better and to step onto the podium in KZ1.”
Arnaud Kozlinski (Super KF): “In Super KF we had an initial technical gap which compromised our season. We managed to get better performances, but it wasn’t enough to cover the distance which separated us from the rest. Now we are about to face the three events of the World Series. Maxter will introduce new developments for the engine, and we are working hard to get to the goal. I’m rather optimistic about what we will be able to gather in this new championship.”
Felice Tiene (Super KF): “I’m happy for the way this last race went. Unfortunately I had a crash, otherwise I could have done better than this. Anyway, I’m satisfied for the good job we did. The engines are better now and I’d say we are ready to face the World Series at our best.”
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Sarno (Salerno – Italy), 6th June 2010. Mission accomplished for the CRG chassis and the Maxter engines in the first edition of the Euro WSK. In the fifth and last event of the “FIA Authorised Series” continental championship on the “International Circuit Napoli” at Sarno, with 190 drivers on the track. CRG-Maxter official team succeeded in two of the four championships to be assigned: in the KZ1 category with the three-time champion of the world Jonathan Thonon and in KF3, the category dedicated to the new talents of international karting, with the young driver Max Verstappen.
Jonathan Thonon – born in Waterloo – was well aware of how to face this last battle of the WSK Euro Series in KZ1, after winning three world championships (…actually almost four) and a European championship.
On the track of Sarno, Thonon made the best of the competitiveness of the perfect couple CRG-Maxter: he made a great performance, annihilating his rivals with two undisputed wins, both in the pre-final and the final. He definitely deserves all the honours for this brand new trophy in the top level international karting.
Very few doubts in KF3 too, where the young Dutch driver Max Verstappen, a bit more than twelve years old, is demonstrating to be on the right path to emulate his father’s deeds, the former F1 driver Jos Verstappen, who was karting European champion in the ICA 100 in 1989.
On this occasion, Max Verstappen drove sensibly, administering his advantage in the ranking brilliantly and getting the placing in the pre-final which was what he needed to be certain of the trophy. He eventually managed to get onto the podium, thanks to an outstanding recovery.
If Thonon and Verstappen were able to have all the attention of the attendance of Sarno focused on them, CRG’s colours shone thanks also to the other “All Black” drivers of this last event of the WSK, starting from the always hard-fighting Gary Carlton, in KZ1 this year too and – on this occasion – Thonon’s perfect ‘straight man’. Excellent performances in Super KF with the equally hard-fighting ‘Koko’ Arnaud Kozlinski, Felice Tiene, Davide Forè and Eddy Tinini; or in KF2 with the quick Michelle Gatting, of the CRG Junior Team, besides Giovanni Martinez. And, again, in KF3 with the French Benjamin Gerard and the promising Mario Ziletti, besides many other private drivers of the CRG satellite teams.
So, this first edition of the WSK Euro Series is filed away more than positively for CRG-Maxter, with a worthy double trophy which further enrich the already rich CRG’s list of trophies.
THE INTERVIEWS
Giancarlo Tinini, CRG SpA Chairman: “We expected to achieve this great result. Max Verstappen had a tougher day than usual, but despite that he succeeded in getting to the goal and winning the KF3 Championship in the WSK Euro Series. Jonathan Thonon didn’t have any problem; since the practice which preceded this event, he demonstrated to be the quickest in KZ1. In KF2 we are disappointed for Michelle Gatting. She couldn’t perform at the same level she has been performing throughout the whole season, especially because of the crashes she got involved in. In Super KF we knew it would be tough, but we managed to take some little steps forward and soon we will have interesting developments which will allow us to take part in the new WSK World series at top level.”
Omar Di Gesualdo, CRG Team Manager: “It was a great championship, with five tough events but which gave us great satisfactions. We could count on a great Max Verstappen, who fought till the very end and managed to win the trophy in KF3, while Jonathan Thonon in KZ1 was terrific as usual, confirming to be a great talent, both as a driver and as a person. We suffered a bit in Super KF from the technical point of view, but our equipment is continuously developing and today we can say that we are at a good point to face with greater possibilities the WSK World Series. In KF2 we achieved great performances with Michelle Gatting, but we had as well several unlucky episodes and we couldn’t get as much as we deserved.”
Nico Carigiet, Maxter engines responsible: “This WSK Euro series was really hard, I would say we were at the levels of a European Championship of the good old days. We got the championship in KZ1, the most important category for us: we are really satisfied. In KF3 it went better than we expected. Max Verstappen, despite he was at his début, was able to exploit our equipment at its best. In KF2 we could do better, but Gatting was really unlucky in several occasions. In Super KF we work constantly, and we are on the good track to get good results there too.”
Jonathan Thonon (KZ1): “The race of Sarno was a really gripping one. All the team did a fantastic job, especially Omar, my mechanic. When we win it’s all the team that wins: the driver, the technicians, the mechanics, the chassis, the engine. This win of mine is a joy for everybody. I’m really happy. I want to thank Giancarlo Tinini, all CRG, the sponsors and my family which has always supported me. In the last four races I got four wins. The chassis and the engine have been always perfect and we showed everybody that CRG is the undisputed leader in KZ.”
Max Verstappen (KF3): “I’m really happy for this trophy. This last race was really hard, but I made it. It was my first international experience at top level and the first experience in KF3 too but I finished with a good success. I must thank my father and CRG for permitting me to achieve this great result, together with my mechanic who helped me a lot. Now there are other important meetings in this season: the WSK World Series and the CIK-FIA Championships with the KF3 European Championship and the World Cup, where I hope to get as good result as this.”
Gary Carlton (KZ1): “It was a demanding race with lots of competitive rivals. I can say I have learned a lot during this weekend. Racing in the WSK is different if compared to my habits in America: here there’s a lot more competition and everything is harder. I need some more tests, especially to exploit better my tyres. Now I’m taking part to the three WSK World Series events, where I hope to do better and to step onto the podium in KZ1.”
Arnaud Kozlinski (Super KF): “In Super KF we had an initial technical gap which compromised our season. We managed to get better performances, but it wasn’t enough to cover the distance which separated us from the rest. Now we are about to face the three events of the World Series. Maxter will introduce new developments for the engine, and we are working hard to get to the goal. I’m rather optimistic about what we will be able to gather in this new championship.”
Felice Tiene (Super KF): “I’m happy for the way this last race went. Unfortunately I had a crash, otherwise I could have done better than this. Anyway, I’m satisfied for the good job we did. The engines are better now and I’d say we are ready to face the World Series at our best.”
DOWNLOAD THE PRESS RELEASE
