Youth power

With two races scheduled in the hot Spanish sun at Zuera, the second round of the European Super KF Championship looked exciting. Manuel Renaudie and Aaro Vainio both won a race (four winners in as many races) and the young Finn, aged 15, has caused a sensation by taking control of the championship. In the Junior category, KF3, the Dutchman Nyck De Vries dominated the final ahead of Carlos Sainz Jr, son of the double World Rally Champion.

Even though Manuel Renaudie (Gillard-Parilla) took command after the heats and qualifying, it was felt that the competition was not complete at the second round of the European Super KF Championship which took place this weekend at Zuera, Spain. Therefore, from the first few metres of Race 1, the French driver found himself under direct threat from Yannick De Brabander (Intrepid-TM), who ended up finding an opening. But the Belgian was unable to escape and at halfway, he ceded to an attack by Renaudie, and this time he made it stick to take the victory. « The weekend had started well and it’s great to be able to confirm a victory, » said Manu at the foot of the podium. «Especially, since after all these years, this is my first success at European level. I am very happy !»

Behind the French driver, Yannick de Brabander was gradually losing ground. First it was the young Finn Aaro Vainio (Maranello-Maxter) that passed him first. But then as he was trying to retain a place on the podium, the Belgian was overtaken on the line by Oliver Rowland (LH-Maxter). By 18 thousandths of a second, the McLaren protegee finished on the podium. In fifth, but quite a distance from the lead, the British driver Jason Parrott limited the damage to his championship hopes and finished ahead of the Belgian-American Mardin Benjamin (Kosmic-Vortex), the Finn Daniel Lindholm (Zanardi-Maxter), the Czech Zdenek Groman (Maranello-Parilla), the Briton Richard Bradley (Maddox-Maxter) and the Finn Miika Kunranta (Birel-Parilla).

The second race began with a man to man battle between Manuel Renaudie, Jason Parrott, Oliver Rowland, Yannick De Brabander and Aaro Vainio. On several occasions , these five drivers exchanged their positions in a beautiful and sporting fight. The first to drop out was Manuel Renaudie. «A stub axle bearing was seized,» he explained after the finish. «At this point, I just thought to finish to score». The French driver finally finished in 8th place.

Behind that, Oliver Rowland and Aaro Vainio had built a small gap on Yannick De Brabander when the Belgian was let down by his engine. But it wasn’t until the last lap that Vainio beat his rival. A year after taking the European Junior (KF3) crown, the young 15 year old Finn won his first race in the top class of international karting. Aaro is also now the co-leader of the championship. «Last year, everything hung on a single race,» he said during the press conference. «This time, there are three meetings and you must be fast and consistent. It is obvious that I will do everything to win the title in three weeks at Essay.»

Behind the « rookies » of the category, Vainio and Rowland (who won the KF2 World Cup last year), there were two winners at the first meeting at Muro Leccese. Going on to the podium, Jason Parrott took enough points to leave Spain with the same points as Vainio. As for Simo Puhakka (PCR-TM), his fourth place was almost unexpected because he suffered over the weekend. As a result, the Finn droped to 4th in the championship behind Vainio and Parrott and Manuel Renaudie.

KF3: Deserved crown for De Vries, who wins ahead of Sainz Jr

In addition to the European Super-KF Championship, the Zuera track hosted the final of the European KF3 Championship for the Juniors’ category of 13 to 15 year-olds. And although Spanish supporters only had eyes for Carlos Sainz Jr (Tony Kart-Vortex), they however had to bow to the evidence. The young matador met his match during the weekend. Impressive throughout the event, Nyck De Vries (Zanardi-Parilla) dominated in the final and landed a well-deserved European crown. Presented as one of the favourites, the young Dutchman did not collapse under the pressure. “It is true that I did not sleep very well last night”, he stated after the finish. “But I think that all the favourites had a certain pressure on their shoulders. Everything went perfectly this weekend and this win makes me so happy! It is a dream come true…”

So while he put up a creditable performance, Carlos Sainz Jr nonetheless had to be content with the silver medal, and he exhibited mixed feelings. “Second is a good result”, he explained. “But I was obviously hoping to win, especially here in Spain. I must however admit that Nyck was somewhat faster in the final.” The podium was completed by the Russian who competes with an Italian licence, Danil Kvyat (Tony Kart-Vortex), namely the third (young) man whom the followers had tipped as one of the potential winners. In view of the podium, one might as well say that the three great favourites showed that they were equal to the situation! Among those who could have surprised the onlookers, we noted the disillusion of the Champion of Spain, Gerard Barrabeig (Intrepid-TM). Having been fastest in the timed practice, he won three out of his four qualifying heats and seemed to be the fastest competitor. Unfortunately, a collision in the first lap of the pre-final put paid to all his hopes. Starting 33rd in the final, he brilliantly recovered to the 9th position but had grounds for being disappointed.

The Italian Rafaelle Marciello (Intrepid-TM), the only competitor who could keep up the pace of the leading threesome in the final, ended up at the foot of the podium ahead of the Spaniard Colome (Tony Kart-Vortex), Britain’s Jake Dennis (who had only managed to get the 63rd lap time in practice at the wheel of his Top Kart-Parilla) and Guilherme Silva (Tony Kart-Vortex), Spain’s Adrian Del Rio (PCR-TM) and Gerard Barrabeig (Intrepid-TM), and the Finn Juuso-Matti Pajuranta (PCR-VKR).

Info CIK / © Photo KSP