2008 CIK-FIA Awards

The CIK-FIA has celebrated its 2008 season Champions in a dignified manner on Saturday 13 December in Monaco, the day after the Gala reception of the FIA. On these two occasions, Karting was enhanced thanks in particular to a World Premiere: the very first public appearance of the new «LH» chassis bearing the initials of the Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton. The recently homologated karts of the makes «RK» (for Robert Kubica) and «FA» (for Fernando Alonso) were also displayed in the entrance hall of the Sporting d’Eté of Monaco with the slogan «Never forget your roots». With the «LH» chassis, these karts formed a prestigious threesome which increased the value of Karting for the 600 guests of the FIA Gala and the 150 guests of the CIK Awards-giving ceremony.

World Champion, European Champion and Asia-Pacific Champion in KF1, the Italian Marco Ardigo was invited to the stage three times during the CIK Awards-giving Ceremony! Not to mention that the day before, at the FIA Gala which saw the appearance of the other 2008 FIA World Champions (Lewis Hamilton in F1, Sébastien Loeb in Rallies and Yvan Muller in WTCC), Ardigo had already been in the limelight along with his World Championship runner-ups Libor Toman and Gary Catt, as well as the team-manager of Tony Kart Racing Team, Alberto Viglino.

All the Drivers who are the Champions of the 2008 season were rewarded, and there was loud applause especially when on the stage appeared Drivers who had travelled a long way, such as the Argentinean José Olmedo, winner of the Panamerican Junior Championship and the Russian, who lives in Siberia, Maxim Zimin, winner of the Viking Trophy for Juniors.

The Belgian Jonathan Thonon left Monaco with an armful of two trophies: one for win in the World Cup for KZ1 and the other for his European title in the same category.

Other competitors who received trophies in Monaco include Aaro Vainio (European KF3 Champion), Carlos Sainz Jr (Asia-Pacific KF3 Champion), Brandon Maisano (Monaco Kart Cup for KF3), Jack Harvey (Asia-Pacific KF2 Champion), Flavio Camponeschi (European KF2 Champion), Davide Fore (World Cup for KF1), Alberto Viglino (World Cup for Teams), Tony Lavanant (European KZ2 Champion), Pekka Seppänen (Viking Trophy for KZ2), Libor Toman and Gary Catt, second and third in the World Championship. Finally, as in the direction of history, the Swede Thomas Nilsson was awarded a souvenir trophy, reminder of his World Champion title won forty years ago in 1968.

Further to a vote of the prize-giving ceremony participants, the 2nd International Karting Photo Contest has been won by the Briton Chris Walker.

A selection of photographs is available on www.cikfia.com

Info CIK / © Photo KSP