Heated Finals on the circuit of Wackersdorf (D). The CIK-FIA KZ World Championship won again by Paolo De Conto (I – CRG-TM), while Alex Irlando (I – Sodi-TM) is the winner of the International KZ2 Super Cup. Special TV report from Germany next week on Motorsport.tv.

The first 2017 kart racing world title awarded in Wackersdorf.
The appointment with international kart racing in Germany was another exciting page of motorsport. The CIK-FIA World Championship of the KZ category, hosted by the Prokart Raceland circuit, was, in fact, rich of thrilling races. The Bavarian town of Wackersdorf also hosted the CIK-FIA International Super Cup for KZ2 category. This event, too, had a surprising finale, which did not confirm the trend of the qualifying stage. The winners were the most determined drivers, who managed to enthral the attendance on the stands around the circuit or connected to the competition thanks to the live streaming available on the Internet.

The weekend in Wackersdorf on Motorsport.tv.
After today’s long live streaming on cikfiachampionship.com and cikfia.tv, next week the specialized network Motorsport.TV will complete the media coverage from Wackersdorf with the broadcast of a special report from Germany (above, the start of the World Championship's final race).

Paolo De Conto double champion in KZ.
The heats said that there was a long list of drivers who could aim at winning the championship: the qualifying stage, in fact, had five different winners. The only participant who manged to win twice was the French Anthony Abbasse (Sodi-TM-Bridgestone) who, thanks to this result, was the pole sitter of the Final. Next to him, in the front row, his fellow countryman Jeremy Iglesias (Formula K-TM). The latter had a fantastic start in the Final and gained an early lead, even though Abbasse showed that his pole position was not a flash in the pan. Abbasse, after few laps, took over the leadership, always pursued by Paolo De Conto (CRG-TM, in the photo above). The Italian driver, eager to lay his hands on his second title in a row, closed the gap little by little. The two frontrunners exploited their karts to the utmost until De Conto managed to overtake his rival and to keep the leadership until the end. Abbasse placed second, while behind them the Finnish Simo Puhakka (Kosmic-Vortex) almost succeeded in securing the third podium position, but he was then overtaken by Jorrit Pex (CRG-TM). Eventually, it was the English Ben Hanley (Croc-TM), who started from the 13th slot on the grid, who grabbed the third place thanks to a terrific recovery. In the photo on top, the podium of the CIK-FIA World KZ Championship.

Alex Irlando is the new star in KZ2.
Alex Irlando (Sodi-TM-Bridgestone) is the new name of this 2017 season in KZ2. The Italian driver, born in the town of Locorotondo in southern Italy, managed to have the upper hand despite this edition of the CIK-FIA International KZ2 Super Cup could count on a large pack of frontrunners. After the end of the qualifying stage, the driver to beat seemed the Italian Riccardo Longhi (BirelArt-TM), the pole sitter of the Final thanks to five victories in the heats. But the rain fallen during the night on the circuit of Wackersdorf changed the asphalt condition, and Longhi did not feel so at ease on wet track. The Swedish Benjamin Persson (CRG-TM) took advantage of the situation and took the lead at the start of the Final, right ahead of Longhi. Irlando, who started from the third row, recovered positions and, eventually, he managed to overtake Longhi. Once in second position, Irlando began to trail in the wake of Persson and, with few laps remaining, the Swedish could count only on a very narrow margin. Longhi was always behind the two leaders and the race was decided with a sprint final between these three drivers: Irlando attacked and passed Persson only few bends away from the finishing line, securing victory of the KZ2 Super Cup. Persson and Longhi, the two other great protagonists of the race, placed second and third respectively. Above, the KZ2 podium.

Source: WSK Promotion Press Office