The driver of only 11 years Alex Powell dominated the first round of the WSK Final CUP 2018 at the South Garda Karting (Lonato, Brescia, Italy). Brando Badoer, his enemy in the category, had to be content with the second place, Coskun Irfan completed the podium.
With Martinius Stenshorne and Andrea Kimi Antonelli moving from Mini to OK-Junior, the weekend in the Mini category pointed to Brando Badoer (Parolin Racing Kart), Ean Eyckmans (Baby Race Driver Academy) and Alex Powell (Energy Corse SRL) like favorites.
Brando Badoer, son of the ex-Formula 1 driver Luca Badoer, made the fastest lap of the qualifying: 53.522 seconds. The Italian also was fantastic in the qualifying rounds, losing only one with the Jamaican Alex Powell who won all he did.
The qualifiers served Coskun Irfan (Baby Race Driver Academy) to rise from position 17 to the third. It also served to trace Joel Bergstrom (Formula K Junior Team) from position 10 to the fourth.
In Sunday arrived the pre-finals and Alex Powell was invincible in the pre-final A, he beat the Baby Race of Coskun Irfan and Ean Eycmans. In the pre-final B domain of Brando Badoer with Julius Dinesen (AV Racing) in second place thanks to his excellent start. Of this pre-final, highlighted the great comeback of Jonathan Weywadt (JW Koncept) and the Spanish Bruno del Pino (Team Driver Racing Kart) with the 13th place qualified for the final.
In the Final, Powell’s duel against Badoer ended with the victory of the Jamaican for more than 1 second of difference, as Powell took advantage of Badoer in a bad start -which was overtaken by Irfan-. Instead, Badoer had to manage to overcome Irfan, and when he did it, the distance with the leader was unattainable.
Thanks to an excellent qualifiers and his control in the pre-final and final, Alex Powell leaves Lonato del Garda with the lead in the Mini category with the highest possible score in a weekend, 90 points. Brando Badoer is second with 69 points. Behind them are Coskun Irfan (48 points) and Julius Dinesen (31 points).
The next round of the championship will be in Castelletto di Branduzzo (Pavia) on November 8th to 11th.
