Kozlinski is World Champion!

He already been vice-champion twice, and after his disappointments in 2008, Arnaud Kozlinski finally won the world title, and under what circumstances! The Macao final will be remembered as a great spectacle.

From the outset, the intensity was at a maximum. Manuel Renaudie (Gillard / Parilla) made the best start, but the scramble began at the first corner and saw Litchfield and Gaggianesi stop in the gravel trap. At the next corner, the straight hairpin at the bottom of the circuit, Brandon Maisano (LH / Maxter) in third was then heckled and was left in last. Kozlinski (CRG / Maxter) took second place ahead of Aaro Vainio (Maranello / Maxter), Marco Ardigo (Tony Kart / Vortex) and Jonathan Thonon (CRG / Maxter).

Kozlinski started to threaten Renaudie, but Ardigo overcame Vainio and took second place. There was a big change at turn 5, because Renaudie fell to 4th place, then 5th and Ardigo took the lead ahead of Vainio, Kozlinski and Thonon. Ben Hanley (Maranello / Maxter) was running in 7th after the race start and recovered very strongly and moved into the top 5 on lap 10, when the rain started. Maïsano made up a lot of places from bottom position. Vainio, very comfortable on a track had started to be slippery, and he moved to the lead ahead of Kozlinski and Ardigo. Thonon quickly moved into 3rd place.

Ardigo obviously didn’t have a setup appropriate to the conditions and couldn’t really defend. Flavio Camponeschi (Tony Kart / Vortex) then took the green torch to 3rd position. The rain got heavier, as did the Vainio / Kozlinski duel. Hanley took 3rd position from Thonon. The steering was both difficult and very spectacular. The stands were packed and erupted at each manouevre.

Kozlinski increasingly threatened Vainio. He tried several maneuvers and eventually passed on lap 17. It was well played as the race director was waiting for the required race distance to stop the race and declare a result.

Arnaud Kozlinski has become the first French World Champion in the premier class of karting.

Info Kartcom with Kartlink / © Photo KSP