Martinese beats van Langendonck on the wire in OK-Junior

The skies remained overcast and the wind was blowing, but the atmosphere was quite favourable with a bit of sunshine in the build-up to the Final of the second round of the FIA European OK-Junior Karting Championship at Val d’Argenton on Sunday afternoon.

Iacopo Martinese (KR/Iame) and Christian Costoya (Parolin/TM) were already breaking away from the pack on the first lap. Dries van Langendonck (Exprit/TM) was 3rd at 8 tenths, followed by Roman Kamyab (LN/TM), Daniel Kelleher (KR/Iame) and Sebastian Minns (LN/TM). Filippo Sala (LN/TM) was 13th behind Louis Cochet (KR/Iame), with Dean Hoogendoorn (KR/Iame) having retired. Costoya took P1 on the second lap, but Martinese refused to give up as van Langendonck closed in. Thomas Pradier (KR/Iame) had made up three places to 20th, just ahead of Aloïs Girardet (Energy/TM) +15 places. Martinese regained the lead on lap 7, with the leading trio regrouping in 1/2 second. Rocco Coronel (KR/Iame) was back in the top five, up 14 places and with the fastest time of the day. Van Langendonck then overtook Costoya for P2, reinforcing his position as championship leader. Kamyab had rejoined the leading group. Martinese had a lead of 5.5 tenths on lap 12. Coronel was setting a blistering pace, capable of bringing him into the fight for the lead. The top five weren’t fighting yet, they were concentrating on pure speed lap after lap. Coronel first attacked Kamyab for 4th place with four laps to go. The Dutchman then moved up to 3rd ahead of Costoya. Van Langendonck attempted an attack in sight of the line, but Martinese eventually won by 53 thousandths. Coronel secured 3rd place on the podium (+16 places) ahead of Costoya and Kamyab. Niklas Schaufler (KR/Iame), who had qualified 50th, managed to climb to 6th place ahead of Henry Domain (Energy/TM), who also moved up six places. Scott Marsh (Tony Kart/Vortex) moved up 17 places to 14th. Despite a front fairing penalty, Kenzo Craigie (KR/Iame) had moved up 13 places to 16th. Girardet moved up 17 places to 19th, Cochet was 22nd with a 5″ penalty, as was Pradier in 28th.

Info Kartcom with Kartlink / Photo © KSP – Arthur Saulnier-Bruneau