Antonelli’s superb Junior pole position at Kristianstad

Timed Practice began under a beautiful blue sky from where the persistent wind had chased away the last clouds, for the third round of the OK-Junior European Championship at Kristianstad. Nearly 20° in the shade, the temperature seemed cooler with the strong breeze. As a result of the dry track, the competitors waited for the last four of the eight minutes left to take the track.

In the first session, Andrea Kimi Antonelli (KR / Iame) was the last to enter the track, which did not prevent him from immediately seizing 1st place and improving on his second lap to 52”247, 0.138” faster than Theo Wernersson (Tony Kart / TM), followed closely by Kajus Siksnelis (Tony Kart / Vortex). Maxime Furon-Castelain (Kosmic / Iame) posted the 4th time by 2.5 tenths and Lorens Lecuerta (FA Kart / Iame) 5th at 4 tenths. Conrad Laursen (FA Kart / Vortex) was 7th, and Ugo Ugochukwu (FA Kart / Vortex) 9th ahead of Macéo Capietto (KR / Iame).

The drivers in the second session delayed their start even more, perhaps influenced by Antonelli’s previous performance. Also starting a little later than his rivals, Rafael Camara (BirelART / TM) was the fastest on his second lap with 52”511, 5th place in the provisional ranking. Marcus Amand (Kosmic / Iame) followed by 5 hundredths, Tymoteusz Kucharczyk (Parolin / TM) took 3rd place a tenth ahead of Elliott Vayron’s very good 4th (BirelART / TM), followed by James Wharton (FA Kart) / Vortex), Thomas Ten Brinke (FA Kart / Vortex) and Robert De Haan (Energy / TM). Enzo Peugeot (Kosmic / Iame) was 16th by 4 tenths.

Cristian Bertuca (BirelART / TM) had the best performance of the third group by posting a 52”573, the 7th fastest provisional time, 17 thousandths ahead of Philip Victorsson (Tony Kart / Vortex). Alfio Spina (KR / Iame) was 3rd ahead of Josep Mari (Tony Kart / Vortex) and Christian Ho (FA Kart / Vortex). The top six were separated by less than a tenth. Suleiman Zanfari (Tony Kart / Vortex) finished 8th, and Enzo Trulli (CRG / Iame) 10th ahead of Arvid Lindblad (Exprit / TM).

Tuuka Taponen (Redspeed / Iame) was seven thousandths ahead of Karol Pasiewicz (Luxor / LKE) in the last session, but his time of 52.309 allowed him to take 2nd overall fron Pasiewicz, while 3rd placed Nikita Bedrin (Tony Kart / Vortex) was 6th overall, a surprising result compared to what we had imagined considering the evolution of the track previously. Sebastian Hedin (Tony Kart / TM) finished 4th by three tenths, ahead of Alexander Dunne (Tony Kart / Vortex) and Jamie Day (Exprit / Vortex). Evan Giltaire (Sodi / TM) took 8th position, more than 4 tenths behind.

Info Kartcom / © Photo KSP