Full field at season-opener in Belgium. Weather conditions mix things up on Sunday. Danilo Albanese leads the DKM standings after opening race weekend.
The German Kart Championship (DKM) returned from its six-month winter break at the weekend, as 179 drivers kicked off the new season with the series‘ first trip to Mariembourg in Belgium. The 1,352-metre track at Karting des Fagnes International Circuit provided a perfect stage for the season-opener and witnessed some thrilling racing, with the weather playing its part in the drama. On Sunday morning, rain really shook up the standings in the various classes. However, it was dry again by the finals and Danilo Albanese (DKM), Erik Poulsen (DJKM), Matej Preuss (DSKC), Devin Titz (DJKM), Tom Wickop (X30 Junior) and Lars Ramaer (X30 Senior) eventually lifted the trophies on the Sunday evening.
DKM: Danilo Albanese wins opening round of the season
An international field of drivers from twelve countries lined up in the German Kart Championship, including reigning champion Markus Kajak (Formula K SRP Factory Team). However, right from qualifying the Estonian found himself playing catch-up. Danilo Albanese (KR Motorsport) took the 32five Pole Position Award and then refused to give up the lead in the subsequent heats.
A wet track added extra tension to proceedings in Sunday’s Super Heat. Albanese surrendered his top spot and had to settle for fourth place, with victory going to Emilien Denner (Formula K SRP Factory Team) from France. However, Albanese soon got his weekend back on track on a dry surface in the final. He led from the start and controlled the race through to the finish. “We had a really good weekend and set the pace right from qualifying. Only on the damp track in the Super Heat did we miss out a bit,” said the championship leader, summing up his opening event of the season. In second place behind the Italian was Kajak, followed by Dion Van Werven (CPB Sport), Jean Luyet and David Trefilov (Formula K SRP Factory Team).
DKM standings: 1. Danilo Albanese (101 points) 2. David Trefilov (82 points) 3. Emilien Denner (68 points) 4. Markus Kajak (65 points) 5. Christiaan De Kleijn (56 points)
DJKM: Dominant display from Erik Poulsen
He came, he saw, he conquered: there was no beating An Erik Poulsen (Poulsen Motorsport) at the weekend. Right from practice, the Swede was the fastest OK Junior driver, and he refused to be shifted from first place until the chequered flag fell in the final. Speaking in an interview after winning the season-opener, Poulsen was visibly pleased with his weekend’s work: “My strategy for the final was to pull clear of the field at the start, and then to enjoy the race without any pressure. That worked out superbly and made it a successful end to the weekend.”
Behind the leader, the rest of the youngsters produced some fierce battles for position in the final. At times, a group of four were embroiled in a dramatic race to finish in the top five, with positions changing hands on numerous occasions. Marc Alexander Reistrup (CRG Holland) crossed the finish line as the ‘best of the rest’ in second place. Reigning Mini champion Milan Rossi (DAP Lanari Racing Team) followed him home in third place, ahead of Benjamin Poulsen (Poulsen Motorsport) and Martina Rumlenova (MVM Racing Team).
DJKM standings: 1. Erik Poulsen (101 points) 2. Marc Alexander Reistrup (88 points) 3. Milan Rossi (70 points) 4. Martina Rumlenova (58 points) 5. Benjamin Poulsen (56 points)
DSKC: Matej Preuss triumphs in final
There was plenty happening in the DMSB Shift Kart Cup. Jayden Thien was the fastest of the 50-man field in qualifying. Thien then lost the top spot in the heats, finishing behind local favourite Lenn Nijs (DAP TB Racing Team).
The drivers were faced with damper conditions on Sunday, and it was Matej Preuss (Formula K SRP Factory Team) from the Czech Republic who coped best and won the Super Heat. He carried that momentum into the final and claimed victory in the opening event of the season. “The weekend was a big challenge for me. I had never driven at this circuit before, and was making my debut in the DSKC. The victory comes as a big surprise to me. I obviously hope I can continue this way,” said the DSKC newcomer. Light drizzle put the drivers’ skills to the test over the course of the 18-lap race. Pole-sitter Thien finished second, followed by Lauritz Sachse (Henza Racing Team), Emanuel Mai (Mach1 Motorsport) and Jeffrey Fiske.
DSKC standings: 1. Jayden Thien (91 points) 2. Matej Preuss (88 points) 3. Lenn Nijs (69 points) 4. Lauritz Sachse (68 points) 5. Emanuel Mai (60 points)
DMKM: Dominant victory in the final for Devin Titz
Devin Titz wasted little time in stamping his authority on the event in Mariembourg with clearly the fastest time in qualifying. He then continued that dominance in the heats on Saturday. He comfortably won both races and topped the classification going into the finals on Sunday. The Super Heat was an exciting affair. With the Minis awaiting the start on the grid, the rain started to fall. Race director Horst Seidl delayed the start, and the majority of the youngsters switched to wet tyres. Titz did not get away well this time, and dropped back through the field after a spin. He eventually had to settle for eighth place. The winner was Henri Möhring (7L-Performance) from Hesse, who showed the best pace on the wet track and secured second place on the grid for the final.
However, it was Titz, starting from pole position, who reasserted his dominance and took victory in the final. “I had a very good weekend. The only time I had any real trouble was in the Super Heat. However, the final was good again and I am very happy with the result,” said the beaming winner at the finish. Runner-up Jan Ruudi Algre (Formula K SRP Factory Team) also pulled clear of the rest of the field on his way to the second step on the podium. The battle for third place was a tense one – several youngsters were bunched closely together, even side-by-side through some corners. The race for the final podium place went right down to the wire, with Joans Pundys (Paske Racing) leading home Jonas Hubacek and Möhring.
DMKM standings: 1. Devin Titz (101 points) 2. Henri Möhring (65 points) 3. Jan Ruudi Algre (54 points) 4. Noel Mannsperger (50 points) 5. Leon Walczak (46 points)
X30 Junior: Tim Wickop wins Junior final
Ben Götz (Ebert Motorsport) made the best start to the new season. He was fastest around the 1,352-metre track in qualifying and was among the front-runners in the heats too. By the evening, it was a different driver at the top of the classification: Emilio Bernd (EB-Sportpromotion). The driver from Türkheim won one heat and finished runner-up in another. Rain then ensured there was plenty of action in the lead-up to Sunday’s Super Heat, with the crews racing to switch from slicks to wet-weather tyres before the start. Bink van Scheijndel (Falcon Racing Team) found the best set-up, allowing the Dutchman to climb to the front of the field from fifth on the grid and secure pole position for the final.
The final produced a feast of battles, including one between Bernd and Noah Nölken (DUTT Motorsport by Fenster.com), who both collided whilst fighting for a place on the podium. While Bernd was unable to continue at all, Nölken finished well down in 19th place. Tom Wickop (VM Energy Corse German) used this phase to move clear in first place, and went on to take the chequered flag as the jubilant winner. “I had a good feeling all weekend and knew we had the opportunity to challenge at the very front. I was then confident going into the final and am thrilled to stand on the top step of the podium as the winner,” said Wickop after the presentation ceremony. Aron Weeda (Henza Racing Team) enjoyed a fine comeback, finishing runner-up ahead of Super Heat winner van Scheijndel, Lias Erbersdobler (Haupt Racing Team) and Rookie Carlos Nees (Nees Racing).
X30 Junior standings: 1. Tom Wickop (87 points) 2. Lias Erbersdobler (74 points) 3. Ben Götz (73 points) 4. Aron Weeda (60 points) 5. Yves Ris (58 points)
X30 Senior: Rookie Lars Ramaer wins dramatic final
45 X30 Senior lined up in Mariembourg, and came up against a rookie in top form. Last year’s runner-up in the X30 Junior class, Lars Ramaer (Haupt Racing Team), won qualifying and then came out on top in the two heats. Two different protagonists were victorious in the Super Heats on a wet track on Sunday morning. Dutchmen Quinten Van Leeuwen (Henza Racing Team) and Kevin Lantinga (RMW Motorsport) each won a heat, but Ramaer held onto top spot in the overall classification.
The big showdown came in the final. After a poor start, Ramaer found himself back in the pack. In the race for victory, it was other drivers trading blows at the start. By the halfway point of the race, the top ten were bunched closely together and spectators were treated to a remarkable battle for position, with up to four karts side-by-side in corners at times. There was no real let-up in the action until the chequered flag. First across the finish line was Sem van der Heijden (Haupt Racing Team) from the Netherlands. However, he was handed a five-second penalty for pushing, which saw him relegated to tenth place. The new winner was Ramaer, who had fought back impressively in the second half of the race and was delighted with his success: “I had an eventful start and was running as low as eleventh at one point. However, I battled back through the field over the course of the race and am now holding the winner’s trophy.” Kevin Lantinga, Lukas Horcicka, last year’s X30 Junior champion Marius Bonconseil (Ebert Motorsport) and Daniel Brozovic (VM Energy Corse Germany) made up the rest of the top five.
X30 Senior standings: 1. Lars Ramaer (points) 2. Kevin Lantinga (points) 3. Quinten Van Leeuwen (points) 4. Daniel Brozovic (points) 5. Aaron Garcia Lopez (points)
The German Kart Championship returns to action in six weeks (31.05.-01.06.), when Arena E in Mülsen (Saxony) hosts the next round of races.
