Camilla Above All !

European Championships KF1 & KF2 - Braga ( P ) - 03.08.2008 

The European KF1 & KF2 Championship reached its conclusion on the Portuguese circuit of Braga, with the much expected and superb victory by Jean-Philippe Guignet in the last race. But this is not the most important fact: the focus was on helping Camilla, a 18-month old baby girl who needs everybody’s support to win the battle against her disease. The «Fondation Julie Tonelli pour l’Enfance» has given top priority to this battle.

The main objective of Julie Tonelli’s little pink butterfly is to help sick o distressed children, by making its actions known through motor sports. Now, an Italian little girl, daughter of Luca Iannaccone from Maranello, is fighting against a disease that slows down her growth. This disease can only be cured with very expensive treatments that the family cannot afford. Solidarity is fundamental for this little girl to recover.

Hundreds of pilots have already mobilised to save her. The Fondation Julie Tonelli pour l’Enfance is actively participating in this mobilisation. But even more is needed. Julie has launched an appeal to all karting fans, to all the people who care, to mobilise in support of Camilla, in order to give her a real chance. For more information, please go to www.aiutacamilla.it.

In this context, the loyalty of pilots who support the cause by displaying Tonelli’s pink butterfly on their karts is assuming an ever increasing importance. In Braga, it was Jean-Philippe Guignet who played the ambassador role of this cause by conquering an important victory at European level, which is even more intense since it was the result of his tenacity. Jean-Philippe had not won for seven years. After a period in the single-seater series, he went back to karting with the help of his mentor, Renato Merlin.

In 2002, Julie was an ICA pilot and Jean-Philippe competed in FA, in the Universal Karting Team of the famous Italian motor engine mechanic. The hard development work on KF engines made last year has been rewarded today. Thanks to the support of his team mates, Jean-Philippe took advantage of the top performances of his Maxter mechanical components and finally won! After a collision in Race 1 that forced him to withdraw, Jean-Philippe recovered over 20 places and won Race 2.

Davide Forè also had a nice weekend in Portugal, by setting the best time during qualifying, achieving the pole at the end of the heats and conquering the second step of the podium twice in the races.

 But he just wanted to talk about Camilla: «There is a sparkle of hope for Camilla and his family after the mobilisation of many people from the karting world. It is not sufficient yet, but the mobilisation is gaining momentum.

Michael Ryall staged a superb recovery from 29th to 5th place in Race 2. Patrick Fontner showed a nice progression and finished 13th, after starting from the 21st position achieved in timed qualifying. Anthony Abbasse and Alban Varutti finished in 14th and 15th position, owing to some problems with their equipment. Gianni Gazzurelli was not lucky and withdrew in the two races, just like Armand Convers, who fell in Race 1 and did not run a single lap in Race 2.

In KF2, Polish Karol Basz made a good start (2nd in timed qualifying, 5th after the heats) but was excluded from the pre-finale owing to a non compliant clutch. It was James Thorp who came out better, by climbing to 7th position in the final after his mediocre timed qualifying. William Benedetti was showing a good performance when a collision broke his chassis in the pre-final.

With this handicap, he had to content himself with the 25th place in the final. Loïc Réguillon managed to reverse the trend and reached the 20th position overall. After a withdrawal for Giaguaro Nero in heat and three withdrawals for Robert Butler, these two pilots could not gain access to the finals.

- KARTcom -