FIA Karting European Championship KZ, KZ2 and KZ2 Masters rd 1, Alcañiz: qualifying – Pole position for Gustavsson (KZ), Nosov (KZ2) and Abbasse (KZ2 Masters)

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Almost ten months after the FIA Karting World Championship KZ and the FIA Karting World Cup KZ2, the performers of the gearbox categories return to the scene on the Motorland Aragón circuit in Alcañiz (Spain) for the first of the two rounds of the FIA Karting European Championship. There are 26 drivers competing at the start of the European championship in the premier karting class, while 86 participants in KZ2. After the success achieved in the two editions of the FIA Karting International Masters Super Cup, held respectively in 2022 in Le Mans and in 2023 in Wackersdorf, they are also joined by the 34 protagonists of the KZ2 Masters, a category reserved for drivers aged 35 years old and present at the European championship for the first time.

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

KZ: Viktor Gustavsson makes himself heard

Tyres: Dunlop

Viktor Gustavsson (CRG – CRG – TM Kart) stages an extraordinary lap and an exemplary strategy. The reigning world vice champion and 2022 world champion takes advantage of the wake of teammate Jeremy Iglesias (CRG – CRG – TM Kart) to print a 59.323 and sign the pole position.
The CRG driver beats Giuseppe Palomba (Sodikart – Sodi – TM Kart) by more than a tenth, second. It is a promising start for the 2020 FIA Karting International Super Cup runner-up, candidate for the role of great protagonist in the premier category.
The other Sodi of Senna Van Walstijn (Sodikart – Sodi – TM Kart) is also confirmed among the favourites, third. After winning the bronze medal in last year's European championship, the Dutch driver stops the clock just three thousandths behind his teammate.
Not missing from the appointment with the top positions are the 2022 KZ2 European champion Tom Leuillet (Tony Kart Racing Team – OTK – Vortex), fourth and able to express himself at his best in the final phase of qualifying, and the reigning European champion Danilo Albanese (KR Motorsport – KR – IAME), fifth. The representative of the KR Motorsport team complains of a small error in his session and finds himself just two thousandths behind his opponent from the Tony Kart Racing Team.
Bringing a third Sodi into the top six positions is an excellent Yohan Soguel (CPB Sport – Sodi – TM Kart), who precedes a main player in the category such as Stan Pex (KR Motorsport – KR – IAME), seventh after climbing to the third step of the podium in last year's world championship.
The winner of the 2021 FIA Karting International Super Cup KZ2 and two-time OK world champion Lorenzo Travisanutto (Parolin Motorsport – Parolin – TM Kart) and the reigning European vice-champion and champion of the world of 2020 Jeremy Iglesias (CRG – CRG – TM Kart), eighth and ninth respectively.
The top ten is closed by the winner of the 2019 FIA Karting International Super Cup KZ2 Emilien Denner (Sodikart – Sodi – TM Kart), just ahead of the 2021 European champion and team manager of the Birel ART Racing team Riccardo Longhi (Birel ART Racing – Birel ART – TM Kart), 11th.
Followed by Jorge Pescador (Club Kalikart – KalìKart – TM Kart), 12th, the reigning world champion Paolo Ippolito (KR Motorsport – KR – IAME), 13th, the winner of the 2018 FIA Karting International Super Cup KZ2 Matteo Viganò ( CL Racing Team – Birel ART – TM Kart), 14th, and the winner of the 2022 FIA Karting World Cup KZ2 Arthur Carbonnel (CRG – CRG – TM Kart), 15th.
Qualifying slightly below expectations for the 2021 world vice champion Lorenzo Camplese (Tony Kart Racing Team – OTK – Vortex), 16th, the two-time world champion Paolo De Conto (Parolin Motorsport – Parolin – TM Kart), 17 ° returning to a FIA Karting race after four years of absence, the 2019 world champion Marijn Kremers (Tony Kart Racing Team – OTK – Vortex), 18th, the 2022 European KZ2 vice-champion David Trefilov (Maranello SRP Factory Team – Maranello – TM Kart), 19th, the 2018 European KZ2 champion Adrien Renaudin (DR – DR – Modena Engines), 22nd, and the 2015 world champion Jorrit Pex (SP Motorsport – KR – TM Kart), 24th °.
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) had his best time canceled due to a violation of the track limits. so from 18th place to 20th.

Results

KZ2: Exploit by Egor Nosov

Tyres: Dunlop

The Alcañiz circuit highlights the qualities of Egor Nosov (IPK Factory Team – IPK – TM Kart). The IPK Factory Team rider is the fastest in group 1 thanks to a 59.644, which earns him a surprising overall pole position.
Timo Jüngling (CPB Sport – Sodi – TM Kart) also put in an extraordinary performance, skilful in stopping the clock just 65 thousandths behind Nosov to obtain second position in the group and fourth overall. Making his first appearance in KZ2 in a FIA Karting competition, the rookie precedes his teammate Nikolas Roos (CPB Sport – Sodi – TM Kart), a more well-known face in the category who finds himself third in the group and seventh in the general classification.
Another representative of the CPB Sport team took second place overall: Matteo Spirgel (CPB Sport – Sodi – TM Kart). With a 59.695, the young Frenchman achieved the best performance in group 3.
Maximilian Schleimer (Maranello SRP Factory Team – Maranello – TM Kart) also expressed his potential, second in the group just 11 thousandths behind Spirgel. Making his debut in KZ2 in a FIA Karting competition, the Maranello SRP Factory Team driver took fifth place overall and beat another excellent rookie such as Arthur Poulain (CPB Sport – Sodi – TM Kart) by 24 thousandths. In an extremely hotly contested group, which sees seven drivers within just 82 thousandths of a second, the fresh winner of the Andrea Margutti Trophy manages to gain third position, as well as eighth in the general classification.
Emerging in group 2 is Iaroslav Shevyrtalov (Maranello SRP Factory Team – Maranello – TM Kart), who presents himself in the best possible way in his first appearance in a FIA Karting competition. The Maranello SRP Factory Team rider prints a 59.761 and thus takes third place overall.
Nacho Tuñon (DPK Racing – KR – IAME) plays at home and sees the pole in the group slip away by less than a tenth and therefore has to settle for second place, as well as sixth overall. The young Spaniard is followed by an excellent Dmitry Matveev (KR Motorsport – KR – IAME), third in the group and ninth in the general classification on his debut in KZ2 in a FIA Karting competition.
Closing the absolute top ten is Artem Severiukhin (Birel ART Racing – Birel ART – TM Kart), who places just ahead of his teammate and reigning European vice-champion Daniel Vasile (Birel ART Racing – Birel ART – TM Kart), 11th overall after finishing on the third step of the podium in last year's FIA Karting World Cup.
Qualifying slightly below expectations for the 2022 OK world champion Matheus Morgatto (CL Racing Team – Birel ART – TM Kart), 28th in the general classification and immediately behind the reigning OK world champion Kirill Kutskov (Birel ART Racing – Birel ART – TM Kart), 27th in the first race in KZ2 in a FIA Karting competition.
Difficult sessions also for the 2014 European champion Andrea Dalè (Andrea Dalè – CRG – TM Kart), 40th, Cristian Bertuca (Birel ART Racing – Birel ART – TM Kart), 43rd after climbing on the second step of the podium in the FIA Karting World Cup of 2022, and Alessio Piccini (Modena Kart – Parolin – TM Kart), 58th after having won the bronze medal in the 2022 European championship.

Results

KZ2 Masters: Anthony Abbasse sets the pace

Tyres: Dunlop

Having already presented himself in Alcañiz as one of the favourites, Anthony Abbasse (Sodikart – Sodi – TM Kart) did not disappoint expectations and set the best time. Thanks to a 1:00.253, the two-time KZ world vice-champion achieved pole position in his first international appearance of the season.
Another of the main candidates for victory, the multiple world champion Davide Forè (Birel ART Racing – Birel ART – TM Kart), sees the pole disappear by just 42 thousandths. The winner of last year's FIA Karting International Masters Super Cup thus confirms his speed.
He reiterates his leading role after having won fourth place in both editions of the FIA Karting International Masters Super Cup Riccardo Nalon (Erre Esse Motorsport – Parolin – TM Kart), third and just a tenth slower than Abbasse.
Also stopping the clock less than a tenth and a half from the poleman were Alessio La Martina (KR Motorsport – KR – IAME), fourth, and Kristijan Habulin (TBKART Racing Team – TB Kart – TM Kart), who completed a quintet made up of five chassis different.
Closing the top ten thanks to convincing performances are Thomas Mich (Thomas Mich – Birel ART – TM Kart), sixth after reaching the third step of the podium in last year's FIA Karting International Masters Super Cup, Mirko Mizzoni (Italcorse Racing Team – Italcorse – TM Kart), seventh, Roberto Profico (Tony Kart Racing Team – OTK – Vortex), eighth, Jeroen Bos (SP Motorsport – KR – TM Kart), ninth, and Andrea Spagni (KCS Di Mancino Antonio – Birel ART – TM Kart ), tenth.
Ennio Gandolfi (Tony Kart Racing Team – OTK – Vortex) returns to compete after twenty years of absence, placing 14th, but then sees his best time canceled due to the violation of the track limits. The 2004 Super ICC world champion and manager of the Cremona Circuit kart track thus slips to 25th position.

Results