Kristianstad reshuffles the cards in OK/OKJ European Championship, that's why Franciacorta will be decisive

If we were to take a complete stranger to karting and try to explain to him what titled races are, it certainly wouldn't be easy, but 2022 could certainly help. From Portugal to Sweden, via Spain, three stages that left everyone in suspense, giving us different themes and winners, reflections and interesting insights into both OK Junior and Senior.

If it was impossible to get bored with a season like the current one, with such talents it is equally impossible to make predictions, now more than ever. In both the Senior and the Junior the classification leaders have not changed, but the margins of the leaders, which were overwhelming only seven days ago and are now "magically" reduced to a minimum in view of a heart-stopping finale in Italy, have shrunk considerably.

Starting with the Senior, Joe Turney can still sleep soundly, but up to a certain point. The Englishman failed to shine in Sweden, never finding that key that, for example in Spain, had led him to easy domination over the weekend. The overall leader missed the roll call, leaving room for two names that are about to become 'strong names' like those of Nakamura-Berta and Powell. In that order, the Japanese-Jamaican duo follows Turney closely in the standings, especially Nakamura-Berta with only nine points less to make up. Points that, to Turney's delight, stopped there, thanks to the better pace and determination of Powell, who was able to take the victory away from his brand mate at the most beautiful moment. Hard to say today whether the missed victory of
Nakamura-Berta will weigh in at the end of the championship but certainly, at least for now, it limited the damage for Turney.

The purest spectacle is signed Junior, in any case. The category that, unfortunately and all too often, is branded as dangerous and 'immature', proved at Kristiastad that it can be so much and more. Anatoly Khavalkin was alone worth the ticket price or the hours spent in front of the streaming. Strong definition? No, because the facts speak for themselves: the group pole position, the four victories out of five heats, the strength to recover after the unhappy start in the final and the domination of the race closed solo with his arms in the air. Everything was perfect for the Russian driver, who saw his willpower and mental strength rewarded. When the OKJ European Championship ends, in any case, it should be remembered that Khavalkin, after his second place in Portugal, was forced for bureaucratic reasons (also inherent to the historical period) to have to skip the Zuera round due to visa problems. A zero that could have weighed on the classification and instead was totally wiped out, risking even being overturned when Khavalkin was virtually the leader of the general classification halfway through the race. Unthinkable but equally exciting. Just like Turney, also the man of the moment Nathan Tye ran into what in jargon is called a 'bad weekend', uncompetitive and above all in serious trouble with the traffic in the final that forced the Englishman into eighth place.
Four points between Tye and Khavalkin all to be played for in the last available race.

Franciacorta, the first presence is already decisive

When Franciacorta was made official on the calendar it certainly could not have wished for a better first appearance on the FIA Karting scene. It will be a decisive first time for both categories with all scenarios open, a weekend that we will remember and that we are about to experience. During the RGMMC Winter Series, the Italian circuit had already shown to be able to give great races and great twists, due to the layout and to the overtaking opportunities that will be created even in the most unthinkable spots. Just the Junior on that occasion proved to be very close with a weekend
weekend dominated by Khavalkin, who was then involved in a race collision, only to close with a last-gasp victory by Gladysz, who was able to overtake at the last hairpin of the last lap.
Appointment in exactly one month on the Brescian circuit for the grand finale.

S.C.
Credits: FIA Karting Media/KSP