05/06/2013

IN GENK, IN BELGIUM, MARCO ZANCHETTA'S DREAM TO WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP GOT SHATTERED IN THE FIRST FINAL ON SATURDAY, WHEN HIS GEAR LEVER BROKE. HIS SEASON, ANYWAY, HAS BEEN EXCELLENT; AS EXCELLENT AS THE PERFORMANCE OF THE RS10 CHASSIS. IN THE LAST ROUND OF THE WSK, GOOD RESULTS ALSO FOR YANNICK DE BRABANDER, WHO GRABBED THE POLE POSITION IN KZ1.

Genk (Belgium). SGrace/Maranello Kart and Marco Zanchetta finished the fourth round of the WSK Series holding their heads high. Unfortunately, the Italian driver did not manage to win the title of the European series in KZ2 for a trivial and rare techical breakdown which, all at once, wiped out the lead he had in the championship. Eventually, Zanchetta had to be content with the second place in the Series, even though he definitely played a leading role with his four victories, one pole position, and four fastest laps in the eight finals of the season.

Marco Zanchetta arrived in Belgium with a 33 point lead; he was focused and motivated to win the WSK Euro Series.

After setting the fourth time in qualifying and driving two good heats on Saturday, Zanchetta managed to be with the top drivers in Final 1. He was pursuing Riccardo Negro, his only rival for the championship, when he was suddenly obliged to retire: his gear lever broke at lap four, and from that moment onward the situation started to get really tricky.

So, before Sunday's Final, Zanchetta lost his 33 point lead and fell two points behind the first position. Apparently nothing to be worried about, but according to regulations Zanchetta had to start in the two qualifying heats from the position achieved at the arrival of Final 1: for the Italian driver this meant starting from the last slot on the starting grid. Despite that, the Maranello Kart driver managed to recover and gained the fifth slot on the starting grid of Final 2.

In the tussle of the first laps, Zanchetta paid dear the impetuousness of some of his rivals and dropped back to 10th position. He didn't give in and closed the gap with Negro, who in the meantime had slipped back to third position. The final showdown between the two protagonists was absolutely gripping, but eventually it was Negro who got onto the third step of the podium behind Johansson and Antonsen. Zanchetta followed closely, only three tenths of a second behind and with the fastest lap of the race. These three tenths of a second made the difference in the Series, with Negro at 224 and Zanchetta at 217 points.

It could have gone better, but despite all the result is positive for Maranello Kart, which can close a first part of the season raced at top level, confirming the winning qualities of the RS10 chassis used by Marco Zanchetta in KZ2.

This is Marco Zanchetta's comment: I'm a bit disappointed for how Saturday's Final finished. My gear lever broke and, for me, the championship ended on that precise moment. I was sure I could win, but it didn't go how I expected. In Final 2 I had some trouble at the beginning of the race, but despite all I managed to recover. I did the best I could, but it wasn't enough. I'm sorry. My compliments to Negro, whose racing season has been very good so far. I want to say thank you to the whole Maranello Kart team and to my father: they both supported me. Second place is not so bad, but I think I deserved the title after all the great achievements of the championship. Let's hope to do better in the European Championship."

In Genk, also Yannick De Brabander raced in KZ1 for Maranello Kart, in view of the European Championship on schedule for the end of June, always on the Belgian track.

De Brabander made himself conspicuous grabbing a terrific pole position in qualifying, followed by a victory in the first heat of the weekend.

Unfortunately, a loss of engine power conditioned his second heat, and at the beginning of Final 1 on Saturday he was obliged to retire. The Belgian driver redeemed himself in Final 2 on Sunday, driving at top level and finishing in eighth position.

Luca Iannaccone, Maranello Kart responsible: I want to say thank you to Marco Zanchetta for his professionalism during the championship. Of course, we would have been very pleased if we had won the WSK Euro Series in KZ2, but - anyway - we are satisfied for the second place. This year, after two rather hard seasons, we have gathered some good results. We didn't win the WSK only because of bad luck, but we showed how performing our equipment is. Let's hope to have better luck in the European Championship: Marco Zanchetta will be the protagonist in KZ2 and Yannick De Brabander in KZ1.

KZ2 WSK EURO SERIES FINAL STANDINGS.
1. Negro 224; 2. Zanchetta 217; 3. Midrla 133; 4. Johansson 87; 5. Antonsen 74; 6. Celenta 52; 7. Juodvirsis 50; 8. Dragan 41; 9. Cunati 35; 10. Kremers 31.