Xavier Lázaro raced in the IAME World Finals at the Kartódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão this weekend. The Várzea de Sintra driver was among the youngest on the track, competing among the 101 participants in the X30 Mini category.
Even though it was only possible to confirm Xavier Lázaro's presence at this, which was one of the karting events of the year in our country, at the last minute, bringing some logistical challenges to ensure the best possible competitiveness, the Portuguese driver had a positive performance in the race. As part of the ART team, Xavier Lázaro accumulated points in various heats held throughout the week, as well as in today's Super Heat, securing a place in the X30 Mini Final, which was his primary goal in the event.
Behind the wheel of the DR, Xavier Lázaro, however, did not have a fortunate outcome in the Final, hampered by some competitiveness issues overall, likely caused by a less effective set of new tires. The 10-year-old driver finished the Final in the 30th position, a result that may not be the most desired but still should be considered positive given the circumstances.
"It was very good to be able to participate in this event and reach the X30 Mini Final", Xavier Lázaro said. "I want to thank ART, especially Lucas Araújo and Pedro Maia, for the work they did with me during the weekend and for helping make my presence at the event possible".
About the result in the race, Xavier Lázaro said, "This is the final event of an annual competition in which I was not present, so finishing in the top 30 out of a total of over 100 drivers is something that makes me very happy. I always saw participation in this race as an excellent training opportunity and set a minimum goal of reaching the Final. So I leave here satisfied. In the first few days, I was always able to drive among the best in my group. On Saturday, I had clutch problems that affected me, and today the new tires I put on for the Super Heat ended up not working on the track. Nevertheless, I consider the weekend to be a positive experience".
Well, in Qualifying and on Day 1
It was only a few days in advance that Xavier Lázaro found out it would be possible to participate in the IAME World Finals in Portimão. With the specificity of this event requiring the search for competitive equipment in a short time, a good technical compromise was achieved with the ART team, well directed by former driver Lucas Araújo.
After ensuring the competitive aspect, Xavier Lázaro performed well in the timed practices, being the 9th fastest in his series and the 26th in the X30 Mini classification.
The Várzea de Sintra driver performed well in the first heat, finishing in sixth place. However, he had less luck in Heat 2, where he could have repeated the good result, but in an attempt to overtake an opponent, he ended up in a collision that set him back, finishing in 29th place.
Clutch Issues Arose In the Final Heats
In the last three heats he contested, Xavier Lázaro faced clutch problems in the DR, likely caused by the slow pace of the front drivers during the formation laps for the races. In Heat 3, Xavier Lázaro finished in 14th place. He achieved his best result on the second day of racing in Heat 4, finishing in seventh place by benefiting from some incidents ahead. In the final Heat, starting as usual from the 9th position in his group, he jumped to 5th place on the first lap, but due to clutch issues, he lost positions to finish in 13th.
Encountered Many Difficulties In the Super Heat and Final
Similar to the previous day, today Xavier Lázaro faced many competitiveness issues in the DR. At crucial moments during the weekend, for the Super Heat (IAME's term for the Pre-Final) and also the Final, the Portuguese driver opted for new tires, which, apparently, like other drivers who made the same choice, proved to be ineffective. Xavier Lázaro could not do better than finishing the Super Heat in 19th place. Due to his better results in the heats, the Portuguese driver still managed to secure a spot in the X30 Mini Final.
In the most important race of the weekend, but also the longest, Xavier Lázaro struggled on the track with tires that were not performing adequately, managing no better than finishing in 30th place. Nevertheless, at the end of the race, Xavier Lázaro was happy.
"I really enjoyed participating in this event and reaching the Final. We were four Portuguese drivers who represented Portugal in the X30 Mini Final", Xavier Lázaro said.
"Despite not everything going well on the track, I am very satisfied with the weekend. Being part of the IAME World Finals allowed me to accumulate a lot of track mileage in both training and racing, experiencing various track conditions due to the unstable weather during these days. Nonetheless, making it to the Final was a significant achievement, especially in a competition where I am one of the youngest and competed against very experienced drivers, some of whom are already 12 years old. Later this week, I am heading to Italy for my next appearance in the WSK Euro Series in Sarno".
Photos: Hellofoto and PH24
