The second official day of competition, which saw the end of the Qualifying Heats and the first Super Heats, took place in stifling heat on the Naples International Circuit. A number of trends from Qualifying Practice for the Mondokart.com FIA Karting European Championship were confirmed, but certain races showed that things can change very quickly. Mattéo Spirgel in KZ, Maksim Orlov in KZ2 and Davide Fore in KZ2 Masters will attack the end of the competition in leading positions.
KZ: Spirgel remains under pressure from Hiltbrand
After taking pole position and brilliant successes in the three Qualifying Heats, Mattéo Spirgel (FRA) lost out to Pedro Hiltbrand (ESP) in the Super Heat. Spirgel remains leader in the final intermediate rankings, but the duel between the two drivers is set to continue in breathtaking fashion in Sunday's Final. It would be fair not to forget several of their potential rivals. Giuseppe Palomba (ITA), who lives just a few kilometres from the Sarno circuit, showed that he was determined to be a spoilsport by taking second place between Hiltbrand and Spirgel in the Super Heat.
Danilo Albanese (ITA) was a consistent performer throughout the three Qualifying Heats and started from third position in the Super Heat, but a collision forced him to retire at Turn 2. Other incidents involved Senna Van Walstijn (NED), Daniel Vasile (ROU) and David Trefilov (DEU), which significantly altered the grid for the Final. Behind Palomba, Emilien Denner (FRA) took fourth place ahead of Cristian Bertuca (ITA). Seventh behind Albanese, Tom Leuillet (FRA) remains well placed on the points table ahead of his team-mate Francesco Celenta (ITA).
Top six after the KZ Super Heat
1- Spirgel, Mattéo (FRA - Sodi / TM Kart / Dunlop)
2- Hiltbrand, Pedro (ESP - Birelart / TM Kart / Dunlop)
3- Palomba, Giuseppe (ITA - Maranello / TM Kart / Dunlop)
4- Denner, Emilien (FRA - IPK / TM Kart / Dunlop)
5- Bertuca Cristian (ITA - Birelart / TM Kart / Dunlop)
6- Albanese, Danilo (ITA - KR / IAME / Dunlop)
KZ2: Orlov takes over from Rousseau at the top of the ranking
Saturday's programme included the last four Qualifying Heats. In this category, the 36 finalists will not be decided until Sunday morning after two Super Heats. Maksim Orlov, winner of the opening round of the Championship in Valencia, once again made a strong impression, winning all three of his heats. With his two victories, Markus Kajak (EST) is a solid opponent for the current overall leader. Elie Goldstein (BEL) also had the honour of winning a heat, but the Belgian suffered an incident in one of Friday's races and will have to make the most of the Super Heat to close in on the podium contenders.
Corentin Rousseau (FRA) lost the advantage of his pole position from Qualifying Practice, but remains more than ever a podium contender, as do Samuele Leopardi (ITA) and Kasper Schormans (NED). Marek Skrivan (CZE) has made up 13 places since Qualifying and is now seventh behind Juho Valtanen (FIN). Samuel Luyet (SUI) has moved up 15 places in 24 hours and is now ninth between Dominik Simek (CZE) and Arthur Poulain (FRA). The main losers in these Qualifying Heats were Maximilian Schleimer (GER), Dion Van Werven (NED) and Matej Preuss (CZE).
Top six after the KZ2 heats
1- Orlov, Maksim (Sodi / TM Racing / Dunlop)
2- Kajak, Markus (EST - IPK / TM Kart / Dunlop)
3- Rousseau, Corentin (FRA - Birelart / TM Kart / Dunlop)
4- Leopardi, Samuele (ITA - Birelart / TM Kart / Dunlop)
5- Schormans, Kasper (NED - Sodi / TM Kart / Dunlop)
6- Valtanen, Juho (FIN - Birelart / TM Kart / Dunlop)
KZ2 Masters: Davide Fore takes the lead
As motivated as young hopefuls, the drivers aged 35 and over showed maximum determination in the furnace of the Sarno circuit. Three drivers succeeded one another in the lead. Leader of the competition after a magnificent pole position, Manuel Cozzaglio (ITA) then had to give way to two other former FIA Karting European Champions: Davide Fore (ITA), winner of two heats, and Angelo Lombardo (ITA). The latter won one heat and crossed the finish line first in the Super Heat, before being penalised for not respecting the starting procedure.
Antonio Piccioni (ITA), who has been extremely consistent with three third places in the heats and fifth place in the Super Heat, will sit on the inside of the second row of the grid in the Final alongside Cozzaglio, behind Fore and Lombardo. And let's not forget the reigning European Champion, Riccardo Nalon (ITA), who came sixth in the final intermediate classification, sandwiched between Alessio La Martina (ITA) and Kristijan Habulin (CRO).
As in the other two categories, everyone will start the Final with a set of new Dunlop tyres.
Top six after the KZ2 Master Super Heat
1- Cozzaglio, Manuel (ITA - Birelart / TM Kart / Dunlop)
2- Fore, Davide (ITA - IPK / TM Kart / Dunlop)
3- Piccioni, Antonio (ITA - TK / TM Kart / Dunlop)
4- Lombardo, Angelo (ITA - Maranello / TM Kart / Dunlop)
5- La Martina, Alessio (ITA - KR / TM Kart / Dunlop)
6- Nalon, Riccardo (ITA - Parolin / TM Kart / Dunlop)
Continuation of the provisional programme for the Sarno event
Sunday 22nd June
09.15 - 10.10: Warm-up
10.50 - 11.10: KZ2 Super Heats
12.30 - 15.30: Finals and podiums