19/06/2014

First round for the European Championship

The first round of the CIK-FIA European Championship for shifter classes took place in Genk, Belgium. Maranello lines up with Marco Zanchetta and Lorenzo Camplese.

Circuit Horensbergdam – Genk, Belgium – 15 June 2014 The European Championship is one of the key events on the race calendar and, after months of preparation, Maranello leaves Belgium with excellent results and eager to make itself heard. It was clear from the start that it wouldn’t be an easy weekend. Everyone is waiting to see Lorenzo Camplese drive, but he has to skip the event due to a sudden illness. The bitterness is balanced by the awareness that when things like this happen all one can do is be patient and fuel up for the next goal. Marco Zanchetta, on the other hand, has a troubled beginning: after the qualifyings he is 26th, even if just half a second or so from the leader. In the first two heats he, then, goes back to showing what he is capable of, placing 6th and 7th and doing lap times that are second only to a wild Dalè. Yet, things don’t go as well in the third heat (13th) and go even worse in the last one (28th). At the penalties count, Zanchetta is 31st. On Sunday, Zanchetta goes on to do a great race in his prefinal (PF1): he gets past 9 rivals and closes 7th. The result sets him 13th on grid for the final. Here, however, Maranello gets further proof that Belgium means trouble: Zanchetta gains two spots at the start, but on lap 2 a contact sends him to the rear of the field. Even if he continues the race running as fast as the top drivers, he is only 26th across the finish-line. Round 2 in Germany will offer a chance to make “amends”.