The FIA Karting European Championship – KZ, KZ2 and KZ2 Masters will start this weekend, from 4 to 7 July on the Aragon circuit in Spain. We could say, at last, considering that in recent years the 1st Round of the Euro for the shifter classes has never started so late in the racing season. The reasons for this delay are known and concern the months spent by the FIA in defining the tenders on the tires to be used. In the end Dunlop prevailed, which will thus make its return to top karting after many years of absence. The preparation for this event was therefore not easy and it will be very likely that we will have some surprises in this first weekend of the two foreseen by the Championship format. The surprises that no one hopes for and that should not happen are linked to the performance of the tires: it will be a hot weekend and for the regularity of the event we hope for optimal performance of the tires and also the absence of any differences between the individual sets used in competition.
Having said that, the show on the track will certainly be of the highest level as the KZ categories have always been able to guarantee. All the big names in the shifter classes and the most prestigious teams will give an exciting challenge, both in this first event in Spain and in the 2nd and final round scheduled in Italy on the Val Vibrata track at the beginning of September.
The CRG Racing Team will take part in the event with the full lineup led in the KZ category by the 2022 World Champion Viktor Gustavsson. Jeremy Iglesias and Arthur Carbonnel will also race alongside him in the top class. In KZ2, however, Paavo Tonteri will defend the CRG colors together with Alessandro Minetto, Alvar Siimesvaara and Jan Luka Worthmann. Finally, in the KZ2 Masters category, introduced two years ago by the FIA for drivers over 35 years of age, CRG will line up Timur Timerzyanov. As for the drivers, it must also be said of the presence in the KZ category with the Kalì Kart brand of Jorge Pescador, who will thus make his competitive return after a year’s break to take care of his team in Spain with the Kalì Kart brand.
The race format will be the usual one for FIA Karting events and includes the Qualifying Practice and the first Heats on Friday, and then continuing with the Heats throughout Saturday. The Super Heat and the Finals are scheduled for Sunday, when in addition to the winners, we will also have the first Championship standings, which will also take into account the placings in the qualifying phases, as well as in the Final.
To follow the Live Timing and Live Streaming it will be possible to connect to the website www.fiakarting.com
CRG drivers’ expectations:
Viktor Gustavsson (KZ): “We get to this event with little useful data, as the tires we will use in the race were made available very late. This unknown will obviously affect all the teams and we will find out if the preparation work done has been truly effective, only after the first comparison with the competitors on the track following the first two days of the race. Our chassis is very versatile and I believe that this aspect will be in our favor, just as among our strong points we will always have the engine part with the support and the experience of TM and Gianfranco Galiffa. We are all eager to race and finally start this somewhat anomalous season”.
Paavo Tonteri (KZ2): “The long wait is over and, finally, we can start this European Championship. We have the technical potential to do a good job and be competitive and as far as I’m concerned, I also have a good feeling with this track that I really like. It certainly wasn’t easy to get ready in the best way ever, but the experience of the CRG technical staff will certainly be a factor in our favor.”
