11th year of presence and performance in FIA Karting for LeCont

16/04/2023

On the highly demanding Spanish circuit of Zuera, Prime tyres from the LeCont range met the expectations and requirements of the drivers competing in the FIA Karting European Championship - KZ-KZ2. Thanks to optimal efficiency, a high level of performance and consistency was achieved, giving even more sparkle to the competition, which proved to be as exciting as it was competitive. In addition, the track record was broken during the meeting!

The previous record for the Zuera International Circuit dates back more than 10 years, with a time of 58"423 set during a WSK event with "Soft" tyres. In 2016, the Spanish round of the European KZ Championship ended with a fastest lap of 59"141 on "prime" tyres in accordance with the regulations that came into force in 2014. For the return of the KZ and KZ2 categories to Zuera as part of an FIA Karting event, Frenchman Emilien Denner set a new circuit record with a lap of 57"304 during the official Free Practice on Friday morning, at an average speed of over 106 km/h!

"Records are made to be broken and it is rewarding for our technology to see drivers able to achieve such a high level of competitiveness", commented Paolo Bombara, Marketing Manager at LeCont. "The important thing was also to confirm that our tyres are designed to ensure everyone's satisfaction throughout a meeting. Here again, we have responded. After the first tests carried out in preparation for this event, some teams had expressed doubts on this point. But the track was only slightly rubbered up and their work was just beginning. Of course, some drivers had more difficulties than others, but tyre management is also part of the interest of these championships".

In addition, the Zuera event was marked by the presentation of a special trophy from LeCont to the two pole position drivers. Tom Leuillet and Alex Powell, who set times of 57.850 in KZ and 57.972 in KZ2 respectively, received the award with great pleasure and had the opportunity to express themselves. "I drive in the 125cc gearbox class and I must admit that I really liked the quality of the LeCont tyres and the grip they provide. I was a bit faster in the morning Free Practice, but the wind picked up in the afternoon, so there must have been some sand on the track, which probably explains this small drop in the time", admitted the Frenchman.

Like the French driver Leuillet, who set the fastest time on his KZ debut, Jamaica's Powell did the same on his first FIA Karting race in KZ2. "My last pole position in the European Championship was in 2020 in OK-Junior! For me, this trophy really means something. During the whole event, I appreciated the behaviour and efficiency of these tyres, which I am also used to using in OK at WSK. They allow me to work soundly and methodically during Free Practice. We are having fun!"

If the youth of Alex Powell triumphed at the end of the Final ahead of Britain's Freddie Slater and Spain's Jorge Pescador, it was the experience of Jérémy Iglesias that won in KZ. The Italian Matteo Vigano and the Dutchman Senna Van Walstijn flanked the Frenchman on the podium in the province of Aragon. "LeCont congratulates these drivers on their performances and looks forward to seeing them in the Final at the beginning of July on the Naples International Circuit in Sarno", concluded Paolo Bombara.