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A European Celebration For The X30 at Mariembourg 


press release 28 March 2013
 

X30 Europa Challenge

The Karting des Fagnes will host this coming Easter weekend the X30 Challenge Europa. Coming from all over Europe, but also from Japan, over 130 drivers will compete for a European title in the four categories proposed by the Italian manufacturer IAME: the X30 Junior, the X30 Senior, the X30 Master and the X30 Shifter. Besides the continental competition, about twenty Minis, between 8 and 11 years of age, will participate to the Belgian championship’s season-opener and to a prestige race for the X30 Cadet age class.

As in 2012, the Karting des Fagnes has been chosen by IAME as the scenery for the X30 Challenge Europa. This time, though, the playgame is a little bit different. While the 2012 edition took place over two events, this time the titles will be awarded during a single weekend, with two distinct events on Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st, respectively. With two races scheduled on each day, title contenders will have to show speed and consistency to conquer the crown.

X30 Senior : 68 drivers bidding for the title

The ceiling of 68 entries in the X30 Senior category has been quickly reached, proving that the Parilla X30 engine is every day more popular in Europe. At home, the Belgian drivers will be among the favorites. Among them, Jérémy Peclers and Maxime Carpena, the first two of the 2012 Belgian challenge, but also young guns Romain De Leval, Simon Mirguet and Aurélien Debouny. On a lucky day, veteran Laurent Absolonne is also among the possible winner, and so are also Maxime Bertho and Thibaut Haublin.

Among the opposition, Frenchmen are to be closely watched, as proven by François Bécamel, who has won the first round of the Belgian ASAF Karting Series mid-March. In a perfect form, he aims at a confirmation on this same track at the X30 Challenge Europa. Among other contenders from France, two girls are worth being followed: Ingrid Girard and Adeline Prudent, who will be faced to Belgium’s Erine Ferrari for the title of best female driver. Having impressed last year at the CIK-FIA Academy Trophy, Adeline is determined to fight with her male rivals and she is expected to be among the front-runners. Other French podium contenders include Hubert Petit, Vincent Fraisse, Victor Compère and Matthias Borges-Martins, who was on the podium of the X30 Europa Challenge last year.  

The German delegation will be led, among others, by national vice-champion Julian Hanses, while Switzerland will rely on Yves Von Aesch (a former participant to the under-18 World Championship) and British colours will be defended by the sole David Walker. Frederik Dupond will represent Denmark, while Okada Masato will be Japan’s ambassador on European soil. In short, this competition won’t be an easy one for the bookmakers!

X30 Junior : A hot battle ahead !

Similarly to the X30 Senior class, the Junior class for drivers between 13 and 15 years of age, will propose a full entry list. Here, only 34 spots were available. A winner of the X30 Europa Challenge last year, Belgian Matteo Raspatelli will proudly sport # 1 and defend his title. Racing also at home, local heroes Benjamin Lessennes, Maxime Potty, Kenny Roosens, Maxime Drion and Amaury Bonduel (who races with a French licence) are other candidates to the victory.  

Jérémy Demarque and Charles Machado will lead France’s assault. Germany will have on the track two of the three national X30 Challenge, Carrie Schreiner and Jan Buchwald, while there will be also contenders from Luxemburg and one Swiss. The biggest threat, though, will come from … Japan, Joe Ishida, who finished on the podium the KF3 Asia-Pacific Championship last year, is now planning to shine in Europe and has chosen the X30 Europa Challenge as one of his objectives.

X30 Shifter : Who will beat Delré ?

Winner of the X30 Europa Challenge and the IAME International Final in 2012, Thierry Delré will defend his title, but the new works driver of Danish make Bremer won’t have an easy task. Former Belgian champion Nicky Moris has posted a double win during the first round of the Belgian ASAF Karting Series, and is clearly in a position to bid for the victory, while other Belgians will aim at the podium: Benjamin Breny, Kenny Charles, Thomas Cypers, Sébastien De Leeuw or young promise Rémi Theunissen. Among other potential winners, Maximilian Volker from Germany, the Dane Dehn Morten, Switzerland’s Kurt-Roland Wenger, and Tiago Teixiera and Rui Carneiro from Portugal, not to forget Frenchmen Antoine Fernandez and Steve Bauer.

X30 Master : A France-Belgium duel

Open to the over-32 drivers, the X30 Master category will see a duel between Belgian and French drivers. A winner of the international finale held in Lyons last year, Frédéric Blin is definitely the top contender ahead fellow Frenchmen Nicolas Duchateau, Pierre Allemand and… Guy Collignon, who is used to race regularly in Belgium. The Belgian delegation will be led by Gilles Smits and Luca Blasi.

Mini and Cadet : Younger drivers invited for free

While all other categories will contest their respective Belgian Championship over one single weekend, mid-September at Mariembourg, the Minis (8-11 years of age) represent an exception, as they will have the opportunity to score points for the national competition in the 4 races of the X30 Europa Challenge. Also to be noted, a X30 Cadet has been organised for drivers between 11 and 15 years of age without an international licence. Both Minis and Cadets will be invited for free by the organizers. A proof that the Mariembourg’s Easter weekend will be a X30 celebration for everybody!

 

 

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