End of august, the IAME Euro Series came to an end in Belgium at the Mariembourg circuit. Andy Ratel fought with the determination and grit that drive him in every race he competes in. The talented French kart driver's flawless performance in the X30 Senior category deserved a place in the top five, both in the final and in the overall standings of this important and highly competitive international series. He ultimately left Wallonia with a top-12 finish and the title of best French driver, which was quite far from his initial expectations.

Changing weather conditions

Often among the fastest in free practice in the IAME Euro Series this season, Andy and the Pantano Racing Team struggled this time to find optimal performance in the various timed sessions before official qualifying. "We may not have prepared for this last race as well as the previous ones, which didn't help us," Andy noted. "In the end, it rained just before qualifying, so we put on the rain tyres and I did better, finishing 10th out of a total of 70 drivers."

His qualifying heats began with a 4th place finish, before switching back to slicks for the next four heats. Still lacking a little competitiveness in these conditions, Andy nevertheless managed to stay in the top 10 thanks to excellent starts and impressive consistency: P7-P3-P3-P7. "I even managed to lead one race, but I couldn't withstand the pressure from my opponents." Andy then secured 6th place in the super race, but still struggled.

Lap of honour for Andy Ratel with his team

"I wasn't very optimistic about the final, and it turned out to be a tough race. I couldn't do better than 13th. I lost too many places at the start of the race because I really lacked grip. It's a shame, I would have liked to finish the series on a high note. After finishing sixth in 2024, the goal of improving on that ranking was not achieved. Twelfth overall and best Frenchman is only a small consolation, but I'm already ready to bounce back."

"I would like to thank the Pantano Racing Team for these two years under their colours and the many podium finishes we achieved. A new adventure awaits me, and I will have the opportunity to unveil my new project very soon."