Vainio and Chamberlain the Champions of Europe

The Young Finn Aaro Vainio created something of a sensation by winning, at just 15 years of age, the CIK-FIA European Super KF Championship, the principal class of international karting. Perfectly handling the pressure from experienced Frenchman Manuel Renaudie, Vainio secured his second consecutive European crown after winning the KF3 (Juniors) European Championship in 2008. In the KF2 category (the class for young hopefuls), it was British private driver Jordan Chamberlain who clinched the crown.

In spite of being just 15 years old and with the enormous pressure weighing on his shoulders, Aaro Vainio (Maranello-Maxter) never flinched this Sunday at Essay where the third and final round of the Super KF European Championship was held. Impressing with his comfortable driving and apparent maturity, this young man proved that he can follow in the tyre tracks of a long line of flying Finns.

After having somewhat missed the jump at the start of Race 1, resulting in being in only 8th place after the first turn, Aaro kept a cool head to pass all of his opponents one by one. Finally getting the better of Mauel Renaudie (Gillard-Parilla) four laps from the end, the Finn gave himself a great opportunity to take the European crown. But there still remained the Final to be raced. Once again, Aaro showed astonishing calm, resisting Manuel Renaudie’s challenge at the first bend. And even though he finished the first lap in 3rd place, he once again maintained forward progress. He was not to be intimidated when Robert Foster-Jones (F Kart-Vortex) starting from the back of the grid after a non-finish in Race 1, successfully attacked with some late braking.

“I could have closed the door better”, acknowledged the young Finn. “But when I saw him I said to myself that one second place was perfectly acceptable to me since that would permit me to become the European Champion. We have been in the running all season and this title is a superb reward.”

For Vainio, this European title is the second consecutive one he has won after the KF3 (the class for Juniors) Championship he won last year. The young Finn has therefore more than succeeded in the step up to karting’s principal class.

Second in the first race, Manuel Renaudie slipped back during the second where he finished in 5th place. European Vice-champion after having finished in 2nd place in the World Cup last May, the French driver was inevitably a little disappointed. “But Aaro was really very fast” he confirmed “today, and also throughout the whole season. His title is merited. But I hope to take my revenge during the World Championship in Macao.”

Despite a weekend when he never made the podium (one 5th and one 4th place), Jason Parrott (Birel-Parilla) retained his third place in the Championship in the face of the challenge of Simo Puhakka (PCR-TM), twice on the bottom step of the podium in Normandy. By virtue of his victory in Race 2, Robert Foster-Jones (FA Kart-Vortex) secured 5th place in the Championship.

Amongst the unlucky drivers of the day was Miika Kunranta (Birel-Parilla) who started on pole position in Race 1. But a collision at the first turn put an end to all of his hopes and also to those of the Belgian Yannick de Brabander (Intrepid-TM), second on the grid. These two will be looking to get another chance of glory between the 8th and 11th of October at Macao where the Super KF 2009 CIK-FIA World Championship will be held. An impassioned reunion is sure to follow!!

KF2: Chamberlain lands the European title

In addition to the Super KF European Championship, Essay also hosted the final of the CIK-FIA European KF2 Championship. In the category for young hopefuls, the contenders for the title were numerous… and the enthusiasm was high! There were many collisions especially at the first turn. And so, on the first lap of the pre-final, several favourites for the title plunged down the classification after a collision involving ten karts. Joni Wiman (Maranello-Maxter), Mans Grenhagen (Energy-TM), Maxim Zimin (F Kart-Vortex), Nikolaj Moller Madsen (Energy-TM), David Da Luz (Zanardi-Parilla) and Jesper Rossler (Birel-Parilla) all saw their weekend’s work reduced to nothing. On the other hand, Matteo Vigano (Birel-Parilla) benefitted from the pile-up at the start to climb significantly from his 25th position on the grid. Fourth at the end of the first lap, he subsequently grabbed the lead which secured him pole position for the Final in front of Joel Johansson (Energy-TM), Felice Tiene (Kosmic-Vortex), Ben Cooper (Tony Kart-Vortex) and Chris Lock (Tony Kart-Vortex).

In the Final Matteo Vigano successfully negotiated the first turn without problem… But behind him there was a collision involving Joel Johansson and Felice Tiene. Vigano found himself in a clear lead. But an accident involving Danish driver Maiken Rasmussen, defying gravity, caused the neutralization of the race. Matteo Vigano was therefore joined by all his pursuers… But he preserved his lead at the restart and stayed at the front to take the chequered flag. Unfortunately for the Italian, he was assessed a penalty for having exceeded the maximum speed at the start. He dropped to 12th in the classification way below his ambitions.

Second past the flag, it was therefore British driver Jordan Chamberlain (Tony Kart-TM) who inherited the European crown. The British private driver was joined on the podium by the Italian Matteo Beretta (Tony Kart-Vortex) and Jorge Pescador (Tony Kart-Vortex), who benefitted from the fierce competitiveness of this European final. Involved in the collision on the first turn in the Pre-final, the Spaniard started in only 31st place on the starting grid. Advancing to 17th place after the first lap, he was given a superb opportunity to progress to the podium of the European competition. The top 10 was completed by first the Briton Ben Cooper (Tony Kart-Vortex), the Belgian Sebastien Bailly (Tony Kart-Vortex), local driver Loïc Réguillon (Sodi-Parilla), the Italian Aniello Smarrazzo (Tony Kart-Vortex), another Italian Lorenzo Camplese (Tony Kart-Vortex), the Briton Chris Lock (Tony Kart-Vortex) and the Portuguese driver David Da Luz (Zanardi-Parilla).

The majority of these KF2 drivers will race from 17th to 20th September on the Spanish circuit at Alcaniz for the World Cup in this class. An occasion for the beaten drivers to redeem themselves. There will certainly be plenty of sporting action in Spain!

Info CIK / © Photo KSP