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More than seven months after the KZ World Championship as well as the KZ2 World Cup of last season, the protagonists of the shifter categories are back on stage in Zuera for the first of the two rounds of the FIA Karting European Championship. There are 31 drivers who will take part in the first act of the European championship in the premier class of karting, while 88 standard-bearers are ready to contend for the title in KZ2.

The usual qualifying sessions took place on Friday, followed by the first qualifying heats, which will conclude on Saturday afternoon.

KZ: Amazing debut for Tom Leuillet

• Last year he gave the impression of being able to "be among the greatest" and today he wanted to confirm it immediately to avoid leaving room for any doubts. At the first qualifying in the queen category, the reigning KZ2 European champion Tom Leuillet (Tony Kart Racing Team – Tony Kart – Vortex) prints a 57.850 and thus wins a pole position with a special flavour.


• A one-two signed by Tony Kart is completed by Lorenzo Camplese (Tony Kart Racing Team – Tony Kart – Vortex), who reaffirms his role at the top of the standings. The 2021 vice-world champion sees pole fade by less than a tenth and is still a candidate for the role of great protagonist.


• He seems ready to immediately take on the role of the main actor Danilo Albanese (KR Motorsport – KR – IAME), third. Making his debut in the premier class, the KR Motorsport team driver stops the clock just one thousandth from Camplese and continues to express his speed skills in the "temple" of karting.


• Senna Van Walstijn (Sodikart – Sodi – TM Kart) also re-proposes its competitiveness. After earning the bronze medal in last year's European championship, the Sodikart team standard bearer takes advantage of the slipstream offered by his teammate Emilien Denner (Sodikart – Sodi – TM Kart) to hoist himself into fourth position, just three thousandths behind Albanian.


• The fifth place is the prerogative of another surprising rookie such as Luigi Coluccio (Tony Kart Racing Team – Tony Kart – Vortex). Making his absolute debut in the gearbox category, the 2021 OK vice-champion shows considerable potential and is able to bring a third Tony Kart among the top five positions, proving the excellent feeling found by the Italian team on the Zuera circuit.


• Coluccio is followed by well-known faces from the premier class such as Francesco Celenta (Parolin Motorsport – Parolin – TM Kart), sixth, the reigning European champion Paolo Ippolito (KR Motorsport – KR – IAME), seventh, and the 2018 KZ2 European champion Adrien Renaudin (DR – DR – Modena Engines), eighth. At his first appearance with DR colors in a FIA Karting competition, the French driver precedes Giuseppe Palomba (Birel ART Racing – Birel ART – TM Kart). Making his debut in the top category, the 2020 FIA Karting International Super Cup runner-up is the author of a noteworthy performance.


• After dominating the first round of last year's European championship, Emilien Denner opens the new season with the tenth fastest time. The winner of the 2019 FIA Karting International Super Cup KZ2 slips just one thousandth off Jeremy Iglesias (CRG – CRG – TM Kart), 11th after getting on the third step of the podium in last year's world championship. The 2020 world champion appears disappointed at the end of qualifying, which ended less than two tenths from pole.


• The top 15 is completed thanks to convincing performances by Stan Pex (SP Motorspot – KR – TM Kart), 12th, the winner of last year's FIA Karting World Cup KZ2 Arthur Carbonnel (CRG– CRG – TM Kart), 13th at his debut in the premier class, the winner of the 2016 CIK-FIA International Super Cup KZ2 and OK world champion in the same year Pedro Hiltbrand (Birel ART Racing – Birel ART – TM Kart), 14th, and another promising rookie such as Jean Luyet ( Tony Kart Racing Team – Tony Kart – Vortex), 15th.


• Qualifying slightly below expectations for the 2021 European champion and team manager of the Birel ART Racing Team Riccardo Longhi (Birel ART Racing – Birel ART – TM Kart), 16th, the reigning European vice-champion Matteo Viganò (Leclerc by Lennox Racing – Birel ART – TM Kart), 19th, the reigning world champion Viktor Gustavsson (CRG – CRG – TM Kart), 20th, the 2015 world champion Jorrit Pex (SP Motorsport – KR – TM Kart), 22nd °, the winner of the 2021 FIA Karting International Super Cup KZ2 as well as two-time OK world champion Lorenzo Travisanutto (Parolin Motorsport – Parolin – TM Kart), 23rd, and the multiple world champion Davide Forè (Renda Motorsport – Sodi – TM Kart ), 30°.


• On the other hand, the reigning European KZ2 vice-champion David Trefilov (Maranello SRP Factory Team – Maranello – TM Kart) is 18th at his debut in the maximum expression of karting. The pink quota Tereza Babickova (TEPZ Racing Team – Sodi – TM Kart), 21st, is even making her absolute debut in the category with the gearbox.

KZ2: Masterpiece by Alex Powell on debut

• He'd demonstrated his potential before, but perhaps never in such a dazzling way. At his first appearance in KZ2 in a FIA Karting competition, the reigning European OK vice-champion Alex Powell (Prema Racing – KR – IAME) signs a 57.972 in group 4 and thus obtains the absolute pole position. The Mercedes protégé is the only one of the 88 participants able to break down the 58 second barrier and he beats another extraordinary rookie such as Kean Nakamura Berta (Prema Racing – KR – IAME) by more than a tenth.


• The reigning OK European champion and 2021 OKJ world champion as well as Alpine Academy driver completes a one-two finish signed by Prema Racing and makes him fifth overall. He closes a trident branded KR-IAME Daniel Stell (Dörr Motorsport – KR – IAME), who expresses his abilities with the ninth place in the general standings.


• Cristian Bertuca (Birel ART Racing – Birel ART – TM Kart) seems increasingly accustomed to playing the role of absolute protagonist in KZ2. After winning the silver medal in last year's FIA Karting World Cup as a rookie, the driver of the Birel ART Racing team is the most incisive in group 2 thanks to his 58.027 and secures second position overall.


• The young Italian beats another main actor in the category by more than a tenth, such as Jean Nomblot (CPB Sport – Sodi – TM Kart), who reaffirms his competitiveness with second place in the group and sixth overall. The CPB Sport team driver is followed by his teammate Matteo Spirgel (CPB Sport – Sodi – TM Kart), thanks to a remarkable performance and third in the group as well as tenth in the general standings.


• He is a rookie to all intents and purposes, but now it seems almost difficult to believe. After having already surprised in the first races of the season, Freddie Slater (Birel ART Racing – Birel ART – TM Kart) continues to show his talents and is the fastest in group 3 thanks to a 58.065, which earns him the third position overall.


• He stops the clock just 46 thousandths from the 2020 OKJ world champion Alex Maragliano (Maranello SRP Factory Team – Maranello – TM Kart), who is ready with second place in the group and seventh overall. The third place in the group as well as 11th in the general classification is the prerogative of an excellent Jorge Pescador (Club Kalikart – KalìKart – TM Kart). The driver and fresh team manager of the Kalì Kart racing team starts his new adventure on a positive note.


• Although he was already known for his exhilarating performances, today Tomass Stolcermanis (Energy Corse – Energy – TM Kart) wanted to shine even more intensely. Making his absolute debut in the shifter category, the Energy Corse team rider is the best performer in group 1 with a 58.256, which lifts him to fourth overall position.


• It is an excellent debut in KZ2 in a FIA Karting race also for Maxim Rehm (Leclerc by Lennox Racing – Birel ART – TM Kart), able to gain second place in the group, less than a tenth from Stolcermanis, and eighth total. Complete a trident of exceptional rookies Luka Sammalisto (SP Motorsport – KR – TM Kart), third in the group and 12th in the general standings.


• The absolute top 15 closes thanks to convincing performances by Daniel Vasile (Birel ART Racing – Birel ART – TM Kart), 13th, Alessio Piccini (Birel ART Racing – Birel ART – TM Kart), 14th after getting on the third step of the podium in last year's European championship, and a noteworthy rookie such as Adrian Malheiro (CRG – CRG – TM Kart), 15th. The reigning OK world champion Matheus Morgatto (Leclerc by Lennox Racing – Birel ART – TM Kart) is also making his official debut in KZ2, 23rd in the general standings.


• Qualifying slightly below expectations for Markus Kajak (KH Racing Team – Birel ART – Modena Engines), 42nd overall, the 2014 European champion Andrea Dalè (Andrea Dalè – CRG – TM Kart), 43rd, Paavo Tonteri (CRG – CRG – TM Kart), 56th, and Kris Haanen (SP Motorsport – KR – TM Kart), 59th.

©Photo: Sportinphoto