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| September 03, 2009 |
| CIK-FIA Karting World Cup - KZ1 & KF3 - Preview |
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 | 2009 CIK-FIA European Champion Nick de Vries (NL) will be among the favorites at the 2009 CIK-FIA World Cup for KF3
(Photo: cikfia.com) |
Within the space of six weeks, the CIK-FIA is about to hold three events of world dimensions, with successively the World Cups for the KZ1 and KF3 categories, then the World Cup for KF2 scheduled in Spain (20 September) and, finally, the World Championship, to be organised at Macau (11 October).
The Sarno circuit, close to Naples in Italy, will be the first of these three meetings. On 4, 5 and 6 September, they will be 154 drivers, divided into two categories, to fight for the CIK-FIA World Cups.
The up-and-coming generation of 13 to 15 years old Juniors will again be treated with a World Cup. The last one (then called the “5 Continents Cup”) was held in 1996 and saw the victory of a certain Fernando Alonso. Over the last few years, for lack of a world-status event, Juniors have continued to express themselves via CIK-FIA continental championships (Europe, Asia-Pacific, Viking Trophy in Northern Europe and Panamerican Championship). As a matter of fact, it is mainly these very continental championships which have allowed the selection of the drivers eligible for this new World Cup. Under these circumstances, the favourites should therefore be the drivers who played the leading parts in these “qualifying” events, to begin with the 2009 European Champion Nick De Vries (NL), Danil Kvyat (RUS), Raffaele Marciello (I), Jake Dennis (GB), Martin Doubek (CZ), Andreas Hansen (DK) and the Spaniards Carlos Sainz Jr (son of the double World Rally Champion), Victor Colome, Adrian Del Rio, Gerard Barrabeig and Pedro Hiltbrand.
Americans will be watching the progress of rising star Gustavo Menezes. Spending most of the racing season overseas, the Californian has contested the WSK International Series and the CIK European Championships. Menezes is coming off two solid weekends at national and regional competition where he scored double victories each weekend.
 | Jonathan Thonon will look to make it three straight years as KZ1 World Cup champion
(Photo: cikfia.com) |
The other World Cup to take at Sarno will concern the drivers of KZ1, which is the top category of 125cc gearbox karts. This year, the Cup will gather 76 drivers, i.e. 50% more than in 2007 and 2008. Among these 76 participants, there will be one current Formula One driver, who will take up the ambitious challenge to come back to the loves of his youth within the framework of the most competitive event of the season: Spain’s Jaime Alguersuari. Although he had entered, the Pole Robert Kubica will not participate in the event after all, for personal reasons.
Armed with a valuable Motor Sport experience (GP2 and World Series by Renault), Ben Hanley will also be participating. This will make the event even more prestigious as the current upper crust of Karting drivers is also entered, either professionals or promising talents. Regarding seasoned drivers, the seeded competitors are called Jonathan Thonon (winner of this same World Cup in 2007 and 2008), Marco Ardigo, Davide Fore, Bas Lammers, Arnaud Kozlinski, Jérémy Iglésias, Manuel Renaudie, Francesco Laudato, or Roberto Toninelli. As regards youngsters, the most conspicuous ones should be Norman Nato, Angelo Lombardo, Jack Hawksworth, Patrik Hajek and the Pex brothers, as well as two real beginners attracted by a first experience in KZ1 after a good European season at the wheel of “traditional” karts: Oliver Rowland (a driver who is supported by McLaren-Mercedes) and Aaro Vainio (2009 European Super KF Champion). The latter, who is only 15 years and 11 months old, will be the event’s cadet and will have among his fellow competitors a certain Alessandro Piccini, quadruple World Champion and...30 years older than him!
Joining them all will be American Gary Carlton and Canadian Michael Vincec. Carlton has spent the 2009 season winning the Championship Karting International title aboard his CRG machine and will be making his first trip to Europe since ending last year’s European Championship. While Vincec has been absent from the American karting scene this year after earning the Stars of Karting national championship, Vincec has moved to the Birel make in Ontario regional racing and will return to Europe for the first time since competing in last year’s European Championship in the KZ2 division.
The entry list, the time table and some information can be found on http://www.cikfia.com/News2009/sarno.htm |
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