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More than five months after the OK-OKJ world championship last season, the protagonists of the direct drive categories take to the track in Portimao for the first of the four rounds of the FIA Karting European Championship. 71 drivers present themselves at the starting line of the European championship in the premier class of single-speed karting, while 69 young standard-bearers are ready to compete in the OKJ.

The usual qualifying sessions took place on Friday, before continuing with the first qualifying heats, which will end on Saturday afternoon.

OK: Tomass Stolcermanis shines

• Tomass Stolcermanis (Energy Corse - Energy Corse - TM Racing) continues to express great potential in OK. After winning the bronze medal in the first round of the Champions of the Future Euro Series, held two weeks ago right here in Portimao, the Latvian driver sets the best time in group 3 in 55.908 and takes the absolute pole position. The standard bearer of the Energy Corse team trims just over half a tenth to reigning world champion Tuukka Taponen (Tony Kart Racing Team - Tony Kart - Vortex), who starts his European championship with second place in the group and fourth overall. The ruler of the preparatory race two weeks ago Artem Severiukhin (Ward Racing - Tony Kart - Vortex) is also confirmed at the top of the standings, third in the group and seventh in the overall standings.


• At the first round of the season in OK, Evan Giltaire (VDK Racing - KR - IAME) amazes everyone and wins in group 2 thanks to a 55.922, which earned him the second overall position. The standard bearer of the VDK Racing team is just 19 thousandths ahead of the reigning FIA Karting Academy Trophy runner-up David Walther (Koski Motorsport - Tony Kart - Vortex), who reaffirms his speed with second place in the group and fifth overall. Even Joseph Turney (Tony Kart Racing Team - Tony Kart - Vortex), who became world vice-champion in 2020 right on the Portimao circuit, is still proving competitive after climbing on the second step of the podium at the preparatory race two weeks ago.


• The most incisive driver in group 1 is an excellent Ean Eyckmans (EGP Racing Team - Tony Kart - Vortex), who earns the third place overall thanks to a 56.026. Third in the OKJ European Championship last year, the Belgian driver is a candidate for the role of great protagonist and beats by more than a tenth an extraordinary Oscar Pedersen (Ward Racing - Tony Kart - Vortex), able to get the second position in the group as well as the sixth total. Complete a trident signed by all Tony Kart James Egozi (Tony Kart Racing Team - Tony Kart - Vortex), who reappears among the fastest with the third place in the group and the ninth in the general classification.


• The absolute top ten is closed by Juho Valtanen (Tony Kart Racing Team - Tony Kart - Vortex), who finds himself just in front of the KR Motorsport couple formed by the two Mercedes pupils Yuanpu Cui (KR Motorsport - KR - IAME) and Alex Powell (KR Motorsport - KR - IAME).


• The 13th place in the overall standings is the prerogative of a surprising Hiyu Yamakoshi (IPK Official Racing Team - IPK - TM Racing). The Japanese standard bearer is followed by Enzo Deligny (Parolin Motorsport - Parolin - TM Racing) and Luka Sammalisto (KR Motorsport - KR - IAME), who completes the top 15.


• Reigning OKJ European champion Freddie Slater (Ricky Flynn Motorsport - LN - Vortex) returns to the track that crowned him world champion in 2020 and finishes 16th in the overall standings. Team rider Ricky Flynn Motorsport precedes current OKJ European vice-champion Matheus Ferreira (KR Motorsport - KR - IAME), 17th, reigning world vice-champion Luigi Coluccio (Tony Kart Racing Team - Tony Kart - Vortex), 18th , and the European KZ2 champion in 2020 Viktor Gustavsson (CRG Racing Team - CRG - IAME), 19th.


• Qualifying slightly below expectations for Rashid Al Dhaheri (Forza Racing - Exprit - TM Racing), 22nd, Gabriel Gomez (CRG Racing Team - CRG - IAME), 23rd, Dion Gowda (Ricky Flynn Motorsport - LN - Vortex), 24th, Zachary David (Sauber Academy - KR - IAME), 26th, Nicolò Cuman (Forza Racing - Exprit - TM Racing), 30th, the reigning OKJ world champion Kean Nakamura Berta (KR Motorsport - KR - IAME) , 35th, Maksimilian Popov (Ward Racing - Tony Kart - Vortex), 44th, Rintaro Sato (KR Motorsport - KR - IAME), 47th, Maxim Rehm (Ricky Flynn Motorsport - LN - Vortex), 54th, and Matheus Morgatto (DPK Racing - KR - IAME), only 66th after being extremely fast in the first round of the Champions of the Future Euro Series.

OKJ: Dmitry Matveev gets off on the right foot

• Dmitry Matveev (Koski Motorsport - Tony Kart - Vortex) reaffirms his speed and wins the absolute pole position to inaugurate his European championship in the best possible way. The color bearer of the Koski Motorsport team prints a 57.403 in group 3 and precedes an excellent Andres Cardenas (Energy Corse - Energy Corse - TM Racing) by just 42 thousandths, who confirms his competitive position thanks to second place in the group and fourth overall. Complete a trident formed by three different chassis Adam Hideg (DPK Racing - KR - IAME), author of a remarkable performance with the third place in the group and the seventh in the general classification.


• An exceptional Jan Przyrowski (Tony Kart Racing Team - Tony Kart - Vortex) goes fastest in group 2, as he scores a 57.454 and thus gains the second overall position. The standard bearer of the Tony Kart Racing Team trims just over half a tenth to Kirill Kutskov (Birel ART Racing - Birel ART - TM Racing), who returns to the top of the standings with second place in the group and fifth overall. Another trident made up of three different chassis closes by Anatoly Khavalkin (Parolin Motorsport - Parolin - TM Racing), still the protagonist with third place in the group and eighth in the overall standings after obtaining the bronze medal at the world championship last year.


• The best time in group 1 is the prerogative of an extraordinary Martin Molnar (Energy Corse - Energy Corse - TM Racing), who signs a 57.555 and moves to third overall position. The Hungarian driver beats Rene Lammers (Parolin Motorsport - Parolin - TM Racing) by just 21 thousandths, who does not miss the appointment with the fastest in the category thanks to his second place in the group and sixth overall. Third in the group and ninth in the general classification is an excellent Jules Caranta (Energy Corse - Energy Corse - TM Racing), skilled in placing a third Energy Corse chassis in the overall top ten.


• It is also a positive qualification for Luviwe Sambudla (KR Motorsport - KR - IAME), tenth overall. The driver of the KR Motorsport team finds himself just in front of the Ricky Flynn Motorsport trident formed by Oleksandr Bondarev (Ricky Flynn Motorsport - LN - Vortex), back from third place in the first round of the Champions of the Future Euro Series, by the reigning champion of the FIA Karting Academy Trophy Maciej Gladysz (Ricky Flynn Motorsport - LN - Vortex) and an amazing Alfie Slater (Ricky Flynn Motorsport - LN - Vortex).


• Nathan Tye (Sodikart - Sodikart - TM Racing), determined after getting on the second step of the podium in the preparatory race two weeks ago, and Lucas Fluxa (KR Motorsport - KR - IAME) complete the top 15. They are followed by Lewis Wherrell (Forza Racing - Exprit - TM Racing) and by Thomas Strauven (Ricky Flynn Motorsport - LN - Vortex).


• After demonstrating his feeling with the Portuguese circuit with the victory in the first round of the Champions of the Future Euro Series, Kirill Dzitiev (Ward Racing - Tony Kart - Vortex) is only 33rd. Qualifying slightly below expectations also for Douwe Dedecker (Ricky Flynn Motorsport - LN - Vortex), 21st at the first appearance with the colors of Ricky Flynn Motorsport, Tiziano Monza (DPK Racing - KR - IAME), 54th, and the new pink share of the Mercedes Junior Team as well as rookie in OKJ Luna Fluxa (KR Motorsport - KR - IAME), 64th.


• On the other hand, Jindrich Pesl (Birel ART Racing - Birel ART - TM Racing), 24th overall in the second qualifying in OKJ, is a promising performance.


• Emanuele Olivieri (IPK Official Racing Team - IPK - TM Racing) returns to the track after an injury to his ribs, 51st overall.

©Photo: Sportinphoto