FIA Karting Prize Giving ceremony 2018
The 2018 FIA Karting Champions were celebrated on Saturday, 1st December, 2018 in the halls of the Hotel President Wilson in Geneva (CHE) during an awards ceremony organised by the CIK-FIA in the presence of Jean Todt, FIA President, Peter Bayer, FIA Secretary General for Sport, Felipe Massa, CIK-FIA President, outgoing Vice-President Kees van de Grint, Promoter James Geidel and many guests.
Jean Todt launched the evening during his opening speech. The FIA President hightlighted the important role of Karting as the first level of Motor Sport, as well as its role in the FIA campaign dedicated to road safety. He then spoke of the remarkable electric karting experience at the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires (ARG) last October. Finally, Jean Todt hailed the particularly effective work of Kees van de Grint as CIK-FIA Vice-President since November 2010 and took the opportunity to congratulate Kay Oberheide, the CIK-FIA Executive Secretary and all his team.
The three FIA Karting World Champions of 2018 received their trophies to the applause of the guests: Lorenzo Travisanutto (ITA) in OK, Victor Bernier (FRA) in OK-Junior and Patrik Hajek (CZE) in KZ. All three will be invited to the FIA awards ceremony on 7th December in St. Petersburg (RUS). The European Champions, the winner of the International Super Cup, the top three of the FIA Karting Academy Trophy and the FIA Karting Endurance Champion have also been recognised. Ksenia Pkoenix (RUS) received the award from the FIA Women in Motor Sport Commission for the best female performance in the 2018 FIA Karting Academy Trophy.
The Best Event Trophy of the 2018 FIA Karting Championship season was awarded to Limburg Karting (BEL), represented by Koen Lemmens, for the very high quality of the organisation of the FIA Karting World Championship - KZ, the FIA Karting International Super Cup - KZ2, the final FIA Karting Academy Trophy Competition and the FIA Karting Historic Super Cup on the Belgian Horensbergdam circuit in Genk, "the Home of Champions".
Outgoing CIK-FIA Vice-President Kees van de Grint received the trophy "In honour of his long and exceptional contribution to Karting" for his decisive action during his eight years term.
The evening was punctuated by the projection of beautiful videos retracing the past sporting year. The guests received the traditional "Best-Of" published by the CIK-FIA, a superb collector's book of more than 145 pages in large format, recalling the highlights of the 2018 season in text and images.