Wherrell takes over in the lead of the IKR

Interest in the International Karting Ranking continues to grow as the number of competitions increases. Now that the mid-season mark has been passed, many drivers have at least eight results to their name, and comparisons are more effective.

Created and managed by the FIA, the IKR is a computerised ranking system for all drivers taking part in a karting competition entered on the FIA Karting international calendar, the results of which produce an overall driver ranking. Importantly, the calculation formula takes into account various parameters, including the number of entrants, naturally awarding more points when the field is larger in the category. This classification, which is intended to be universal, includes all categories approved or recognised by the FIA Karting.

More than 950 drivers are currently ranked after 22 events in 14 categories. The eight best results for each driver are included in the weekly update of the IKR. The worst results are counted down in real time.

The third round of the Champions of the Future Euro Series took place last weekend, from June 1 to June 3 2023 in Denmark on the new Rødby circuit. The evolution of the positions in the IKR deserves a quick analysis.

Following his success in the OK-Junior class, British driver Lewis Wherrell took 1st place in the IKR for all categories combined. Wherrell moved up nine places in one go, ahead of Belgium's Thibaut Ramaekers, who also scored two important results in the X30 Junior class. Turkey's Iskender Zulfikari, competing in the Mini category, is in 3rd place.

Stepan Andropov moved up eleven places to 4th ahead of Oleksandr Bondarev (UKR), the provisional leader of the FIA Karting European Championship - Junior who lost two positions after this weekend.

Despite not adding any results last month, Cristian Bertuca (ITA) remains the leading KZ2 driver in 6th place. Thanks to his victory in OK at Rødby, Gabriel Gomez (BRA) moved up 14 places to 13th in the overall standings with his seven results counted. Behind him, Alex Powell (JAM), who competes in both OK and KZ2, moved up twelve places this weekend. Further down the order, Enzo Tarnvanichkul, the 2022 FIA Karting World Junior Champion from Thailand, jumped 26 places to 56th position. Kirill Kutskov, who, like all his Russian compatriots, was unable to compete in the Czech Republic for political reasons, moved up 42 places in the overall standings.

OK-Junior ranking
It's worth comparing the positions of the OK-Junior drivers in the IKR with those in the FIA Karting European Championship. The leading trio in the European competition is led by Oleksandr Bondarev (UKR) ahead of Thibaut Ramaekers (BEL) and Lewis Wherrell (GBR). The IKR puts Wherrell in 1st place ahead of Stepan Antonov, then Bondarev 3rd and Ramaekers 4th. Vivek Kanthan's (USA) excellent results at Rødby have moved him up 13 places.

Gomez dominates in OK
Leader in the provisional standings of the FIA Karting European Championship - OK, Brazilian Gabriel Gomez took command of the category in the IKR with a three-place improvement on Rene Lammers (NLD), who has one more result to his name. Alex Powell (JAM) moved up five places to 9th with just five results to his name. Australian Xavier Avramides moved up 16 places to 49th in OK, despite recording two results.

A look at the other categories
Mateja Radenkovic (BEL) leads the Rotax Max Junior class ahead of Archie Clark (GBR) and Timo Jungling (GBR). In Rotax Max, Mark Kimber (GBR) is in the lead ahead of Sean Butcher (GBR) and Lachlan Robinson (ARE).

Rocco Coronel (NLD) is ahead of Tiziano Kuzhnini (CHE) and Riccardo Ferrari (ITA) in the X30 Junior class, while Danny Carenini (ITA) dominated the X30 Senior category ahead of Andy Ratel (FRA) and Elie Goldstein (BEL).