Photo: RGMMC
IAME’s Euro Series concluded in remarkable fashion at Genk, with Danny Carenini crowned X30 Senior champion.
New Red Bull junior Fionn McLaughlin was the pre-weekend points leader, with Carenini, Marcus Luzio, Riccardo Ferrari, Ruben Moya and Andy Ratel his title rivals.
Roxanne Lantinga pipped McLaughlin in free practice, then French duo Clement Outran and Ratel set the qualifying pace, took two heats each and won the superheats to fill the final front row.
A four-way title fight now existed, with two-time heat winner Carenini eight points behind McLaughlin, one-time heat winner Luzio trailing by 15 and Ratel 25 back.
Ratel needed to win while McLaughlin non-scored to have any hope of being champion, which became more likely when McLaughlin – who was 26th on the grid – punctured on the formation lap and failed to start. Moya stalled and Ferrari stopped off-track too, but were able to race.
Henkie Kalteren jumped from fifth to second at the start while Elie Goldstein and Eloi Gonzalez Moreno collided. Moya and Luzio slotted into third and fourth ahead of Ratel, with Carenini in eighth.
The top two fought through lap three, then clashed on lap four and Luzio slipped past into the race and points lead. Outran dropped to fifth, and when senior karting veteran Carenini passed Moya for third that put him second in the standings.
He nabbed second place on lap seven, and his lap eight attempt to pass Luzio sent him bouncing over the kerbs, sliding into Luzio and Kalteren snatching the lead. At the next hairpin Moya took second in a double move.
Carenini was now points leader, as Luzio dropped to sixth, and was happy to stay in third to ensure title success. Luzio recovered to fourth on lap 13, and Carenini signalled he wanted the top two to push ahead rather than fight and potentially put themselves in Luzio’s reach. Moya took the lead mid-lap, then Kalteren let Carenini past.
The title came closer on lap 15 as Mattiz Meerschaut passed Luzio, and in the last laps Boya did not push but Carenini held back the temptation to engage in battle until the final seconds. Boya won by 0.096 seconds over the new champion.
The X30 Junior final also failed to feature the championship leader, as Harrison Mackie came to Genk but Fusion Motorsport withdrew him from the event since he was already champion on dropped scores.
Zac Green – son of 2004 Formula 3 Euro Series champion Jamie – led free practice, Evan Purcell topped qualifying, and Dan Allemann was the only driver to win multiple heats then Devon Hagelen denied him superheat one victory by 0.079s.
Riley Cranham won superheat two to start the final in second, between Allemann and Green.
Allemann led Green and Juste Mulder at first, with Green moving ahead on lap three. Mulder passed Allemann on lap five, and a lap later took a lead he would not give up. Green got alongside before the race’s final corner, but finished 0.062s behind.
Buckley was a distant third, losing the championship runner-up spot to Green, and Allemann finished seventh.
Results round-up
X30 Senior final (17 laps)
1 Ruben Moya Pantano Racing Team [Pantano] 15m42.991s
2 Danny Carenini Zanchi Motorsport [Tony Kart] +0.096s
3 Henkie Kalternen RSD Karting [Kosmic] +0.272s
4 Mattiz Meerschaut KCR Racing [Croc Promotions] +0.944s
5 Marcus Luzio Premium Karting [Lando Norris] +1.244s
6 Alex Machado TBKart [TB Kart] +2.469s
7 Cian Geraghty Geraghty Motorsport [Kosmic] +3.175s
8 Andy Ratel Pantano Racing Team [Pantano] +3.240s
Championship standings
1 Carenini 74 2 Fionn McLaughlin 66 3 Luzio 62 4 Moya 61 5 Clement Outran 42 6 Ratel 42 7 Ricardo Ferrari 38 8 Geraghty 35
X30 Junior final (14 laps)
1 Juste Mulder Victory Lane [Kart Republic] 13m04.642s
2 Zac Green Jamie Green Racing [Kart Republic] +0.062s
3 Tadgh Buckley Mick Barrett Racing [Gillard] +4.427s
4 Riley Cranham Fusion Motorsport [Kart Republic] +4.779s
5 Arthur De Doncker RSD Karting [Kosmic] +4.962s
6 Benjamin Manach Birel ART [Birel ART} +5.475s
7 Dan Allemann Spirit Karting [Lando Norris] +7.011s
8 Devon Hagelen Fusion Motorsport [Kosmic] +7.253s
Championship standings
1 Harrison Mackie 85 2 Green 78 3 Buckley 74 4 Cranham 61 5 Manach 52 6 Mulder 45 7 Toby Gale 41 8 Thomas Pradier 36