Sodikart dominates the opening round of the European KZ2 Championship
In Valencia, the sensational results obtained at the Champions of the Future Shifter event were confirmed more than ever for Sodikart during the first round of the 2025 FIA Karting European Championship: Three drivers in the top five, two on the podium and victory for Max Orlov in KZ2. CPB Sport and the Sodi / TM machines have already taken the lead in the Team Championship. The drivers entered in KZ also battled at the front throughout the Spanish competition.
Success after success for Sodi!
After the WSK Super Master Series title and the hat-trick in Valencia a week before the European Championship, the French brand continued its winning streak in KZ2, demonstrating the undeniable qualities of the Sodi chassis against strong competition. On the one hand, many drivers chose it for this very important event, with almost 18% of the field in KZ2. On the track, Maksim Orlov reigned supreme: pole position, victories in the three heats, a successful Super Heat, followed by a Final that was controlled from the first to the last lap.
The only driver to beat Orlov in the Final was his teammate Kasper Schormans, who set the fastest lap of the race. 2nd on the grid and 2nd at the first corner behind Orlov, Schormans nevertheless lost his 2nd place after a severe penalty, the Dutchman having moved slightly during the start procedure. Another Sodi / TM Kart, that of Maximilian Schleimer, completed the top three ahead of Schormans, who remains well placed in the provisional Championship standings. Disappointed by his performance in Qualifying, Dion Van Werven climbed from 40th to 13th place over the two days. Timo Jüngling could have started 8th in the Final if he hadn't retired on the last lap of the Super Heat, when he was in 3rd place. As for Tom Dussol, who made his KZ2 debut at the start of the season, he finished 15th after gaining 18 places.
Jean Nomblot on the front row in KZ
In the premier class, Jean Nomblot and Mattéo Spirgel started their European Championship in 2nd and 3rd place during Qualifying Practice. A collision in the Super Heat set Spirgel back, but he came home 7th in the Final. Unfortunately, it was at this point that Nomblot was forced to retire, even though he had retained his place on the front row thanks to his unrivalled competitiveness, as demonstrated by his fastest lap in Heat 3. As for Senna Van Walstijn, he had just completed the first lap in 5th position after a magnificent start, when a mechanical problem forced him to retire. Sodikart nevertheless finished 3rd in the Team Championship.
Comments from team manager Paul Bizalion
"Our trip to Valencia ended with a total of eight podium finishes in the space of 10 days! Sodikart and the CPB Sport team can be proud of all the hard work they've put in. I'd like to congratulate the drivers and our engine manufacturers, Sani Compétition and Cédric Sport Motors. In KZ2, we have a European Championship title to defend and, after Orlov's victory and the performances of Schleimer and Schormans, we are in an excellent position to achieve our objectives. In KZ, the standard of competition remains extremely high. I can see that our rivals have also worked hard and that the European Championship promises to be difficult, but we'll have to be on our guard for victory in Sarno and Mülsen.”