The Mondokart.com FIA Karting European Championship for gearbox categories got underway in the heat of the Naples International Circuit, with temperatures well in excess of 30 degrees. Qualifying Practice enabled the establishment of an initial hierarchy. Frenchman Mattéo Spirgel set the fastest absolute time in KZ, while his compatriot Corentin Rousseau took first place in KZ2. Manuel Cozzaglio, European Champion in 2003 and now competing in the Masters, showed that he had lost none of his talent when he was fastest in his category.
KZ: Extremely close gaps behind Mattéo Spirgel
The track has evolved since the previous edition of the FIA Karting European Championship held at Sarno in 2023. Extended to 1,670 metres with a new section in the sector just before the start line, the track was perfectly mastered by Mattéo Spirgel (FRA) who needed just two laps at full power to reach 57.791, at an average speed of 104 km/h. Faster by less than 4 hundredths, he denied Pedro Hiltbrand (ESP) a second consecutive pole position. The winner of the opening race nevertheless remains well placed for the rest of the competition. Italians Giuseppe Palomba and Danilo Albanese are in hot pursuit, with lap times very close to the leading duo. Tom Leuillet (FRA) placed a fifth chassis brand and a third engine manufacturer in the top five.
There was a gap of just 2 tenths between first and tenth, suggesting that the races will be hotly contested right up to the end of the Final. In addition to Free Practice and Qualifying, a first Qualifying Heat was scheduled for Friday. Spirgel led from start to finish, while Albanese finished second ahead of Hiltbrand, the fastest man on track.
Top six in KZ Qualifying
1- Spirgel, Mattéo (FRA - Sodi / TM Kart / Dunlop) - 57.791
2- Hiltbrand, Pedro (ESP - Birelart / TM Kart / Dunlop) - 57.830
3- Palomba, Giuseppe (ITA - Maranello / TM Kart / Dunlop) - 57.865
4- Albanese, Danilo (ITA - KR / IAME / Dunlop) - 57.872
5- Leuillet, Tom (FRA - Tony Kart / Vortex / Dunlop) - 57.896
6- Bertuca Cristian (ITA - Birelart / TM Kart / Dunlop) - 57.921
KZ2: Corentin Rousseau creates a surprise
The 56 drivers were divided into three groups. In Group 1, Corentin Rousseau (FRA) was one of the few to complete three fast laps. Thanks to a time of 57.993 set at the end of the session he got the better of Maksim Orlov and Dion Van Werven (NED), separated by just 2 thousandths with respective laps of 58.021 and 58.023. Like Rousseau, Markus Kajak (EST) managed to dip under the 58-second barrier in 57.997, but without beating the Frenchman's reference time. Maximilian Schleimer (GER) and Genis Civico Espona (ESP) were just behind Kajak. Group 3 was slower, confirming Rousseau's pole position. With a time of 58.050, Samuele Leopardi (ITA) was the fastest in this group ahead of Kasper Schormans (NED) and Matej Preuss (CZE).
Two Qualifying Heats were held shortly afterwards in this category. The clash between groups C and D was won by Orlov, the Championship leader, ahead of Van Werven and Leopardi. In the A/B heat, Kajak quickly got the better of Rousseau before holding off his opponent to the end, letting Preuss come back to third position.
Top six in KZ2 Qualifying
1- Rousseau, Corentin (FRA - Birelart / TM Kart / Dunlop) - 57.993 (Gr.1)
2- Kajak, Markus (EST - IPK / TM Kart / Dunlop) - 57.997 (Gr.2)
3- Leopardi, Samuele (ITA - Birelart / TM Kart / Dunlop) - 58.050 (Gr.3)
4- Orlov, Maksim (Sodi / TM Racing / Dunlop) - 58.021 (Gr.1)
5- Schleimer, Maximilian (GER - Sodi / TM Kart / Dunlop) - 58.090 (Gr.2)
6- Schormans, Kasper (NED - Sodi / TM Kart / Dunlop) - 58.108 (Gr.3)
KZ2 Masters: Manuel Cozzaglio fastest in the 35+ category
Unlike the other two categories, which have a calendar spread over three stages with the last organised in July in Germany, the Mondokart.com FIA Karting European Championship - KZ2 Masters is played out over a single competition. It was therefore important to immediately move to the top of the hierarchy and this is what Manuel Cozzaglio managed to do with a time of 58.636. A former specialist in KZ2 and then KZ in the 2000s, with a European title to his name, the Italian was overwhelmed by the news that he had won pole position. Among the many drivers Cozzaglio has crossed paths with during his career, there are a few who are determined to stand in his way at Sarno, starting with four other Italians ranked just behind him: Davide Fore, Antonio Piccioni, Angelo Lombardo and Andrea Spagni.
Third in this Championship in 2024, Kristijan Habulin (CRO) intends to beat the Italians at the foot of Vesuvius. In the first Qualifying Heat, won by Davide Fore, he climbed to second place. The fastest lap of the race went to Antonio Piccioni, who finished third. Angelo Lombardo and Manuel Cozzaglio also made a strong impression, but lost places due to penalties for incorrectly positioned front fairings.
Top six in KZ2 Master Qualifying
1- Cozzaglio, Manuel (ITA - Birelart / TM Kart / Dunlop) - 58.636
2- Fore, Davide (ITA - IPK / TM Kart / Dunlop) - 58.680
3- Piccioni, Antonio (ITA - TK / TM Kart / Dunlop) - 58.790
4- Lombardo, Angelo (ITA - Maranello / TM Kart / Dunlop) - 58.824
5- Spagni, Andrea (ITA - Birelart / TM Kart / Dunlop) - 58.985
6- Habulin, Kristijan (CRO - TB Kart / TM Kart / Dunlop) - 59.012
Continuation of the provisional programme for the Sarno event
Saturday 21st June
09.15 - 10.10: Warm-up
10.20 - 13.25: Qualifying Heats
14.50 - 15.10: KZ2 Masters Super Heat
15.25 - 15.45: KZ Super Heat
Sunday 22nd June
09.15 - 10.10: Warm-up
10.50 - 11.10: KZ2 Super Heats
12.30 - 15.30: Finals and podiums
You can follow the Sarno event with live timing and streaming on fiakarting.com.