Compétition

Genk KZ2 Final: Schmitz wins, Johansson champion!

The Genk track was dry for the KZ2 final, decisive in awarding the title of European Champion. Stan Pex (Intrepid / TM) started from pole ahead of Alexander Schmitz (Tony Kart / Vortex), Maik Siebecke (CRG / Modena) and the most serious contender Joel Johansson (Energy / TM). The top five was completed by Luca Corberi (Tony Kart / Vortex), a group that quickly pulled away from the pack. Schmitz took the lead on the third of 23 laps, but Johansson had to give way to Corberi for 4th place.

Behind the leaders, Alessio Piccini (Tony Kart / Vortex) got the better of Lorenzo Camplese (Parolin / TM) on lap 6. Schmitz and Pex took off while the battle raged for 3rd place. Corberi tried his luck, but Siebecke resisted and Johansson regained positions. On lap 9, Johansson manages to take 3rd place, during a skirmish that also allowed the chasing pack led by Piccini to join them. Johansson then pushed to secure his 3rd place leaving behind Siebecke and Corberi who hadn’t finished fighting, while Jorge Pescador (Praga / Parilla) closed on them.

Meanwhile, Pex closed the gap on the leader, Schmitz. Powerless to decide the outcome of the championship, Pedro Hiltbrand (CRG / Maxter) moved up towards the top 10. Pescador first passed Corberi and chased off Siebecke, 4th in the race. Andreas Fasberg (Tony Kart / Vortex) joined the battle in 7th place in the wake of Corberi. Pex moved ahead after passing Schmitz, but the German responded to the Dutchman, while Pescador and Corberi managed to pass Siebecke. Johansson then moved towards the top two with the panache of a future champion.

Schmitz finally won ahead of Pex, Johansson landed a third European title that had eluded him several times in the past. Pescador ended up isolated in 4th position, Corberi 5th, Siebecke 6th, and Fasberg in 7th took the third position in the championship.