World Champs Next for Euro Kart Round Winner Armstrong   31 Jul 2015

KartSport

 

World Champs Next for Euro Kart Round Winner Armstrong

 

New Zealand has another World Karting Championship contender in Marcus Armstrong, the 14-year-old Christchurch ace who won the KF class at the final round of the CIK-FIA European Championships in Sweden last Sunday.

Thirteen years ago Aucklander Wade Cunningham won the World Karting Championship title at Sarno (near Naples) in Italy and next month - courtesy of his form in Europe this year Armstrong, who turned 15 this week, will line up as one of the favourites to win the 2015 KF class title at the 2015 KF and KF-Junior title meeting at the La Conca track in the far south of the country.

Though the kart world continues to run single round World Championship meetings like the upcoming one at La Conca over the September 26-27weekend, Italy's four-round WSK Series at the beginning of the year, and the three-round CIK-FIA European Championship between May and July provide a multi-round build-up recognised by all the top teams and drivers.

Armstrong, who drives for the works Tony Kart team, proved quick straight away this year, finishing a close second to teammate Niklas Nielsen in only his third meeting (the Winter Cup at Lonato del Garda) in February then finished second in the Pre-Final and fourth in the Final at the final round of the WSK Master Series at Sarno in April.

The win on Sunday was his first at European Championship level though and bodes well for the World Championship meeting.

“This result validates everything I’ve been working toward this year," Armstrong said this week. "It’s been a very intense learning curve being based in Europe since February, I’ve raced extensively in the States and Asia but the racing here is easily the most fiercely contested in the world, familiarising myself with that early in my career stands me in good stead for future opportunities.”

The breakthrough win didn’t come exactly easily either, Armstrong thrown from his kart in a heavy crash in one of his heats on Saturday when contact from another kart sent the young Kiwi into a tyre wall.

Despite that Armstrong bounced back to drive from 19th to sixth in the Pre-Final then from sixth to first in the Final on Sunday.

Not the smoothest running of weekends, but one, Armstrong says, he will never forget.

"In practice and qualifying we didn't show the speed we had, as there was always something which wasn't quite right and obviously after the crash on Saturday we had to start Sunday further down than we wanted.

"(That said) the Pre-Final was one of my most enjoyable races, coming from 19th to 6th in wet conditions on slicks. Then the Final went perfectly for us. We were extremely quick in the opening few laps which is where I took the lead. To be honest, I thought the tyres would go off towards the end but they maintained well and we took the win.

" Tony Kart had everything perfect for me last weekend and I can't thank them enough. It's just a shame Nicklas (Nielsen, Armstrong's Tony Kart teammate) couldn't share the podium with me after he retired early."

Other drivers expected to do well at the upcoming World Championship meeting include Armstrong's Tony Kart teammate Nielsen from Sweden, Ben Hanley from Great Britain, Richard Vorschoor from The Netherlands and Juan Correa from the United States.

Ends

Add a comment

News

Hilary Timmins' Award-Winning UK Documentary Series To Inspire NZ Students

29 Jun 2020 Education
Dream Catchers, produced and directed by Hilary Timmins, celebrates the success stories of more than thirty inspirational New... more

New Zealand reaffirms support for Flight MH17 judicial process

7 Mar 2020 News By Rt HON WINSTON PETERS
Ahead of the start of the criminal trial in the Netherlands on 9 March, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has reaffirmed the need to... more

Business

NZ Government's Economic package to fight COVID-19

17 Mar 2020 Business News By RT HON JACINDA ARDERN
The Coalition Government has launched the most significant peace-time economic plan in modern New Zealand history to cushion the... more

NZ Government announces aviation relief package

19 Mar 2020 Business News By Hon Phil Twyford
Transport Minister Phil Twyford today outlined the first tranche of the $600 million aviation sector relief package announced earlier... more

Living

Diversity was Key at New Zealand Trade Tasting in London

6 Jun 2022 Food & Wine
New Zealand Winegrowers Annual Trade Tasting was recently held in London, on Wednesday 4 May, in Lindley Hall. It was the first... more

Kiwi author stuns Behind the Butterfly Gate

12 Jan 2022 Arts By Charlotte Everett
Hidden behind the Butterfly Gate is where the secret has been kept for 76 years...  New Zealand writer Merryn Corcoran’s... more

Property

Fairer rules for tenants and landlords

17 Nov 2019 Property By Minister Kris Faafoi
17 NOVEMBER 2019 The Government has delivered on its promise to the over one million New Zealanders who now rent to make it fairer... more

New Zealand Government will not implement a Capital Gains Tax

17 Apr 2019 Property By RT HON JACINDA ARDERN
The Coalition Government will not proceed with the Tax Working Group’s recommendation for a capital gains tax, Jacinda Ardern... more

Migration

Boosting border security with electronic travel authority – now over 500,000 issued

19 Nov 2019 Migration By Hon Iain Lees-Galloway
19 NOVEMBER 2019 We’ve improved border security with the NZeTA, New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority, which helps us to... more

Christchurch reinstated as refugee settlement location

18 Aug 2018 Migration
18 AUGUST 2018 HON IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY The announcement that Christchurch can once again be a settlement location for refugees... more

Travel

Gallipoli Anzac Day services cancelled

19 Mar 2020 Travel & Tourism By RT HON JACINDA ARDERN
The New Zealand and Australian Governments have announced this year’s joint Anzac Day services at Gallipoli will be cancelled... more

New Zealanders advised not to travel overseas

19 Mar 2020 Travel & Tourism
New Zealanders advised not to travel overseas more

Sport

The Skipper's Diary: Sir Richard Hadlee honouring his father and NZ's Forty-Niners

27 Oct 2019 Cricket By Charlotte Everett
NZNewsUK London Editor Charlotte Everett spoke to Sir Richard Hadlee about why he’s chosen to publish his father’s... more

PREVIEW: All Blacks v England semi-final

26 Oct 2019 Rugby
The two most convincing quarterfinals winners are set to square off in a semifinal showdown for the ages when the All Blacks meet old... more

Columns

Gordon Campbell on the Gareth Morgan crusade

11 Nov 2016 Opinion
Gordon Campbell on the Gareth Morgan crusade First published on Werewolf The ghastly likes of Marine Le Pen in France and Geert ... more

Gordon Campbell on the US election outcome

10 Nov 2016 Opinion
Column - Gordon Campbell   Gordon Campbell on the US election outcome Well um.. on the bright side, there (probably)... more

Kiwi Success

Congratulations to Loder Cup winner

26 Sep 2018 People By Hon Eugenie Sage
25 SEPTEMBER 2018 The Loder Cup, one of New Zealand’s oldest conservation awards, has been awarded to Robert McGowan for 2018... more

Appointments to New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO

16 Aug 2018 Appointments
16 AUGUST 2018Appointments to New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO HON JENNY SALESA Associate Education Minister Jenny Salesa is... more

Recruitment

Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers

14 Aug 2018 Recruitment By RT HON JACINDA ARDERN
14 AUGUST 2018Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers RT HON JACINDA ARDERN HON CHRIS HIPKINS Prime Minister The... more

Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers

22 Aug 2018 Recruitment By RT HON JACINDA ARDERN
14 AUGUST 2018Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers RT HON JACINDA ARDERN HON CHRIS HIPKINS Prime Minister The... more