After the extraordinary Finals, two FIA Karting European Champions were crowned in Sarno after confounding most of the predictions: Jorrit Pex (NLD) won for the third time in KZ and Emil Skaras (SWE) for the first time in KZ2, while the Finals were won respectively by Lorenzo Camplese (ITA) and Emilien Denner (FRA). In the second of the three Competitions of the FIA Karting Academy Trophy, Oleksandr Partyshev (UKR) took his first victory.
Under the watchful gaze of Felipe Massa, the President of the CIK-FIA, the Italian Grand Prix Kart ended as it had begun in the sun and heat of the Naples area. However, although highly contested, the last Qualifying Heats of Sunday morning did not significantly disrupt the hierarchy of the day before. In the afternoon, the three Finals produced an absolutely fantastic spectacle, full of sporting achievements and blows of fate, as always with kart racing. The final ranking of the two European Championships, and in particular the best-placed Drivers’ score, showed extremely small gaps, including several points equalities, reflecting the sharpness of the clashes on the track perfectly.
Succession of twists in KZ: Camplese wins, Jorrit Pex crowned again
Everyone was looking forward to the FIA Karting European Championship – KZ Final, but no one expected such a dramatic twist. To begin with, Matteo Vigano (ITA- Tony Kart / Vortex / B’stone) and Anthony Abbasse (FRA – Sodi / TM Racing / B’stone) were on the same trajectory and went off the track a few tens of metres after the start, so the top two in the provisional standings were eliminated before the end of the first lap. Shortly after, Simo Puhakka (FIN – Tony Kart / Vortex – B’stone) crashed with Alessandro Irlando (ITA – Birel ART / TM Racing / B’stone) who was the other big favourite forced to retire. The battle was raging in the lead among the survivors, with Lorenzo Camplese (ITA – Tony Kart / Vortex / B’stone) and Bas Lammers (NLD – Sodi / TM Racing / B’stone) competing for 1st position and the conquest of the title at the same time. Marco Ardigo (ITA – Tony Kart / Vortex / B’stone) retired and it was Jorrit Pex (NLD – KR / TM Racing / B’stone) in 3rd position and new leader of the classification. The race ended in this order, with Camplese winning a second ahead of Lammers and Jorrit Pex 3rd, three seconds behind. Stan Pex (NLD – KR / TM Racing / B’stone) was 4th and Marijn Kremers (NLD – Birel ART / TM Racing / B’stone) was back in the top five with a gain of 12 places.
Final classification of the 2019 FIA Karting European Championship – KZ
1- Jorrit Pex – 42 pts
2- Lorenzo Camplese – 41 pts
3- Anthony Abbasse – 41 pts
4- Bas Lammers – 41 pts
5- Matteo Vigano – 32 pts
KZ2: A fantastic Final, Denner wins, title for Skaras
The Final of the FIA Karting European Championship – KZ2 was breathtaking from the beginning to the end of its 20 laps. To the suspense for the victory on the track was added the conquest of the European title, which was in part decided at a distance. David Vidales Ajenjo (ESP – Tony Kart / Vortex / B’stone) was a strong leader for three quarters of the race, while a trio of Frenchmen tried to dislodge him with sometimes overflowing energy. Emilien Denner (FRA – Sodi / TM Racing / B’stone) managed to take the lead over his compatriots Paolo Besancenez (FRA – Sodi / TM Racing / B’stone) and Jean Nomblot (FRA – Sodi / TM Racing / B’stone) after a long uncertain fight. Denner precipitated the fall of Vidales, the virtual Champion at that time, by taking 1st place on lap 17. Besancenez and Nomblot followed him shortly after, and Vidales lost several places. Riccardo Longhi (ITA – Birel ART / TM Racing / B’stone) was finally 4th in front of poleman Giuseppe Palomba (ITA – Crocs Promotions / TM Racing / B’stone) and Giacomo Pollini (ITA – Formula K / TM Racing / B’stone).
Final classification of the 2019 FIA Karting European Championship – KZ2
1- Emil Skaras – 44 pts
2- Emilien Denner – 35 pts
3- Paolo Besancenez – 35 pts
4- Giuseppe Palomba – 35 pts
5- Riccardo Longhi – 34 pts
Academy: De Haan first on the track but disqualified, victory for Partyshev
At the wheel of their one-design Exprit / Vortex / B’stone karts, the 34 qualified Drivers competed in the Final of the second Academy Trophy Competition at Sarno in the heat wave. Under a disqualification for work on his kart in the Parc Ferme, Robert De Haan (NLD) achieved a great performance by crossing the finish line of the FIA Karting Academy Trophy Final more than five seconds ahead of his pursuers. Kajus Siksnelis (LTU) was first followed by Christian Ho (SGP), then Oleksandr Partyshev (UKR) and Gael Julien (IND). Paolo Ferrari (ITA) came back to participate in the fight at the front. Ho lost ground, Partyshev was back in front of Siksnelis and won by more than a second ahead of his rival. Ferrari followed in 3rd position, Justin Arseneau (CAN) finished 4th with a gain of seven places and Alexandr Gubenko (RUS) moved up 15 places to reach 5th place with the fastest lap in the race 4 tenths ahead of Luca Mars (USA) in 18th position.
Provisional ranking of the 2019 FIA Karting Academy Trophy after the Sarno Competition
1- Robert De Haan – 45 pts
2- Paolo Ferrari – 39 pts
3- Joshua Coertze – 37 pts
4- Oleksandr Partyshev – 33 pts
5- Kajus Siksnelis – 31 pts
