Competition

Maiden title for Harpham, victories for Lilja and Bennett

After Hockenheim, Snetterton and Assen, the European Superkart Championship visited the Le Mans circuit for a suspenseful season end. Before the French stage the Dutchman Marcel Maasmann and the Briton Lee Harpham had just about the same chances of donning the crown. Twice on the podium while his opponent had one bit of bad luck after another, Lee Harpham perfectly managed his weekend and treated himself to his first European title. Winners of the day’s two races, Denmark’s Henrik Lilja and Britain’s Gavin Bennett have already made an appointment with him for their revenge in 2013.

Further to a year off, the Circuit Bugatti of Le Mans hosted again the ever spectacular European Superkart Championship at the last September weekend on the occasion of the feast of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest. The meeting welcomed no fewer than 41 Drivers, but it was mainly characterised by the expected duel for the title between Holland’s Marcel Maasmann (Anderson-FPE) and the Brit Lee Harpham (Anderson-FPE).

On his home ground, it was however France’s Emmanuel Vinuales (Anderson-DEA) who gave the first blow. The reigning European Champion was determined to show that he did not land the title last year by a stroke of luck, and he smashed the track record during qualifying practice. At an average of over 158 km/h, Vinuales was ahead of the Dane Henrik Lilja (PVP-PVP), the Brits Lee Harpham and Gavin Bennett (Anderson-DEA), as well as the Dutchman Marcel Maasmann. But a broken steering which made him go off the track in an impressive way during the second qualifying forced the poleman to a lengthy mechanical session on Saturday evening…

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Publié le 01/10/2012