Competition had its decision on last Sunday and opened the European karting calendar
The 19th edition of the Winter Cupended last Sunday (23). The competition was played in the South Garda karting track in Lonato, in Northern Italy and has the participation of 230 pilots. Making his debut in the KF category, the top class of KF international karting, the Brazilian SérgioSetteCâmara (BancoMercantil of Brazil / CEMIG / TAESA / MBR / Tear Têxtil /PatrusLalubema/ PatrusTransportes / Miplan / (ART) showed all his potential, and managed to qualify for the finals and finished the championship in the 16th position.
Serginho started his preparation for the competition with free practice sessions on Thursday. Before the most experienced opponents in this class the Belo Horizonte pilot did not bother and, without any kind of pressure, he did his effort to adapt himself to the kart and to the track on a very quiet and consistent way. With the support of the official ART Grand Prixfactory team and the exclusive attention of his mechanic Roberto Marocco, the pilot managed to be in the TOP 10at several moments of free sessions.
The qualifying session was disputed in the late afternoon of Friday and, with the time of 44s475 he was in the 24th position and directed to the Group D of the qualifying sessions. The difference in his time for the ninth position was less than one-tenth and, for the pole position, just over three-tenths.
In front of a so big competitiveness and really feeling adapted to the equipment, SetteCâmara followed confident for qualifying races, all held this Saturday (22). In the first race involving CxD groups, the Brazilian suffered a touch, lost a few positions, but recovered to finish 17th position. In the other two races, Serginho was better, made several passes and, in the AxD confrontation was 11th and, in BxD in the 9th position. With a total of 37 points lost SetteCâmara managed then to qualify directly for the Pre-Final and Final races inthe 23rd position.
On Sunday morning, then SetteCâmara followed to the Pre-Final. In an excellent presentation he managed to overcome eight competitors and, at the end of 20 laps he received the checkered flag on 15th position. Very excited, Serginhofollowed then to dispute the Final. After an excellent start, the pilot managed to gain a few positions and at the end of the first lap, was already in the 10th position, in the same platoon of the leaders. In this first group he followed for a few laps, however, in the second part of the race his equipment started to lose performance in the curve exits and, with that, he eventually lost a few positions. Even so, without discouraging, he followed defending himself as he could and, at the end of the 25 lapshe finished the race in 16th place.
“Every debut is pretty complicated, fight? I admit I was anxious, but I managed to quietly and the support by the team to do a good job. In the general context I was very happy to have qualified for the finals in the first race of the year and, more than that, to have been competitive and fought in the top ten. Unfortunately a problem in the Final did not let me accomplish my goal which was to finish in the top ten. But, I know I am on the right direction and, in a way, I can say that the result was good. We will improve and I am sure that soon I will be fighting for victories”, commented the pilot.