Home country hero Mirko Laurito, the 24 year old from Pisa sits on pole position for Sunday's first race in the Red Bull Kart Fight World Final in Bologna, Italy. He just held off 13 year old Japanese Shinji Sawada and Brazilian 20 year old Fábio Corrêa Konrad after 3 intense 15 minute sessions.
“Incredible!!' exclaimed 'Mirkart' Laurito after thrilling the patriotic crowd with his pole winning run. “It was so slippery early on today I couldn't believe it. I was sliding everywhere and it didn't matter what I did. It was the same for everyone I guess but I was happier when it started to dry out a bit. The kart is great, though it's quite a bit different to what I am used to driving, I got on well with it from the start.”
“It was very intense out there, I hit with another kart once and I realised that I needed to find my own space and just concentrate on what I was doing and finding the best lines. I am going quicker all the time. It is great to be on pole but I want to keep going faster tomorrow,” Mirko concluded with a grin.
“That's fantastic”, said Sawada who lines up on the grid in 2nd. “It took me a while to get used to the feeling of the kart because it is not what I am used to. I have only driven this sort of kart a few times at home in Japan, normally I am using a 125cc 2-stroke but I found out how to drive the 4-stroke OK. I wasn't worried by the wet track, for the race I don't care if it is wet or dry,” concluded the confident youngster.
He is certainly more used to the cold than Corrêa Konrad. “I loved it even though my hands were freezing so much in qualifying I couldn't feel anything,” explained the man from Rio de Janeiro who did such a great job of grabbing 3rd at the end. “I was struggling early on, I really couldn't find a rhythm on the wet surface but as it began to dry I felt better and better. It is a great track, wide, with plenty of chances to overtake so I am sure the races will be fantastic tomorrow. I just want it to be dry.”
The 20 finalists arrived at the track in the middle of the Bologna Motorshow to find it covered with snow. The delayed practice really tested the contestants as temperatures remained low and the track wet and slippery for the 2 free sessions. By the time qualifying got under way in the afternoon things had improved slightly but the 819m circuit was far from dry.
One of the great improvers through the day was 23 year old Russian Vasily Rozhkov who worked his way into 4th when it counted. “The Birel is not so different to the 4-stroke rental karts I drive at home but I still had to learn how to get the best of it. I increased the tyre pressures as the track dried and that really seemed to help. I was also looking for the best dry line compromise and I found the right balance in the end.”
Summing the day up for everyone, Ukrainian 27 year old Vladyslav Shendryk was awed to be at the event. “I am just so happy to be here as part of this great show with so many motorsports stars, it is the biggest event in my life. I am loving driving the kart as well. In the qualifying I concentrated on not getting caught up with the others, I looked for free track and it worked out, I'm 6th.”
There are 3 races on Sunday, the first 2 are qualifying races with Race 2 being started with a reverse grid from the finishing order from Race 1. The combined points, Race 1 scores double, produce the grid for the Final.
The 28 lap Final has a knockout system with the last 2 karts being excluded every 2 laps after lap 10 until just 2 karts remain to decide who is Red Bull Kart Fight World Champion.
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