Xavier Lázaro finished in 13th position today in the Mini Sub-10 Final, which was the second and final stage of the WSK Euro Series, held this weekend at the Circuito Internazionale Napoli in Sarno. Driving the Gillard/TM for SM Racing, the 11-year-old Portuguese driver was highly competitive throughout the weekend, with clear standout being his pole position in the Mini Sub-10 Qualifying session, where he set the fastest lap of 1m05.354, marking him as the quickest among all drivers in the Mini category (Mini Gr. 3/Mini Sub-10).
After finishing fourth, seventh, and eighth in the three Heats he competed in, Xavier Lázaro raced in the Pre-Final this morning, starting from sixth position. During the first lap, the Portuguese driver was involved in an accident with six other competitors. Despite the crash being quite dramatic, it resulted in no physical injuries for Xavier Lázaro. The race was stopped with a red flag, and a restart was given, with the Portuguese driver finishing in 15th place, still with some damage to his kart.
For the Final, the young driver from Várzea de Sintra started from 7th place and made an excellent start to the race, which put him in fourth. On the third lap, as he was about to move into second place, he was hit by an opponent, causing the TM engine of his kart to momentarily shut off. Xavier Lázaro managed to get back into the race, but he lost positions that he could not recover before the checkered flag, finishing in 13th place.
Second Pole Position of the Season…
After struggling to replicate his free practice performances in Qualifying sessions throughout so many races this year, Xavier Lázaro secured his second pole position of the season in Sarno, during the final stage of the WSK Euro Series. With an almost perfect performance in the timed session, the 11-year-old driver set a lap time of 1m05.354, the fastest lap among all drivers in both Mini categories: Gr. 3 and Sub-10.
... Smooth Heats
For the three Heats he competed in under the aegis of WSK Promotion, Xavier Lázaro started from pole position. Once again, the Portuguese driver experienced, as he had many times this year, a slight lack of competitiveness during the races with the Gillard/TM from SM Racing. Nevertheless, Xavier Lázaro focused on keeping things smooth in all the races, with his eyes set on securing a good position for the Pre-Final. His best result came in Heat 1, where he finished fourth, followed by seventh and eighth in the subsequent races.
A Scare and a Final That Should Have Gone Better
This morning, in the Pre-Final, Xavier Lázaro started from sixth position on the outside, which is not an advantage in Sarno. At the start, the Portuguese driver lost a few positions, but during the first lap, he was hit and ended up flipping over in an accident involving six other competitors. Despite the dramatic nature of the crash, there were no consequences for any of the drivers involved, aside from the scare. The race was stopped, but all the drivers involved were able to return to the starting grid for a restart.
Even though Xavier Lázaro was able to compete in the race, the Portuguese driver could only manage a 15th position, as his kart was not in optimal condition.
In the Final, after starting from seventh, Xavier Lázaro showed strength from the beginning. Quick and attentive, the Portuguese driver quickly moved into fourth place and, during the third lap, attempted to take the lead. For a moment, the young driver from SM Racing was in second place, but after being hit from behind by an opponent, Xavier Lázaro had to brake hard, causing the TM engine to momentarily shut off. He managed to get back into the race but dropped to 15th place. Still, he was able to recover two positions by the end of the race, finishing in 13th place. It was a disappointing finish for a race where Xavier Lázaro had everything to succeed.
Photos: Sportinphoto Kart Photo-Agency
