Tension at its height in Val d’Argenton

The CIK-FIA Under 18 World Championship entered its final stages this Saturday on the French track at Val d’Argenton, about a hundred kilometres from Nantes. Once again the drawing of lots for the motors – identical WKEs for all the competitors – hasn’t created any surprise in the hierarchy, proof that the best drivers always maintain their form… and that the engines produce standard performances.

Co-leaders of the Championship, the Finn Teemu Suninen (Maranello) and British driver Jake Dennis (Top Kart) were however beaten in time practice by another Finn, Matias Köykkä (Maranello). Indeed, the Finns were having a field-day with the 4th placed driver as well, Ville Mäntyllä (Energy) in front of Republic of Ireland’s John Norris (Intrepid) and Northern Ireland’s Adam Stirling (Intrepid), winner at Alcaniz and currently standing 3rd in the Championship just 4 points adrift of the two leaders.

The first contested qualifying heats this Saturday confirmed that we can expect a fabulous duel this Sunday between Teemu Suninen and Jake Dennis. The Finn won three qualifying heats whilst the British Driver won two and was beaten only by his rival when they met. Obviously one more qualifying heat remains for each of them this coming Sunday morning to determine the starting grid of the first Pre-Final, but one can already confirm that these two rivals for the title are up for it ! Matias Köykkä and John Norris also confirmed their good form shown in qualifying practice and could play the part of the ‘dark horses’ this Sunday, just like Adam Stirling, who can still dream of taking the title, or Ville Mäntylä.

Academy Trophy : Tiihonen and Hubert face to face

As in the Under 18 class, the competitors in the CIK-FIA Academy Trophy – which is run as a supporting class to the Under 18 World Championship – have once again been allotted brand new engines at the start of the weekend, thereby guaranteeing equality between all the competitors. But, as in the U 18 class, we once again find the same drivers who had previously come to the fore. Currently lying second in the Championship, the Finn Niklas Tiihonen set the best time in qualifying practice ahead of Switzerland’s Severin Amweg, winner in Spain, Frenchman Anthoine Hubert, currently the Championship leader, the Spaniard German Villanueva and the driver from Monaco Charles Leclerc, on the podium both in Germany and in Spain. In other words, the best young men in the Championship so far, are going well again here!

The first two qualifying heats allowed the two Championship leaders, Niklas Tiihonen et Anthoine Hubert, to twice get themselves ahead of the pack. One qualifying heat remains to be raced this Sunday morning to determine the positions on the starting grid of the first of the two scheduled races this Sunday afternoon. In both of these classes, the suspense is building to a climax.

Info CIK / © Photo KSP