Arnaud Kozlinski crowned 2009 CIK-FIA World Karting Champion 11.10.2009: Arnaud Kozlinski of France was crowned 2009 CIK-FIA World Karting Champion after a fantastic battle between some of the best karters in the world. Close behind Kozlinski was Aaro Vainio of Finland, followed by Briton

Arnaud Kozlinski of France was crowned 2009 CIK-FIA World Karting Champion after a fantastic battle between some of the best karters in the world. Close behind Kozlinski was Aaro Vainio of Finland, followed by Briton Ben Hanley. Hosted in Asia for the first time in history, the 2009 CIK-FIA World Karting Championship had to be halted five laps early due to rain, but that did nothing to detract from the enormously exciting on-track action.

Asia karters also did well today, and in the supporting Asian Karting Open Championship, Japan’s Koki Hoshino was the top-finisher in the Formula 125 Senior Open, while Hong Kong’s Lam Ho Yin and Tommy Tang Chi Ming won both the Rotax Max Senior and the Rotax Max Veteran classes.


CIK-FIA World Karting Championship

Kozlinski became the first Frenchman to win a world championship in the sport’s highest category, Super KF, and the 28-year old was ecstatic to have been crowned in Macau: “I can’t believe it,” a beaming Kozlinski said. “After the rain started, I knew it was going to be a long and difficult race and that I could not make any mistakes. I was lucky because Aaro was in front of me and he showed me the way and we escaped together, and then I was able to get by him and get in front.”

Kozlinski, who finished second in both the 2003 and 2004 CIK-FIA World Karting Championships, continued: “I love racing in Asia, and I tend to do well here as I have been here three times now and all three times I was on the podium!”

The day began with the remaining four 2009 CIK-FIA World Karting Championship Qualifying Heats and, with only the top 34 of the 42 competitors moving into the Pre-Final and Final, the sessions were intensely competitive.  Once the six sessions were complete, it was Kozlinski who had earned pole position for the Pre-Final, with Vaino second and Frenchman Manuel Renaudie third. Renaudie would finish seventh in the Final.

After comfortably winning the 13-lap Pre-Final with a two-second lead over compatriot Brandon Maïsano, Kozlinski started from pole position for the afternoon Final ahead of Maïsano, Vainio, Hanley, Renaudie, and defending world champion Marco Ardigò of Italy.

The Final began with Renaudie charge ahead and grab the lead. The action-packed race saw Ardigò, aiming for a third consecutive championship title, move up to third by the second lap. Ardigò would later finish ninth.

Eventual champion, Kozlinski re-gained the lead on the fourth lap, only to have Ardigò snatch it from him shortly thereafter. Vainio followed suit demoting Kozlinski to third, before the pair made it past the Italian.

Rain began to fall ten laps into the race and though Vainio held on for the majority of the remaining laps, Kozlinski grabbed the lead from the young Finn just in time to win his first CIK-FIA World Karting Championship. Meanwhile, Hanley, who had been fastest in the practice sessions, had fallen back after an early incident. However, the Briton brilliantly worked his way back up through the field to finish third: “I kind of knew the race would be called (stopped) with the rain, so I took a few more risks,” Hanley said. “At the same time, I’ve now finished third twice now, so it would be nice to finish higher!”

As the race had started in dry conditions, the karts were shot with slick tyres and, once it began to rain heavily, it had to be halted after 20 laps when. Rounding out the top five were Jonathan Thonon of Belgium and Italian Flavio Camponeschi.

Despite just missing out on the cut for Final, Macau’s João Afonso said the experience of racing at the 2009 CIK-FIA World Karting Championship had been memorable:  “It’s been a great experience and one I won’t forget,” said Afonso, who became the first Macau karter to race at the pinnacle of the sport. “I’ve learned a lot this weekend and it was definitely difficult to race against the some of the best, but I’ve enjoyed myself.”

Racing in just his first year at the top level of the sport, the 16-year old Vainio was ecstatic. “When I heard the World Championship was going to be in Macau, I thought: ‘Super!’. It’s been a great competition here. I’m extremely happy to be second. I was leading, but it started to rain and Arnaud started to catch up to me. I knew he was a bit faster, and so I just had to do my best. Second is not bad at all.”

 

2009 CIK-FIA World Karting Championship Top-Ten Results:
 
1 20 Arnaud Kozlinski (FRA) CRG (ITA) 
 
2 11 Aaro Vainio (FIN) Maranello Kart (ITA) +1.008
 
3 38 Ben Hanley (GBR) Marnello Kart (ITA) +6.103
 
4 18 Jonathan Thonon (BEL) CRG (ITA) +7.376
 
5 35 Flavio Camponeschi (ITA) Tony Kart Racing Team (ITA) +9.255
 
6 12 Yannick De Brabander (BEL) EGP Racing (BEL) +12.612
 
7 6 Manuel Renaudie (FRA) PDB Racing Team (NDL) +13.832
 
8 37 Alessandro Bressan (ITA) Kosmic Racing Dept (ITA) +15.379
 
9 1 Marco Ardigò (ITA) Tony Kart Racing Team (ITA) +15.841
 
10 16 Simo Puhakka (FIN) PCR (ITA) +16.917

 
-Nikki Kemp, Marco Tsang -   also photo