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18th November 2013

CIK-FIA World KF & KFJ Championship at Sakhir (BRN) - Preview

The world of karting is about to award its World Champions for the KF and KFJ categories in Bahrain. The World CIK-FIA KF and KFJ Championship will be hosted by the 1,414 metres of the Viva Karting Track of Sakhir: it is the first time that the CIK-FIA KF and KFJ Championship takes place on the archipelago in the Arabian Gulf. This round comes after the first event on the English circuit of Brandon, at the beginning of September, for the KF category, and – a month ago – on the Italian circuit of Sarno for the KF Junior. So, the two categories are going to meet on the same circuit, from 19th to 23rd November, for the last round of their Championships. The Viva Karting Track is next to the F1 circuit which hosts the Bahrain. This year, in the racing facility 30 kms away from the capital Manama, there is the novelty of the night races, until the Finals day, on Saturday 23rd.

VERSTAPPEN CHASES THE KF TITLE
So far, the results say that the Dutch driver Max Verstappen (CRG-TM-Vega) is the driver to beat in KF. He arrives in Sakhir as the leader of the current standings, after dominating the first round in Brandon (UK). But, before the appointment in Bahrain, Verstappen managed also to win the World CIK-FIA KZ Championship, raced in Varennes (F) on September. The young driver from Hasselt (he is just 16!) arrives in Sakhir eager to complete his ‘collection’ of World Titles. To accomplish his mission, Verstappen will have to deal with 55 drivers. His most dangerous rival is going to be the Danish Nicklas Nielsen (Kosmic-Vortex-Vega), the runner-up of the first round in England. Also the British Ben Hanley (Art GP-TM-Vega) seems to be very competitive: he stepped onto the third step of the podium after beating the Russian Egor Stupenkov (Energy-TM-Vega) in a wheel-to-wheel duel in the Final. Always in Brandon, also the Polish Karol Basz (Tony Kart-Vortex-Vega) made a good impression, even though he did not manage to repeat the good performance of the Prefinal – where he placed second – in the Final. Good chance also for the Canadian Lance Stroll (Zanardi-TM-Vega), immediately behind the top drivers in the Final.

GOOD START FOR PULCINI IN KF JUNIOR
It is the first time that CIK-FIA awards a world title to the International category reserved to junior drivers, and KFJ drivers do not want to lose the opportunity. Maybe this is the reason why there are more than 80 entrants.

Among these drivers, eyes on those who made themselves conspicuous in the first round of Sarno (I) on 6th October. The winner of the race on the Italian racetrack was the Italian Leonardo Pulcini (Tony Kart-Vortex-LeCont), who finished ahead of another Italian, Alessio Lorandi (Tony Kart-Parilla-LeCont), eager to take his revenge in Sakhir: the World Title might be a matter between these two drivers. However, there are good expectations also from other drivers in Bahrain: the Russian Robert Shwartzman (Tony Kart-TM-LeCont), for example, or the English Daniel Ticktum (FA Kart-Vortex-LeCont), both immediately behind the first two drivers in Sarno. Do not forget other possible protagonists such as the Brazilian Giuliano Raucci (Energy-TM-LeCont) and the Indian Jehan Daruvala (FA Kart-Vortex-LeCont), who put in excellent performances in the Prefinal of Sarno, even though they were rather unlucky in the Final.