FIRST WINNERS IN WSK EURO SERIES: VERSTAPPEN (NL – CRG-TM KZ1), BARNICOAT (GB – ART GP-TM KF) ZANCHETTA (I – MARANELLO-TM KZ2), NORRIS (GB FA KART-VORTEX KFJ) AND MARTINEZ (E – HERO-LKE 60MINI). FROM RAI SPORT 2 THE WSK TV MAGAZINE ON FRIDAY 8TH.

FROM MURO LECCESE TOWARDS EUROPE. In Muro Leccese (Italy), on the international circuit La Conca, the first round of the WSK Euro Series of karting - at its 8th season - was, once again, a top rate show. Close duels between many drivers characterized today's final races; they were greatly appreciated not only by the numerous attendance on the stand, but also by a very special TV commentator: Jean Alesi, former Ferrari F1 driver. He was side by side with the Rai Sport 2 sports commentator, giving his technical opinion on the races and, sometimes, he could not help showing how involved he was. In fact, he accompanied his son Giuliano, who participates - achieving encouraging results - in WSK in the KFJ category.
BARNICOAT SEIZES THE MOMENT IN THE HARD-FOUGHT KF FINAL. The English Ben Barnicoat (ART GP-TM-Vega) got fully repaid for his retirement in one of the heats and that obliged him to start from the bottom of the pack in the final phase. He closed the gap in the pre-final then, the driver from Chesterfield, was back with the top drivers in the final. In the last laps he got very close to the French Dorian Boccolacci (Energy-TM-Vega), who had taken the leadership away from the English immediately after the start. In this part of the race there were many changes in the positions, just until the last metres of the race. Then, the Polish Karol Basz (Tony Kart-Vortex-Vega) took advantage of the fight between the two leading drivers and, not only recovered positions from his 12th slot on the starting grid, but he even managed to steal the second position from Boccolacci in a thrilling final where Barnicot crossed the finishing line as winner.
MAX VERSTAPPEN WITHOUT RIVALS IN KZ1. After the overwhelming power showed in KZ2 one month ago in the first round of the WSK Master Series in Muro Leccese, Max Verstappen (CRG-TM-Bridgestone) leads the European series too. The Dutch driver left only a heat and, eventually, he won also today's Final 2 after winning yesterday's Final 1. However, he keeps saying that the weekend was not as simple as it may seem, because his rivals fought to the finish. Among his die-hard rivals his country fellowman and teammate Jorrit Pex (CRG-TM-Bridgestone), third, and the English Ben Hanley (Art GP-TM-Bridgestone), the runner-up.
ZANCHETTA SWIPED THE VICTORY FROM NEGRO IN KZ2. Riccardo Negro (DR-TM-Bridgestone) from Lecce was almost sure to win again after his victory in KZ2 Final 1 yesterday; his supporters got overexcited when, after closing the gap with the leader Marco Zanchetta (Maranello-TM-Bridgestone), he managed to get the lead thanks to a thrilling overtaking manoeuvre. But, from his commentator's booth, Jean Alesi was right when he said that the duel was not finished yet. In fact, Zanchetta tried desperately to counterattack and took advantage of a mistake made by Negro when leaving the last hairpin bend. Zanchetta overtook and won for a hair's breadth. Third, with a remarkable gap, the Czech Jan Midrla (Birel-TM-Bridgestone), who preceded the Swedish Joel Johansson (Energy-TM-Bridgestone).
LANDO NORRIS BEATS EVERYBODY IN KF JUNIOR. After an almost perfect weekend, which started with the Superpole and continued with an impressive winning streak, Lando Norris (FA Kart-Vortex-Vega) almost put in jeopardy his result for a contact with the Russian Nikita Sitnikov (Tony Kart-BMB-Vega): he dropped six positions back during the first lap of the final! More motivated than ever, the English started an incredible recovery and won the race. Also the Italian Alessio Lorandi (Tony Kart-Vortex-Vega) went through the same experience and, after getting involved in the tussle of the first lap which made him lost several positions, he closed the gap thanks to a series of fast laps and, eventually, he arrived in second. The third step of the podium was achieved by the Russian Vladimir Atoev (Tony Kart-Vortex-Vega).
ELISEO MARTINEZ WINS AGAIN IN THE 60 MINI. The Spanish Eliseo Martinez (Hero-LKE-Le Cont) seems at his ease when his name is on top of the ranking and he wanted to feel this pleasure in the Final too, despite the Indian Kush Maini (Tony Kart-LKE-Le Cont) and Lorenzo Colombo (Top Kart-LKE-Le Cont) tried hard to pull him down from the head of the race. In the final tussle Maini and Lorenzo, who were fighting for the top positions, got hit by penalties and dropped back in the ranking. So, the runner-up was the Malaysian Muizzuddin Abdul Gafar (Hero-LKE-Le Cont) and third the Italian Leonardo Marseglia (Top Kart-LKE-Le Cont), who set the fastest time.
WSK IN TV. Besides the broadcast of the Finals on Rai Sport 2, on the same channel, on Friday 8th March, the special report of the 1st round of the WSK Euro Series.
WSK IN TV
Besides the broadcast of the Finals on Rai Sport 2, on the same channel, on Friday 8th March, the special report of the 1st round of the WSK Euro Series.