CAMPONESCHI TAKES THE 18TH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TO TONY KART-VORTEX
Flavio Camponeschi deservedly won the World Championship for KF1 category. Our driver won the world title in the decisive round at the demanding Asian track of Macao, fighting against top drivers and never giving up to the unfavourable fate. Camponeschi had to miss race-1 for an electrical blackout but in race-2 showed off his World Champion’s talent, recovering from the thirtieth to the second place. Three victories, two podiums, one pole position and a fast round. This is Camponeschi and Tony Kart Racing Team’s path to take our factory to the eighteenth world title. In the Tony Kart’s roll of honour Camponeschi comes after Marco Ardigò who, a few time ago, in 2008, won the world title for KF1 category, for the second time after last year.
The decisive competition assigning the World Championship’s title, held on the Asian track of Macao, saw us winning and the absolute leaders with Flavio Camponeschi.
Qualifying heats. Camponeschi, since the qualifying heats, showed off his high potential and the new Racer EVK chassis, powered by Vortex engine, did not fail do meet expectations, giving a clear confirmation of its reliability and high efficacy.
In the qualifying session on Saturday, our driver signed te second time with 45.740. Good performances were also the Chinese Ling Kang’s, our official driver, at his debut in the master class, and author of a good eighth timing. Amongst the top-ten list’s drivers also Daiki Sasaki (Kosmic Kart-Vortex) and Pedro Hiltbrand (FA Kart-Vortex), both at the drive of products manufactured in our factory of Prevalle.
Race-1 began in the misfortune. It happened to Camponeschi at the starting grid when he had to stop due to a electrical breakdown. In race-1 our two Asian drivers, Ling Kang and Andy Chang performed well. This last could show off in this “home” race climbing from the twenty-sixth to the tenth place, winning the first world scores. Even better was the Japanese Takashi Kasai’s performance, who was placed in the middle of the group and soon with clear good performances thanks to some good overtakings allowing him to win the fifth place.
Race-2. Camponeschi had a great revenge. Our driver showed off his skills and his strong determination, supported by an excellent chassis. Camponeschi jumped by the last row (30th place) and after the beginning he could climb the ranking, taking the fifteenth place after the first round only. The wild recover of the World Champion ended at the seventeenth round with a double overtaking, broadcast live, of drivers Hanley and Lennox-Lamb. Camponeschi ended at the second place, framing his performance with an unachievable best lap, with 45.493. In the second competition, too, the Japanese Kasai ended eighth, gaining good scores.
Race-3. Camponeschi won the pole position for the third race, thanks to his record in the qualifying heat, with 45.323. Unfortunately, on this occasion too, the beginning of the race has been crucial for our result. At the green light Camponeschi jumped and ran fast to the second bend of the circuit of Macao, preceding Verstappen and the whole group. Right at the sharp braking in the first bend at right, Verstappen clearly hit the back bumper of the Tony Kart number 2, almost pushing the driver out on the grass. Marshalls gave a penalty to Verstappen for this “collision” with Camponeschi. On this occasion, too, our driver had to concentrate to perform a great recover, ending the race with a final sixth place. Verstappen’s “push” at the starting grid, once more prevented the driver to show off his driving potential. However the result gained in race-3 virtually gave the world title directly in Tony Kart driver’s hands. This is and undoubtedly important result, gained one race before the end of the Championship, in such a demanding and selective competition as the CIK World Championship for KF1 category is.
Race-4. In the decisive competition, Camponeschi adopted a strategy allowing him to win the title for certain. The only driver who before the race could have jeopardized Camponeschi’s title was the Japanese Sasaki, at the drive of a Kosmic Kart-Vortex. After race-1 and race-3 performances, our driver agreed with Giacomo Aliprandi, the team manager, to perform a preservative race. The chequered flag officially crowed Camponeschi the CIK-FIA World Champion 2012 for KF1 category. The world title came at the end of a top-level championship (made up of eight rounds). Camponeschi won three competitions, got on the podium twice, with a second and a third step, and gained a pole position and a best lap in race. Important scores that confirm Flavio Camponeschi and the Tony Kart Racing Team the acknowledged leaders of the World Championship.
Giacomo Aliprandi – Team Manager - Tony Kart Racing Team
“We owned a better technical potential than we could see at the track, We are satisfied with this final result but what if we had not so many collisions which penalized us… probably we could have done even better in Macao. I’m happy for the team and for Flavio, he did a very good work and he deserves the title.”
Flavio Camponeschi – KF1 category’s driver - Tony Kart Racing Team
“I’m happy and I wish to thank all the team for the fantastic work they did. I am satisfied with this success together with such a professional team that has always supported me, even when I was unlucky, like on last Saturday during race-1. I thank all people working in the factory, both Tony Kart and Vortex, realizing a great work in order to obtain such results.
I performed the success of this championship at Macao, when I won three heats. I could have won again and again since the material was still perfectly working but some inconveniences prevented me to win… The recovery I could perform in race-2 is a clear confirmation of the high competitiveness we had during last weekend, too. I could recover from the thirtieth to the second place and I decided not to run any risk. In that moment I knew I could win, but at the same time I could not make any mistake. I’m also satisfied with this success since I was able to fight against top-level rivals, this means we won for our qualities.”
