Local Wins KZ World Championship

Local Swedish driver Noah Milell has taken out the 2021 FIA Karting World Championship for KZ. Milell dominated the final and lead home a Tony Kart Racing Team one-two with team mate Lorenzo Camplese (Tony Kart/Vortex) second and Jorit Pex (KR/TM) third.

Noah Milell led the KZ final from the start (pic – FIA Karting)

Top scorer after the heats, Leclerc’s Matteo Vigano rolled to a stop on the opening lap with a technical failure. Fastest qualifier, Andrea Kimi Antonelli (KR/IAME), finished 15th.

The International Super Cup for KZ2 was won by Lorenzo Travisanutto (Parolin/TM) over Senna van Walstijn (Sodi/TM) and David Trefilov (Maranello/TM). Australian James Wharton was a brilliant 5th (read more about Wharton HERE).

Second place in the final sealed the Academy Trophy for Poland’s Maciej Gladysz as Denmark’s David Walther won the round.

The official FIA reports and video from the live streams are below.

  • Full results on the FIA Karting site HERE.

from FIA Karting

The Kristianstad event concluded with pure and hard racing and several twists and turns. Sweden’s Noah Milell was finally crowned FIA Karting World Champion – KZ after completely dominating the Final. The FIA Karting International Super Cup – KZ2 was won by Italian Lorenzo Travisanutto after a perfect Final. In the FIA Karting Academy Trophy, David Walther from Denmark won the Final while Maciej Gladysz from Poland won the Trophy.

There was good weather throughout the successful organisation of the Kristianstad Kart Klubb throughout the weekend of 3rd to 5th September 2021. The many spectators in the grandstand and around the circuit were able to make the most of the entertainment offered before the Finals. Dancing, an aerial demonstration by a Swedish Air Force jet, a fireworks display with its traditional massive explosion, and the national anthem sung a cappella preceded the presentation of medals to the finalists in each category in the presence of CIK-FIA President Felipe Massa. Massa was clearly satisfied to see so many high level drivers and teams gathered on a very interesting circuit like Kristianstad, allowing many overtaking opportunities while being very selective.

The final Qualifying Heats on the morning of Sunday 5th September 2021 determined the 36 finalists in the three categories. The Finals proved to be just as exciting to follow and the three winners of the day certainly proved their worth on the 1221m Åsum Ring against some very strong competition, all of whom were equipped with MG tyres.  

MILELL FIRES UP THE CROWD BY WINNING THE WORLD CROWN IN HIS OWN COUNTRY

At the end of the Qualifying Heats of the FIA Karting World Championship – KZ, Matteo Vigano (ITA – Birel ART/TM Racing/MG) was the favourite with his three consecutive wins. But Noah Milell (SWE – Tony Kart/Vortex/MG) immediately took the lead from the front row at the start of the Final, while his Italian rival was once again struck by bad luck and had to retire on the first lap.

Lorenzo Camplese (ITA – Tony Kart/Vortex/MG) took second place and the battle for the top spots intensified. Fabian Federer (ITA – Maranello/TM Racing/MG) quickly gave up 3rd place to Viktor Gustafsson (SWE – Birel ART/TM Racing/MG) and the public began to hope for a Swedish double on the podium. But Jorrit Pex (NLD – KR/TM Racing/MG) made a great comeback from 9th to 3rd place and Gustafsson had to be satisfied with a rewarding 4th place ahead of Simo Puhakka (FIN – Tony Kart/Vortex/MG).

Noah Milell atop the KZ World Championship podium (pic – FIA Karting)

Milell increased his lead throughout the 25 laps of the Final and crossed the finish line more than five seconds ahead of Camplese, proving that he fully deserved his world title. The Tony Kart Racing Team could rejoice at having achieved a winning double while Jorrit Pex took the third step of the podium.

FIA Karting World Championship – KZ 2021 standings :
1- Noah Milell (SWE)
2- Lorenzo Camplese (ITA)
3- Jorrit Pex (NLD)
4- Viktor Gustafsson (SWE)
5- Simo Puhakka (FIN)

SUPERB SUCCESS FOR TRAVISANUTTO IN HIS FIRST SEASON IN KZ2

Lorenzo Travisanutto (ITA – Parolin/TM Racing/MG) confirmed his competitiveness with another victory in the last Qualifying Heat of the FIA Karting International Super Cup – KZ2, which gave him a small advantage over his closest rival David Trefilov (DEU – Maranello/TM Racing/MG).

Trefilov was a threat at the very beginning of the Final, but Travisanutto was not intimidated and pulled away more and more clearly. In 2nd position, Samuel Luyet (CHE – Tony Kart/Vortex/MG) could not do anything to counter the Italian’s plans. The race remained very lively in the pack. Senna Van Walstijn (NLD – Sodi/TM Racing/MG), who started in 11th place, made a very determined move up the rankings.

Travisanutto takes the KZ2 International Super Cup (pic – FIA Karting)

The retirement of S. Luyet due to a technical problem with five laps to go made it easier than expected for him to take second place. Travisanutto won with great confidence for the Parolin Motorsport team in a new category for him after his double FIA Karting World Champion title – OK. Van Walstijn took the second step of the podium with the fastest lap in the race and a gain of nine places, followed by Trefilov.



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2021 FIA Karting International Super Cup – KZ2 standings:
1- Lorenzo Travisanutto (ITA)
2- Senna Van Walstijn (NLD)
3- David Trefilov (DEU)
4- Jean Luyet (CHE)
5- James Wharton (AUS)

ACADEMY: WALTHER WINS THE FINAL AND GLADYSZ THE TROPHY

Dion Gowda (SGP) confirmed his advantage at the end of the Qualifying Heats of the FIA Karting Academy Trophy on Sunday lunchtime. But the Final did not go according to plan for Gowda as Oleksander Bondarev (UKR) took first place on the second lap with Maciej Gladysz (POL) in his wake, both battling for first place in the Trophy.

David Walther (DNK) stayed in ambush and managed to reduce the gap of more than two seconds between himself and the leading duo. He even managed to take the lead with six laps to go, while Gladysz took the opportunity to overtake Bondarev. Darius Babaioana (ROU) joined the leading group and tried several times to pass Bondarev but the Ukrainian resisted the pressure of the Romanian.

To make matters worse, Bondarev went off the track and saw his third place in the classification disappear. Walther won the race with the fastest lap by controlling the comeback of Gladysz, the winner of the trophy. Babaioana was disqualified and Leo Robinson (DZA) made a superb comeback from 21st to 3rd place ahead of Yevan David (LKA) and Bart Harrison (GBR) who came back from 20th.  

Academy Trophy prepare for the final (pic – FIA Karting)

2021 FIA Karting Academy Trophy standings :
1- Maciej Gladysz (POL)
2- David Walther (DNK)
3- Oleksander Bondarev (UKR)
4- Franco Renot (NLD)
5- Dion Gowda (SGP)


Previous Daily Reports:

Saturday (heats)

The second day of the FIA Karting event in Kristianstad was a high quality sporting spectacle throughout the 18 Qualifying Heats which came one after the other. There was no shortage of drama and the Qualifying hierarchy was largely changed by the intensity of the races. The three polemen were notably dethroned.

Matteo Vigano (ITA) is currently dominating the FIA Karting World Championship – KZ, David Trefilov (DEU) has taken a slight advantage in the FIA Karting International Super Cup – KZ2 while Dion Gowda (SGP) managed a clean sweep in the FIA Karting Academy Trophy. Six heats remain to be run on Sunday morning, one for each competitor, before the starting grids for the three Finals are revealed.

Although the temperature did not exceed 18°, the blue sky punctuated by scattered clouds made this Saturday 4th September a magnificent day of racing. The Åsum Ring saw very competitive racing in all three categories with a lot of overtaking and a growing intensity that suggests a great Sunday in Sweden. All the participants are on MG tyres. Please note that some results are still pending validation.

VIGANO WINS BOTH KZ HEATS

The 2021 FIA Karting World Championship – KZ was to be full of surprises. Poleman Andrea Kimi Antonelli (ITA) has dropped back in the face of the experience of his rivals, but he is far from having lost contact with the leaders. All three team-mates, Lorenzo Camplese (ITA) and Simo Puhakka (FIN) made a good progression into the top five, while Noah Milell (SWE) kept his second position. But it was Matteo Vigano (ITA) who took the lead by winning both races of the day. Pedro Hiltbrand (ESP) was the first to cross the finish line in the first race before being disqualified. Paolo Ippolito was also among the drivers who took back several places, unlike Fabian Federer (ITA) and Adrien Renaudin (FRA). The comeback of Stan Pex (NLD) behind his brother Jorrit will deserve all the attention. After his disappointing Qualifying, the reaction of Marijn Kremers (NLD), Jérémy Iglesias (FRA) and Riccardo Longhi (ITA) is still to come.

KZ2: TREFILOV AND TRAVISANUTTO LINE UP VICTORIES

The day did not start well for poleman Senna Van Walstijn (NLD) who saw his hopes vanish when he collided with one of his team-mates during his first race. Lorenzo Travisanutto (ITA) won three times, but David Trefilov (DEU) did the same and took a slight advantage with a 2nd place against a 3rd place for Travisanutto. Danilo Albanese (ITA) had a bad start in his last heat and finished the day just behind Samuel Luyet (CHE). Giuseppe Palomba (ITA) kept all his chances in the top five, while Giacomo Pollini (ITA) was delayed by a retirement. Paavo Tonteri (FIN), Thomas Imbourg (FRA), Viktor Öberg (FIN) and James Wharton (AUS) were among the drivers who managed to get into the provisional top 10, while Alessio Piccini (ITA) remained among the best.

GOWDA TAKES THE ADVANTAGE IN THE ACADEMY

The four Qualifying Heats of the FIA Karting Academy Trophy gave rise to some very interesting sporting clashes. Dion Gowda (SGP) is currently the best placed thanks to his two victories, while Oleksander Bondarev (UKR) and Maciej Gladysz (POL) are neck and neck behind him with the title in their sights. The other drivers well placed in the provisional ranking of the Trophy, Reno Francot (NLD), Yevan David (LKA) and Riccardo Ianniello (ITA) are currently outside the top 10. Poleman David Walther (DNK) has lost a few places, but is still in contention for a good place in the Final. Darius Babaiona (ROU) was noticed for the first time thanks to a good progression with a 5th and a 2nd place that he celebrated as much as a victory.

Friday (qualifications)

The Swedish Åsum Ring has been the scene of some promising battles in all three categories of this FIA Karting event, with the final Free Practice and Qualifying sessions taking place. The Qualifying Heats, which start on Saturday morning, should not disappoint the spectators and observers.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli (ITA) was the poleman of the FIA Karting World Championship – KZ and Senna Van Walstijn (NLD) took an impressive pole position in the FIA Karting International Super Cup – KZ2. Finally, David Walther was the fastest in the third and final competition of the FIA Karting Academy Trophy.

The weather was very pleasant all day with a light cloudy sky and temperatures rising to 23°. The 159 drivers were able to compete in Qualifying in ideal conditions, especially as the participants in the KZ and KZ2 categories had been able to take advantage of an extra day of Free Practice on Wednesday to perfect their knowledge of the circuit and the set-up of their equipment.

ANTONELLI ALREADY AT THE TOP OF KZ

In 2019, the young Italian Andrea Kimi Antonelli took an impressive pole position in the FIA Karting European Championship – Junior on the Kristianstad circuit. The strong understanding with his team manager Dino Chiesa continues to bear fruit two years later as this time Antonelli has achieved pole position in the FIA Karting World Championship – KZ, a category in which he is making his debut, alongside his OK programme where he was crowned European Champion. He set a time of 49”826 on his third run, while Sweden’s Noah Millel was two thousandths away. In this very close session, the top six finished within four hundredths of each other. Fabian Federer (ITA) was third ahead of Matteo Vigano (ITA) and Pedro Hiltbrand (ESP), while Adrien Renaudin (FRA) followed in sixth place. Some of the favourites failed to get the results they were hoping for, which should make for some interesting Qualifying Heats.

VAN WALSTIJN STANDS OUT IN KZ2

Qualifying Practice for the FIA International Karting Super Cup – KZ2 saw the clear domination of Dutchman Senna Van Walstijn, who distanced all his rivals by more than two tenths of a second with a time of 49”901 achieved in the last heat. Italian Lorenzo Travisanutto confirmed his progress in his first season in the category by being the fastest in the first session with a time of 50”123, which allowed him to take the second place in the overall classification. His compatriot Danilo Albanese finished third as leader of Session 2 and another Italian, Giacomo Pollini, the recent European KZ2 Champion, finished 4th having set the fastest lap in Session 3. Samuel Luyet (CHE) completed the top five ahead of Giuseppe Palomba (ITA) and David Trefilov (DEU). In eighth, Jean Luyet (CHE) was ahead of Alessio Piccini (ITA) and Fabrizio Rosati (ITA).  

WALTHER ON THE FRONT ROW OF THE ACADEMY AHEAD OF GOWDA

Denmark’s David Walther took pole position in 53’475 in the second timed session of the FIA Karting Academy Trophy, in which Poland’s Maciej Gladysz and Japan’s Leon Ochiai were also outstanding. Further back, Croatia’s Leon Zelenko and Ukraine’s Oleksander Bondarev were only three thousandths apart.
Singapore’s Dion Gowda was the closest of his rivals in the first session, setting 53”652 on the clock. Sweden’s Ludvig Fransson was just one tenth from the leader, while American Caleb Gafrarar and his two pursuers, Italian Ricccardo Ianniello and Austrian Nando Weixelbaumer, were only six thousandths of a second apart.  

Top five of the FIA Karting Academy Trophy Qualifying practice:
1- David Walther (DNK)
2- Dion Gowda (SGP)
3- Maciej Gladysz (POL)
4- Ludvig Fransson (SWE)
5- Leon Ochiai (JPN)



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