110 drivers from Europe started into the new season of the German Kart Championship last weekend (August 7th – 9th) and experienced a red-hot battle. Winners Kris Haanen (DJKM), Kas Haverkort (DKM), Jorrit Pex, Fabian Federer (both DSKM) and Julian Müller (DSKC) kept the coolest heads.
After a long wait, the German Kart Championship finally started again in Kerpen and a highlight was waiting right at the start. The traditional Erftlandring was the location of the first event of the season in an unusual season. The worldwide Corona-pandemic posed new challenges to the DKM and its grade series.
DJKM: Dutchman Kris Haanen wins twice
The racing Saturday was dominated by Herolind Nuredini (KSM Official Racing Team). In his first full season of the German Junior Kart Championship, the driver from Lower Saxony secured pole position for both heats.
He was unstoppable during these as well: He achieved both victories and thereby the best starting position for the first final race on Sunday. He lost his top position early on during the race over 18 laps though.
Kris Haanen (SFR Motorsport) drove past him and kept his pursuers at bay until the finish line. Behind the leading duo there was a narrow fight for the remaining places on the podium until the end of the race though.
In the end, Daniel Guinchard (SFR Motorsport) came in third in front of Mathias Bjerre Jakobsen (RS Competition) and Kiano Blum (TB Racing Team). The latter was on third place for a long time, but lost two positions during the last laps.
After his victory at the first race, Haanen aimed for the double victory in the second final. But things didn’t go easy for him. In the beginning, he kept switching positions with his team mate Guinchard.
German Nuredini came out on top against Guinchard and came in second again. Fourth winner Kiano Blum experienced a lonely race. He gained his position early on and ended up in the cup ranks again. Things were a lot narrower in the fight for fifth place: Seven juniors fought for the position. In the end, Tom Braeken (SP Motorsport) came out on top.
Championship ranking DJKM after 2 of 8 races:
1. Kris Haanen (65 points)
2. Herolind Nuredini (60 points)
3. Daniel Guinchard (38 points)
4. Kiano Blum (34 points)
5. Tom Braeken (28 points)
DKM: double victory for Kas Haverkort
Moritz Wiskirchen (TB Racing Team) caused the first surprise of the year on his home track. He kept all opponents at bay during qualifying and the heats and secured pole position for the race on Sunday morning.
He highlighted that his success the previous day was not just a flash in the pan during the first final race. He set the pace at the front of the field until shortly before the end of the race. He didn’t win though.
The Junior Champion 2017 Kas Haverkort (SFR Motorsport) found a way past him and won in front of Wiskirchen. The best rookie Daniel Gregor (Junior Team75 Bernhard) followed on third place.
Another junior rookie took fourth place: Fabio Rauer (KSM Official Racing Team). A spoiler penalty threw him back in the end though. New fourth driver was Emil Tanggard (HK Motorsport) in front of Luca Griggs (SFR Motorsport). Unlucky drivers of the race were Juliano Holzem (SFR Motorsport) and Niels Tröger (Mach1 Motorsport). Both of them had to end the race prematurely on a top three position.
Uncompleted results for the Holzem twins in the DKM season opener
Haverkort set the pace from pole position during the second race. Throughout the entire race he kept a safe distance to his opponents and took the victory once again. Behind the SFR Motorsport driver things were quite dramatic. Numerous drivers had to forfeit the race due to technical defects, among them fastest driver of qualifying Wiskirchen.
TB Racing-duo Juho Valtanen and Ben Dörr drove the races very securely though. Both fought their ways forward after bad luck on Saturday and completed the top three. Just like in the first race, Gregor and Griggs ended up in the cup ranks.
Meisterschaftsstand DKM nach 2 von 8 Läufen:
1. Kas Haverkort (55 points)
2. Moritz Wiskirchen (40 points)
3. Daniel Gregor (36 points)
4. Juho Valtanen (27 points)
5. Luca Griggs (27 points)
After the successful kick-off weekend, the German Kart Championship is already going to continue in three weeks.
Press Release
