The first round of the WSK Championship is over and boy did we see some action. Lots of surprises. De Vries (Zanardi/Xtr) is most surprising, and then there's Smarrazzo (FA Kart/Vortex) who wins both finals. Stevens (Tonykart/Vortex) led his teammates in KF1 to grab flag first in both races.
Will Stevens (Tonykart/Vortex) takes both KF1 final wins of the first round of the WSK . The Brit only had his team-mate and fellow-countryman Gary Catt (Tonykart/Vortex) to deal with, after lots of place swapping he’s unable to take the Tonykart rookie. With this win Stevens, jumps the gun and sits with the top ten in this class. Piccione is on prefinal podium, and then in a very hard fought final, when as the last lap unwinds Te Braak determinedly starts breathing down Catt’s neck. Unlucky Ardigò (Tonykart/Vortex), fourth in prefinal, then electrical problems put him on pre-grid start. Ardigò and Foré (Maranello/Maxter) are very fast, gaining places to grab eighth. Well done Cesetti (Birel/Tm), fantastic in prefinal, up from rear grids to grab sixth. Despite the conditions of his tyres, having also gone through repechage the driver from Ascoli repeats himself in the final race. Thonon and Kozlinski are unable to show their skill due to technical problems, the French driver is also protagonist in a come together during the last prefinal lap.
Not much to say for the KF3, De Vries (Zanardi/Xtr) 1meter 2cm tall and with 125 kg ballast gives his rivals their money’s worth. Grenhagen (Tonykart/Tm), prefinal runner-up has over 5” lead on the rest of the pack with Maisano (Intrepid/Tm) coming in third. The final is just like the prefinal with De Vries in the lead, Maisano taking podium followed by Gatting (Gillard/Xtr), who decides not to take any risks so as not to compromise the race seeing the accident that she got caught in during the first heat. Unlucky Ceccon, he gets rear grid on final line-up for not having respected red-line. Coleselli and D’Agosto are outstanding too.
Aniello Smarazzo (FA Kart/Vortex) grabs all in KF1after coming through early prefinal pile up to pull away from the pack. He’s unwavering in final making the most of the fight behind to get away from the pack. “I manage to control the advantage and pulled a gap over the early laps – says Smarazzo as soon as he steps down from podium. The kart was perfect and thanks to everyone concerned, the event has been very well organised too.” Jack Harvey (Birel/Iame) is the most feared rival in KF2. The engine worked well, - says British Birel driver – my set up wasn’t perfect though, if it had been, I think I’d have done better.” What about contact with Foster? “No problems with Foster – continues Harvey – he was slower than expected at that point and I just couldn’t miss him.”
De Conto (Birel/Parilla) is fast and uses his head. After prefinal podium he gets ready to attack at the last big corner, before flag, predicting the duel between Harvey and Foster (FA Kart/Vortex). “I had to work harder during the final – the Italian driver in force with KSB Racing Team tells us – the engine wasn’t as competitive”.
It didn’t take long before Groman (Maranello/Parilla), prefinal fourth, was out of the fight for flag, his kart tended to have excessive skid.
Ph. G. Cuna
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