A driver’s track takes centre stage in a season for engines

There are no two ways about it, Varennes is a magnificent circuit ! The weekend in Auvergne was thrill-packed from start to end, with high suspense throughout the qualifying heats and the finals. On a track that provides at least four good overtaking areas the drivers showed no lack of imagination to come up with others, attempting to get by just about anywhere on the inside, the outside and even upside down if they could manage it ! The KF3 rookie youngsters showed plenty of imagination as they put on a great show battling it out from Saturday afternoon onwards. A liberal dose of imagination comes in handy too in all KF categories, because the workshops and engine makers are still having a few problems developing machines that are totally reliable.

Elite KF1 – the return of the Sodikart.
Although British driver Kazeem Manzur (Zanardi/Iame) dominated both the time trials and the prefinal race, he was unable to fend off an unstoppable challenge in the final from Belgian Benjamin Bailly (Kosmic/Vortex), who was back in business after recoving from an injury to his hand. Benjamin sailed home to take the Varennes Grand Prix and put himself back in the title chase. Anthony Abbasse (Sodikart/TM) slipped into 2nd place, which shows that Sodikart is also back in business after taking a promising 6th spot in the European meeting down in Ugento the previous week. Anthony’s climb through the field was nothing short of splendid, but the track in Auvergne allows such exploits. An out of luck Ollie Millroy (Zanardi/Iame) had to make do with 8th spot in the race. A thoroughly disappointing weekend on the other hand for Arno Santamato (Birel/TM) who just never managed to get going. Maybe he’s saving himself for the European Championship race that is scheduled for this same track.

Espoir KF2 – A talent is confirmed.
After dominating the heats, Loïc Réguillon (Sodikart/Iame) might well have found himself on the podium. But he found a pack of hounds across his path and they were in barking mad mood. William Benedetti (PCR/Windfire) was determined to get his own back on Charles Lacaze (Tonykart/Vortex) for what happened at Essay. But it was his scrap with Belgian Sami Luka that caught the imagination. William was lying in the worst possible position going into the last lap: in front! Leading the race but with Sami snapping at his heels as he had been doing since the start of the race. In Varennes that’s the last place you want to be going into the final lap, but Williams held out magnificently – and perfectly legally – against the Belgian flyer’s challenge.

Junior KF3 – Maïsano, starting to gel. Quillet, back with a vengeance !
Until this meeting, little firebrand Brandon Maïsano (Intrepid/XTR) hadn’t managed to show his mettle with the 2007 engines. But the Team France driver made up for it all in the final in Varennes, and in such style! He fought and won an epic battle with Belgian Guillaume De Ridder (PCR/Windfire) under the nose of Jeffrey Schmidt (Swiss Hutless/VKR) from Switzerland and, a little way back, Hugo Croquison (Sodikart/MRC). Everyone applauded Christopher Quillet’s return to Grand Prix racing in his Birel/TM. Christopher, who is also a Team France member, has had a rough start to the season, and the prefinal race seemd no better when engine trouble relegated him to 20the place. The end result? 5th place at the chequered flag !

125 – getting away to a good start.
A good start is always crucial in 125cc racing. Thomas Mich (Birel/TM) disproved that theory this weekend by starting sluggishly yet still taking victory. It’s surely a question of talent because although the kart is fast, it let him down once in a qualifying heat, so he only managed to start the prefinal race lying 6th. If ever a driver was ready for the next European KZ2 meeting it is Thomas. After victory in Essay, Dutchman Danny Bleek (Energy/TM) had nothing to be ashamed of in Varennes, and he went home still with a comfortable lead in the race for the title. A fine 3rd slot saw Pierre Krypciak (Alpha/TM) purring with pleasure for making the trip instead of competing in a regional race. And at last a good result for youngster Enzo Zéférini (CRG/Maxter), due to the improved manner in which he managed the race. His efforts were rewarded with 5th place in the final.