Back on British soil

26.08.13
With 55 competitors entered this year, the 2013 CIK-FIA World Karting Championship for the KF category looks particularly bright. 20 countries and 5 continents will be represented in England by their best representatives and the most eager young prospects for sporting success.

 

With 55 competitors entered this year, the 2013 CIK-FIA World Karting Championship for the KF category looks particularly bright. 20 countries and 5 continents will be represented in England by their best representatives and the most eager young prospects for sporting success. The event will mark the return of World karting competition to the United Kingdom - apart from 250cc - at PF International after 45 years of absence!

 As with the European Championships which are already completed this season, the CIK-FIA has planned two events to award the world crown in KF, with points awarded to the top 15 in both finals and none to be dropped. The meeting near Brandon, Lincolnshire, will see hopes realised from 28th August to 1st September. The titles will eventually awarded in Bahrain, along with those of the KF-Junior category, at the end of November.

 Recently extended to a length of 1382m, the PF International circuit has the best infrastructure in the UK for such events. The track, designed in the purest spirit of karting, proves challenging for both machines and drivers and offers a unique show with the bridge in the new section. It is certain that to make an impression at PFI will require proof of serious driving skills. The British organization has a deserved reputation which should ensure impeccable sporting conduct in perfect agreement with the team from WSK Promotion. The inimitable atmosphere of the place will bring an extra touch of passion to this historic event.

 On the entry list for this World Championship are the major players in the European Championship for KF. Crowned in Italy after also winning in KZ, the young Dutchman Max Verstappen (CRG-TM-Vega) will be the favourite, especially as he had already shown great comfort with this track in 2012. Less well known, the French driver Valentin Moineault (ART GP-TM-Vega) and the Danish Christian Sorensen (Tony Kart-Vortex-Vega), 2nd and 3rd respectively in the European Championship, will try to confirm their skills on the World stage. But the task will be difficult against a fleet of highly motivated opponents. Among the most experienced, the Polish Karol Basz (Tony Kart-Vortex-Vega), the French Armand Convers (Kosmic-Vortex-Vega), the Italian Felice Tiene (CRG-Parilla-Vega) and Briton Ben Hanley (ART GP -TM-Vega) will be the most feared, a list to which you can add Mark Litchfield (Kosmic-TM-Vega) who is literally at home.

 The most recent events have shown that the younger generation have no hesitation about dominating their elders. It is easy to understand the desire for revenge of the Danish driver Nicklas Nielsen (Kosmic-Vortex-Vega), who was so well placed in the European title race at the decisive final at Ortona ... The French driver Dorian Boccolacci (Energy-TM-Vega) is probably in a similar state of mind, while the Briton George Russell (Kosmic-TM-Vega), who won the title right here in KF3 last year, has changed his equipment to give a boost to his ambitions. This non-exhaustive review of the potential winners is completed by another Briton, Benjamin Barnicoat (ART GP-TM-Vega), who won the European Championship for KF2 on this circuit in 2012.

 The meeting also includes the first International Super Cup for KF-Junior, a successor competition to past World Cups whose winner will be decided by the finish of Sunday's final. Although only 26 competitors were keen to race in this new event, the level is still very high and includes the best competitors in the European Championships such as the winner Lando Norris (FA Kart-Vortex-LeCont) and the runner-up Daniel Ticktum (FA Kart-Vortex-LeCont), both subjects of Her Majesty. The Russians Robert Shwartzmann (Tony Kart-TM-LeCont) and Nikita Mazepin (Tony Kart-Vortex-LeCont), the British Enaam Ahmed and Jehan Daruvala (FA Kart-Vortex-LeCont), the Germans David Beckmann (Zanardi-BMB-LeCont) and Mick Betsch (Tony Kart-Vortex-LeCont), the Italian Alessio Lorandi (Tony Kart-Parilla-LeCont) and the French Gabriel Aubry (Birel-TM-LeCont) will target victory.

For further information on the CIK-FIA, please consult our Internet site: www.cikfia.com