A masterful victory for Théo Pourchaire at the European Championship

He is still only 13 years old but he achieved an an indisputable victory to start the European OK Championship in Italy among the best international karting drivers. Having recently joined the France Espoirs team, Théo Pourchaire confirmed his talent and ambitions in the Kosmic Racing team.

A triple French Champion and 3rd in the World Championship in OK-Junior in 2016, Théo Pourchaire could have completed a second year in Juniors. But the young Frenchman has always managed to collect successes while climbing the ladder. He did not miss the opportunity to be able to race in OK from the age of 14. “I confess that he impressed me since the beginning of the season,” admits Olivier Maréchal, his team manager, who has seen many talented drivers pass through his team. “He managed to climb on the 3rd step of the podium at the Winter Cup in February against a high standard of competition. We knew he was very fast, but he was able to mature. In OK, he faces drivers who have much more experience than him, starting with his team-mate Karol Basz. That pulls him up and we have seen the result today.“

Perfect journey to the Final

From the official timed session, with 70 drivers involved, Théo Pourchaire took pole position on the Sarno circuit. With three victories and a 2nd place in the qualifying heats, he made breathtaking progress at the wheel of his Kosmic-Vortex. Despite the pressure on his shoulders from his place in pole position on the grid of the Final, he succeeded in making an impeccable start and quickly widened the gap on his opponents. 20 laps later, he crossed the finish line as a great winner.

“It was a great weekend,” confirmed Theo. “We have worked well since the beginning of the season and it has borne fruit. We managed to keep up the very high level of performance here in Sarno to the end.“

Nicolas Moni, who has coached Théo for several years, also showed his satisfaction. “There are many things to be assimilated during a weekend like this: tyre wear, racing strategy, engine temperature to be monitored, carburettor adjustment … Théo managed to manage all these parameters brilliantly. In the team, our job is to accompany him, but in the end it’s up to him to finish the job.“

Leader of the European Championship

At Sarno, Théo Pourchaire took maximum points and is at the top of the overall standings. It has given the French team driver confidence… “In 2017, the European Championship includes no less than five events. The competition is still long, we must keep our heads cool and stay focused for the rest of the season,” concluded Theo.