Nearly 200 Drivers at the Global meeting at Sarno

03.10.14
The Circuito Internazionale Napoli is about to welcome 198 drivers for the last major Competition of the 2014 CIK-FIA season.

The Circuito Internazionale Napoli is about to welcome 198 drivers for the last major Competition of the 2014 CIK-FIA season and the poster is enticing: CIK-FIA World KZ Championship, CIK-FIA International KZ2 Super Cup and the CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy. The challenge will be daunting with the crowning of three new Champions to add to the long and prestigious list of the CIK-FIA.

The measures taken in 2014 by the CIK-FIA for the Drivers are already bearing fruit. With reforms on lower fees, reducing the duration of the Competitions and limiting the number of tyres allowed, the entries are rising again. Compared to Varennes in 2013, which offered the same programme, in 2014 Sarno has a third more Drivers and participation from 11 additional countries.

The scene of major international Competitions since the early 2000s, the Italian track Sarno at the foot of Vesuvius is one of the longest of the season with a length of 1699m, and also one of the most valued by Drivers and spectators.

Verstappen's succession is open

The stand-out driver of the 2013 season, Max Verstappen won the first World KZ Championship title at Varennes (FRA). The entry list for the second edition at Sarno (ITA) has no less than eight drivers who already have won World Championships, and many European Champions. KZ confirms its reputation as the category of karting where the greatest stars compete. Logically the favourites for the world title are the Belgians Rick Dreezen (Zanardi-Parilla-B'stone) and Jonathan Thonon (Praga-Parilla-B'stone) and the Italian Marco Ardigo (Tony Kart-Vortex-B 'stone) who were the top three of the CIK-FIA European KZ Championship this year. But the desire for revenge drives other serious contenders as the Dutchman Bas Lammers (FK-Parilla-B'stone), the winner of the 2012 World Cup at Sarno, Italy's Paolo De Conto (Birel-TM-B'stone ) and the French Arnaud Kozlinski (Intrepid-TM-B'stone). We can also rely on another French, Anthony Abbasse (Sodi-TM-B'stone), the Czech Patrik Hajek (Praga-Parilla-B'stone), the British Ben Hanley (ART GP-TM-B'stone) and Jordon Lennox-Lamb (CRG-Maxter-B'stone), winner of the World Cup in KZ2 in 2012 on this track, or the Italian Roberto Toninelli (Tony Kart-Parilla-B'stone) challenging for the win in the final.

105 drivers in KZ2

The CIK-FIA International KZ2 Super Cup has a full entry. The reigning European Champion, the Italian Andrea Dalè (CRG-Maxter-B'stone) will of course be in the game, but will have to work hard to achieve his goals against many talented opponents. The Lithuanian Simas Juodvirsis (Energy-Maxter-B'stone), the Italian Fabian Federer (CRG-Maxter-B'stone), a former KZ1 driver, and the Czech Jan Midrla (Birel-TM-B'stone) have already proven their great form this season and there are hopefuls like the German Maik Siebecke (CRG-Modena-B'stone), Denmark's Andreas Sebastian Hansen (Tony Kart-Vortex-B'stone) or the Dutchman Menno Paauwe (Birel-TM-B 'stone). However, uncertainty remains high due to the presence of so many contenders and surprises can not be ruled out on Sunday night on the podium.

Advantage Japan in the Academy

With 50 representatives entered from 32 nationalities, the 2014 CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy will reveal its winner after the Competition at Sarno. At the front, the battle is between the Japanese Kakunoshin Ota (50 pts), winner of the first race at Genk (BEL) and the Dutchman Rinus Van Kalmthout (48 pts) with three other drivers still able to win - the Turkish driver Berkay Besler (40 pts), the Dutchman Richard Verschoor (37 pts) and the French Alexandre Vromant (31 pts), who made an incredible comeback at Wackersorf (DEU).