T.z. CRG SpA k závodu WSK v Sarnu ....

WSK EURO SERIES – SARNO (ITALY), 12th-15th April 2012

CRG WINS IN KF3 WITH ALEX PALOU IN THE RAINY OPENING RACE OF THE WSK EURO SERIES IN SARNO.

IN KZ1 THONON IN THE TWO FINALS PLACES THIRD AND FOURTH

CRG CONFIRMS TO BE A WINNING TEAM IN KF3 AND GETS THE TITLE FOR THE SECOND TIME IN A ROW. IN KZ1 THONON IS AMONG THE MAJOR PROTAGONISTS. IN KZ2 ORCIC (CRG HOLLAND) WINS, WHILE IN THE MINI VICTORY GOES TO MARTINEZ OF GAMOTO TEAM. JOYNER’S SECOND PLACE IN KF2 WAS REVOKED.

Sarno (Salerno - Italy). The rain was the great protagonist - from every point of view - of the opening event of the WSK Euro Series on the International Circuit Napoli of Sarno during the weekend of 15th April. Only the best of international karting - the top drivers and the top constructors - took part in the event: 230 drivers who had to cope with the slippery and wet track of Sarno.

In this conobsah, gret was the satisfaction for CRG official team when Alex Palou achieved an unexpected but fully deserved victory in KF3. The CRG driver literally dominated both the pre-final and the final bringing the Italian factory back to success immediately after last year’s title of the category.

These are not the only good news for CRG: also in the other categories the team got satisfactory results. In KZ1 Jonathan Thonon confirmed his competitiveness: he placed third in the first Saturday Final and was the undisputed winner of Sunday heats, till the fourth place achieved in Final-2 at the end of an eventful race.

In KZ2 CRG’s colours were brought on the podium thanks to the victory of the excellent Canadian Phillip Orcic of CRG Holland and to the third place of Alfredo Daniele Delli Compagni of the Galiffa team. In KF2 only the bad luck prevented Tom Joyner (on LH-Bmb of the Italsport Team) from getting awarded for his second place. Finally, also in the 60 Mini CRG’s colours climbed up the highest step of the podium thanks to the Spanish Eliseo Martinez, winner at his debut with the team Gamoto.

IN KZ1 GREAT THONON. In KZ1, after his briliant third place in Final 1 on Saturday, on Sunday Jonathan Thonon was simply unstoppable and won hands down the two heats. In Final 2, after a rather slow start, Thonon was obliged to recover some positions and, with only fewlaps to go, while getting the third place he bumped into Hanssen. In the finals sprint he placed third behind Dreezen and Lammers, but after the race he received a seven second penalty and left the third step of the podium to Hanssen. The other CRG drivers had more troubles under the rain of Sarno: Mirko Torsellini placed 15th after a good recovery, Fabian Federer 19th and David_claneke Forè 20th after going off track on the gravel.

LENNOX PLACES 6th. Jordan Lennox-Lamb, in KZ2, this time was ’slowed down’ by a virus which forced him to be content with a 9th place in the first final on Saturday while, in the second final on Sunday, he placed third after a good recovery. Unfortunately a 10 second penalty for a jump start pushed him back to a final 6th place. It was the Canadian Philip Orcic of CRG Holland who brought CRG to success after an early brilliant performance in the time trials. For CRG the podium was completed by the excellent third place of Alfredo Daniele Delli Compagni of Galiffa Team.

NOT VERY LUCKY IN KF2. In KF2 CRG lacked good luck. The flu (which struck half CRG team) obliged Luke Varley to quit on Saturday, while Felice Tiene was kicked out of the competition by a couple of accid_clanekents during the heats which prevented him from qualifying for the final phase. Absolutely incredible the accid_clanekent occurred to Tom Joyner: he was bumped into during the launch lap with only 100 metres to go for the start of the final, after the third place achieved inthe pre-final. The English driver, on LH-Bmb, managed to get back to his position and to continue his race with a remarkable performance, arriving in second behind the winner Leclerc. Unfortunatley, he was disqualified at the end of the race because he had recoverd at the start in a sector of the track in which it was prohibited.

PALOU ’KING’ IN KF3. Alex Palou, on CRG-Bmb, is the new great protagonist of the KF3 thanks to a brilliant first victory and after improving his performances since the beginning of the season. The Spanish driver led a flawless race, ’surfing’ on the wet track better than all the other drivers, also because the setup of his CRG chassis was excellent as well as the quality of the BMB engine prepared by KVS. Also the race of the Canadian Zachary Claman De Melo was very good. Despite being weakened by the flu, in the Pre-final he was able to recover from 23rd to 9th place, position he got in the Final too. Good performance also for Leonardo Tano of the AB team motorsport: he placed 20th preceding the Finnish Ilari Piispanen on LH-Bmb. The Brasilian Vitor Baptista and the English Rory Cuff did_clanek not take part in the final because they were slowed down in the Prefinal.

CRG CELEBRATES IN THE MINI TOO. Thanks to the young Spanish Eliseo Martinez Soler Merono, on an excellent CRG/Hero chassis powered by Lke, CRG’s colours got onto the highest step of the podium in the 60 Mini too. The driver of the Gamoto Team won both the final and the pre-final: he was simply matchless for all his rivals. The other young CRG drivers: 11th the Turkish Can Luca Unsal, 13th the Swiss Patrick Schott, 24th the Malay Muizzuddin Abdul Gafar.

THE INTERVIEWS

Euan Jeffery, CRG team manager: “In KF3 Palou did_clanek an excellent race and showed to be a fast driver in wet conditions too.Today his race was really good, winning with a great lead. Also De Melo’s performance was remarkable, despite having a bad flu. Also Baptista and Cuff showed their potential. In KF2 Tiene was really unlucky under the rain, while Varley, after his 5th place in the first heat on Frid_clanekay, had toquit because of the flu on Saturday. We are disappointed for the disqualification of Joyner, because he deserved the 2nd place he achieved on the track. In KZ2 Lennox drove really fast, but this time he wasn’t so lucky. In KZ1 Thonon did_clanek two beautiful finals, but unfortunately his contact with Hanssen cost him the podium in Final 2."

Alex Palou (KF3): “After getting over the troubles we had in the heats and in the Superpole because of the rain, we eventually found, thanks to the good job done by the whole team, a good setup for the chassis. The Bmb engine prepared by KVS was excellent and it wasn’t so hard to achieve my first win in the WSK Euro Series. That makes me confid_clanekent for the forthcoming event of the KF3 European Championship."

Jonathan Thonon (KZ1): “I’m really happy for the victory in the two heats on Sunday morning because it means that the job we did_clanek for the setup of the chassis and of the engine isworking, especially if we think o the forthcoming KZ1 World Cup which takesplace right here in Sarno. Then, at the end of the final, my tyres wore outfast and I lacked grip. I’m sorry for my accid_clanekent with Hanssen, but I’m not to be blamed. In that sector you arrive at 140 km per hour of speed , and when I braked I did_clanekn’t have enough grip on the wet asphalt: it was too slippery and I touched him. I would have liked to give him back his position, but it wasn’t possible. I arrived third on the finishing line after a sprint with Dreezen and Lammers, then they put me in fourth position. It is alright, because after all we managed to be fast both on dry and on wet track."

David_claneke Forè (KZ1): “I was sixth during the first lap, then Lammer and I touched each other. After restarting, while I was in fifth gear, I found Giambo spinning in my trajectory. I was able to avoid_clanek him but I went off the track: I was lucky not to hit him. It is a shame because without these accid_clanekents I would have finished among the top drivers. In the time trials I recorded the third time, then we had very eventful rainy heats. We were fine with the setup of te chassis, and I’m sure I could have got a good result despite the water flooding the track."

Next round of the WSK Euro Series: 3rd-6th May on the French Circuit in Val D’Argenton.

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