The first round of the FIA Karting European Championship reserved for the shifter classes has been filed, with the engines of the OTK Kart Group's 'engine division' as the main protagonists of the Belgian weekend.

KZ – Vortex's RTZ and RSZ engines enter the first round of the European Championship as the reigning world champions of the master category of the shifter karts. The weekend opens with the best time of Tuukka Taponen (Tony Kart Racing Team), OK world champion in force and at his debut in the category, in the first free practice session, to go ahead with the Finnish driver's fourth place in the qualifying as well as with the fifth position of his compatriot Simo Puhakka (Tony Kart Racing Team), winner in February of the Champions of the Future Winter Series. Puhakka himself is the author of two podiums and two fastest laps in the three qualifying heats on Friday and Saturday, confirming the speed skills of our engines on a technical track like Genk.

The final sees seven Vortex representatives at the start: Adrien Renaudin (Tony Kart Racing Team) easily getting the Top 10, while Taponen completes his good debut just behind his French teammate and just ahead of Juho Valtanen (Tony Kart Racing Team). The reigning KZ champion and vice-world champion Noah Milell (Tony Kart Racing Team) and Lorenzo Camplese (Tony Kart Racing Team) also finish the race, as well as Mario Ljubic (Tony Kart Racing Team), while Puhakka is forced to stop.

KZ2 - 89 are the drivers attending the first round of the season in the cadet category of the shifter karts. Jean Luyet (Tony Kart Racing Team) does not let himself be frightened by the numbers and, on the contrary, conquers not less than two podiums in the four qualifying heats. Same attitude for Samuel Luyet (Tony Kart Racing Team), four times in the Top 5 in the qualifying heats and third position in the super heat B preceding the Sunday's final. Just in the final race, Jean Luyet performs a great comeback and, together with his teammate Norton Andreasson (Tony Kart Racing Team), finishes in the Top 10. Samuel Luyet is also at the start of the final.

FIA Karting Academy Trophy - The one-make championship wanted by the FIA to ease the access to international karting for young talents aged between 12 and 14 (chosen by the ASNs of their countries and coming from all over the world) sees the technical commitment of the OTK Kart Group with the Exprit Kart - Vortex package for the seventh consecutive year. Vortex's many years of winning experience offers to the Trophy participants quality products, ensuring identical performances for everybody. The first stage in Genk sees the victory of Arthur Dorison (France), ahead of William Go (Philippines) and Guillaume Bouzar (Luxembourg).

Press Release © OTK Kart Group