In Sweden, the fifth and final round of the 2025 Champions of the Future Euro Series was a triumph for KR chassis and the teams defending the colours of the Kart Republic Global Motorsport Company group. In OK, the entire top eight in the Final was made up of KR-IAME karts. Daniel Kelleher crossed the finish line as the winner ahead of Kenzo Craigie, who won the series ahead of five other KR chassis! In OK-Junior, Noah Baglin dominated the Final, and Devin Walz secured a one-two finish for the Italian brand. Baglin also lifted the championship trophy on the top of the podium.
OK: Highly competitive equipment
The Kart Republic factory prepared perfectly for the two major events in September (Champions of the Future Euro Series and FIA Karting World Championship scheduled for 11th-14th) and gave a perfect demonstration of this at the Asum Ring. Kenzo Craigie (Prema Racing) started by taking pole position, before winning three Qualifying Heats. Thibaut Ramaekers (VDK Racing) took the lead in the overall standings with four wins. Oliver Kinnmark (Koski Motorsport) and Daniel Kelleher (KR Motorsport) won twice, bringing the total number of wins to 11. In the first Super Heat, won by Craigie, there were 10 KRs in the top 11!
In the Final on a dry track, the race was contested between three Kart Republic factory drivers. Ramaekers led the early laps, then Craigie took the lead, but it was Kelleher who took a magnificent victory. Climbing to 4th place ahead of his teammates Jacob Micaleff and Iacopo Martinese, Joe Turney (KR Motorsport) proved he was in good shape just a few days before the World Championship. Zac Drummond and Jesse Phillips, both from the Fusion Motorsport team, completed the top eight, which was made up entirely of KR chassis.
In the overall standings, Kenzo Craigie succeeds Joe Turney as the Champions of the Future Euro Series winner. Thanks to his third place in Kristianstad, Ramaekers is the 2025 vice-champion.
OK-Junior: Baglin, the best over all five rounds
Just over a month after Dean Hoogendoorn (Prema Racing) won the European Championship title in Denmark, his team-mate Noah Baglin claimed the prestigious Champions of the Future Euro Series title. On Friday and Saturday, 12 of the 15 Qualifying Heats were won by KR-IAME drivers. Drivers such as Emiliano Hernandez (DPK Racing) and Valerio Viapiana (Koski Motorsport) proved themselves in a very difficult and competitive environment. Michael McGaughy (Koski Motorsport) won five heats and the Super Heat, but unfortunately did not fare as well in the Final.
During the second lap, Baglin took the lead and sped to victory alone. In the pack, Hoogendoorn achieved a remarkable feat by climbing from 18th to 2nd place with the fastest lap of the race. A rather surprising penalty pushed him back to 7th place. Devin Walz (KR Motorsport) had a solid Final to finish 2nd. Another excellent finisher, Luka Scelles (VictoryLane) came back to 4th after gaining five places.
Comment from Dino Chiesa, head of KR Global Motorsport Company
"I am really pleased to have won both the OK and OK-Junior titles, as the Champions of the Future is a very competitive series contested over a total of five rounds. It shows that we have been consistent and competitive throughout the series. Of course, the World Championship remains the most important event of the season, but luck is always a major factor when everything is decided in a single race. The series organised by RGMMC brings together all the best drivers and the biggest teams on the five circuits also used by FIA Karting, so the titles won by Noah Baglin and Kenzo Craigie are really valuable. In Kristianstad, our equipment proved to be competitive with many other drivers and our various teams, which is positive. The most striking example remains the OK Final with eight KRs in the top eight!”