The CRG Racing Team and Ethan Jeff-Hall are the 2024 World Champions of the OK category, the top direct drive class. The event, the most prestigious and important of the international season, was held in England at the PF International Circuit from September 12th to 15th. This circuit has always been a battlefield for English drivers and this year too was no exception, with an all-English podium in OK and an English winner in Junior. For the CRG colours, this prestigious success enriches our wall of fame in FIA events, bringing the world titles won to 25.
Ethan Jeff-Hall joined the CRG team only at the end of the season and throughout the weekend he was simply perfect, both on a dry and wet track. In the qualifying practice he obtained 4th place overall and after the qualifying heats he gained the 1st row next to poleman Joe Turney. Only an hour before the Final heavy rain began on the English track and the decisive race took place with rain tyres and without ever having tested any wet set-up during the weekend. The race was exciting, intense, and was only decided on the last lap when race leader Turney made a small mistake under constant pressure from Ethan, who thus took the lead and won the 2024 title.
This success has an important sporting and commercial value for CRG and repays all the technical staff for the incredible work carried out in this long racing season. Still in the OK category, CRG also brought Olin Galli and Davide Bottaro to the Final: the Brazilian was penalized for the front spoiler, finishing in 14th place and Davide Bottaro, unfortunately, was involved in a contact during the first lap. In the OK Junior category Mats Van Rooijen had a solid weekend, excellent 3rd overall in the qualifying practice and then always at the top in the heats too. But unfortunately in the Final a race contact relegated him, causing him to miss out on a significant result. Asher Ochstein and Manuel Miguez were also unlucky in OK Junior, out of the Final due to some contacts and problems in the heats despite excellent speed. The complete results of the FIA World Championship OK and OK Junior are available on the website www.fiakarting.com
Comment from the protagonists:
Ethan Jeff-Hall (World Champion 2024 – OK): “I can never thank the team enough for the work they did this weekend. Everything was perfect: KT2 chassis, Iame engine and the work of the staff. I want to thank Eddy Tinini, Brandon, Natalia and all the guys who made this result possible. We were very fast on the dry track and we knew we could have our chances in the race, but then when the rain came everything became more complicated because at any moment a mistake could have ruined the work done. Instead, the feeling I had from the first laps was incredible, the set up was perfect and I was able to put constant pressure on Turney, until the final overtaking. Now we can celebrate an amazing success and write a new title in CRG’s palmares.”
Mats Van Rooijen (OK Junior): “It was a very positive weekend with an exceptional performance in qualifying and an excellent race pace in the heats. The rain didn’t help us in the Final, but we leave this event knowing that we did a good job as a team. PF International is a very difficult track which has always favored English drviers who know it well. But I would say that we were at their level and did a good job.”
Brandon Nilsson and Natalia Balbo (CRG Team managers): “We are both very happy with this success, because on the one hand it repays the disappointment of the title lost last year in Italy and on the other hand it repays us for the incredible work done this year, both from a technical and logistical point of view, due to a calendar that certainly did not make the teams’ work easier. The World title is also important from a commercial point of view and confirms how the KT2 chassis is one of the most competitive and versatile on the market. The models that CRG will market in 2025 are the result of the intense development of this season finale and the 2024 title will be a great added value for our dealer network around the world. We have to thank all the drivers and the technical staff, but above all congratulate Ethan because he had a perfect weekend. Now a few hours to celebrate and then back to work for the FIA World Championship KZ which we will prepare with a few days of testing and the Champions of the Future race.“
