At the Cremona circuit, Max Orlov claimed the Championship ahead of his team-mates Dion Van Werven and Jenson Graham following a masterful Final race. Sodi chassis secured a one-two-three finish in the KZ2 class, whilst the Sodikart Racing Team showed great promise in Mini Gr.3 thanks to Alfie Garrett’s superb comeback.
Following an intense campaign running from February to July, the WSK Euro Series reached its conclusion this weekend in the heat of Cremona. Facing 47 drivers who had provided the action throughout the season in this premier class, the CPB Sport team reaped the rewards of a year’s hard work by placing its drivers in the top three positions in the Championship, with four of them finishing in the overall top six. To cap off this collective display, Max Orlov secured a brilliant victory in the Final race.
KZ2: Collective dominance built on consistency
The final series standings reflect the performance and consistency of the Sodi chassis. Crowned Champion with 330 points, Max Orlov shone in the last round. Having set the fastest time of the weekend (47.144) and starting from pole position in the Final, he dictated the pace from start to finish to secure an undisputed victory.
Alongside him, Dion Van Werven claimed the runners-up title (249 points). His consistent performances at the front of the field, highlighted in Cremona by a 2nd place in the Prefinal and a 3rd place in the Final, confirm his definitive place amongst the established names in international KZ2. Jenson Graham completed this all-Sodi podium in the Championship (188 points). Finishing 4th at the chequered flag, he saw his efforts rewarded after a year of hard work.
The strength of the CPB Sport team was also evident with Mark Zvarich, who finished a solid 5th in the Final and 6th in the overall standings. True to his attacking style, Simas Baciuska (11th in the Championship) clocked the team’s top speed of 140 km/h. Finally, Mathis Aumaitre and Henrikas Klepikas, having only just returned from injury, showed great fighting spirit by each making up four places in the Prefinal.
Mini Gr.3: an attacking Final for Alfie Garrett
In the youngest category, the Sodikart Racing Team continued to gain experience and reasons for satisfaction. One of the standout performers of the weekend was Alfie Garrett. Starting from 21st on the grid for the Final, he staged a superb comeback, climbing 14 places with 17 overtakes. Crossing the line in 7th place with the fastest lap of the race (54.221), he demonstrated the potential of the kart.
Cees Muijs (#578) also demonstrated impressive speed (a top speed of 101 km/h), finishing 6th in his Prefinal after gaining ten places during the heats. Wang Zhe stood out for his tenacity in the pack, racking up fifteen passes across all heats to secure a place in the top 10 in the Prefinal. As for Chen Qirui, who is still learning the ropes at this level, he continued his steady progress by consistently gaining ground.
Paul Bizalion, Team Principal at CPB Sport
“After last week’s sense of unfinished business at the European Championship, this hat-trick is the finest possible validation of the work carried out by the team. Achieving a hat-trick in a Championship as demanding as the WSK Euro Series is a reward for the consistency and hard work of the whole team, from management to the mechanics, including the Sodikart factory. Max has clinched the title in style, Dion has established himself amongst the category’s elite, and Jenson is reaping the rewards of his perseverance. I am equally proud of the progress made by our young talents and of Henrikas’s courage in making his comeback. We remain humble; a Championship is decided over the long term and the competition is fierce. We’re savouring this moment before turning our attention to Le Mans, where we’ll do everything we can to fly the flag at the highest level and fight once again for the top honour.”
Adrien Leidinger, Team Manager of the Sodikart Racing Team
“This Cremona round was, above all, an excellent development test. The very high temperatures and the high grip levels on the track prompted us to explore different set-up options for our drivers. In the Final, using four new tyres provided us with the technical confirmation we were seeking regarding our chassis. It also marked our return to Vega tyres, which demand more grip than the MG tyres used in the Italian Championship. The overall performance is encouraging, as demonstrated by Alfie’s 7th place. The work continues. We’re heading to Le Mans for the RMCIT, then on to Val Vibrata for the next round of the Italian Championship.”
A team looking to the future
As they leave Lombardy, a sense of satisfaction prevails within the Sodikart team. This KZ2 hat-trick and the competitiveness shown by the chassis against 47 rivals validate the technical choices made by the French manufacturer. Whilst development work continues actively in the Mini class to stabilise these promising performances, the data gathered this weekend boosts confidence.