Qualifying Report - WSK Euro Opener
| press release | 3 February 2013 |
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- Australia's Joey Mawson qualified his Top Kart 46th in a very tight KF field. He has carded 18th, 11th and 18th in three heats, with a fourth heat to run tonight before the Pre-Final and Final. Live timing, access to results etc on the WSK site.
Sprint start in Muro Leccese for the WSK Euro Series. The season has already gained momentum and the WSK speeds up from Muro Leccese (Italy) with its 2013 first round. A perfect start for the international series organized by WSK Promotion: after yesterday's scrutineering there are 200 drivers on the International Circuit of La Conca, coming from more than 40 different countries of Asia, America, Oceania and, of course Europe.
Scrutineering, today, has given way to the first series of challenges on track: the first time trials of the five categories present in the race (60 Mini, KF Junior, KF, KZ2 and KZ1). The climax was reached with the Superpole, reserved to the 12 fastest drivers of the first qualifying session in KF Junior and KF.
Above: KF junior heat race start
pic - Press.net Images
The English Lando Norris leads the race in KF Junior. He is the new name in KF Junior: the tiny driver from London Lando Norris (FA Kart-Vortex-Vega), after setting the best time in the first session of qualifying, beat the all the 12 top drivers of his category. He did it setting the time at 46”329, more than 4/10 faster than his previous time. Behind him, 343 milliseconds slower, the 14-year-old Leonardo Pulcini from Rome, who preceded Leonardo Lorandi from Brescia (both Tony Kart-Vortex-Vega) and the British Daniel Ticktum (FA Kart-Vortex-Vega).
London rules also thanks to Callum Ilott, the fastest in KF. The fastest driver in KF comes from London too: he is Callum Ilott (Zanardi-Parilla-Vega), who has just won the KF3 category of the 2012 WSK Master Series and reigning WSK driver of the year. After a thrilling end of qualifying, Ilot set the time at 45”594 and stole the Superpole from the Croatian Martin Kodric (FA Kart-Vortex-Vega), second with a 222 millisecond gap. Third was the Danish Nicklas Nielsen (Kosmic-Vortex-Vega), who preceded the American Dalton Sargeant (Tony-Vortex-Vega).
Eliseo Marinez still leading in the 60 Mini. Martinez keeps the leadership in the 60 Mini. As it had already happened in the last WSK Master Series a month ago, the Spanish Eliseo Martinez (Hero-LKE-Le Cont) set, thanks to his 53”19, the best time in the 60 Mini, the category reserved to the youngest drivers (aged ten) of international karting. Just behind the Spaniard there is Rocco Negro (Top Kart-Comer-Le Cont). He lives very near the circuit, in Otranto, and he arrived at his home circuit achieving the second fastest time. Behind them the Malaysian Abdul Muizz (Hero-LKE-Le Cont) and the Italian “Skeed” (Top Kart-Parilla-Le Cont).
Above: Superpole winners Callum Ilott (left) and Lando Norris
pic - Press.net Images
Celenta has a good start in KZ2. Francesco Celenta (Zanardi-TM-Bridgestone) plays the first, long 'solo' of the 2013 WSK Euro Series: the Italian driver beat into second place Riccardo Negro (DR-TM-Bridgestone) thanks to his 45”246. Negro is the other favourite driver of the category. The other positions were achieved by the Dutch Marijn Kremers (Birel-TM-Bridgestone) and the Italian Marco Zanchetta (Maranello-TM-Bridgestone).
Great performance of Federer in KZ1. Fabian Federer (CRG-Modena-Bridgestone) from Bozen clinched the first pole position of the season setting the time at 45”196, just 19 millisecods faster than Charles Leclerc (ART GP-TM-Bridgestone) from Monaco, second. The third place, always with a very narrow gap, the Dutch Max Verstappen, third before his country fellow-man Jorrit Pex (both on CRG-TM-Bridgestone). Final 1 for KZ1 and KZ2 tomorrow evening at the end of the heats.
