Xavier Lázaro competed this weekend in the 3rd stage of the ACI Italian Karting Championship. In the race held in Val Vibrata, the Portuguese driver performed well, securing himself in the two decisive races of the Mini Gr. 3, after yesterday's two Heats where he finished in 11th and 18th positions, respectively.
Showing increasing consistency behind the wheel of the Mini Gr. 3 from SM Racing, Lázaro had an excellent Race 1 today, moving from 19th place to finish 10th after 12 laps. On the track, the driver from Várzea de Sintra actually finished 11th, but a penalty for an opponent created the opportunity to move up in the standings.
Lázaro was not fortunate in Race 2, ending up retiring during the second lap due to a collision that irreparably damaged his OTK. Nevertheless, the balance after the 10-year-old's third appearance in the main class of the Mini category has to be considered frankly positive. The Portuguese driver is showing competitiveness against the best and most experienced in one of the most contested categories of karting, besides revealing increasing consistency and maturity on the track.
Good Pace Also in the Heats
From the first free practice sessions, Xavier Lázaro was always quite competitive and among the best in the Mini Gr. 3 category. Even so, the SM Racing driver was unable to materialize this level of performance in Qualifying, where he recorded the 26th time in the category (13th in his group). In the timed session, the Portuguese driver couldn't find a clear track on the only lap he timed. On the second lap, a technical problem with the OTK/TM Kart/MG forced Lázaro to prematurely return to the pits.
Yesterday, during the Heats, the Portuguese driver performed well on track again, especially in the first of the two races he participated in. In Heat B-C, Xavier Lázaro moved from 17th position to an excellent race, where he managed to reach sixth place. A less successful final stage of the race resulted in the loss of some positions, with the Portuguese driver finishing 11th.
In the final Heat he contested (A-B), Xavier Lázaro started from 18th and initially gained some positions. However, he didn't maintain the best race pace, lost positions, and fell below the top 20. In the final laps, he recovered to 18th place, where he had started.
Top 10 in Race 1 and Out of Race 2
With the combined results from Friday and Saturday, Xavier Lázaro naturally qualified for today's races, Race 1 and Race 2 of Mini Gr. 3.
In Race 1, Xavier Lázaro started from 19th and from the beginning engaged in a very aggressive race. The Portuguese driver showed consistency, climbing positions to secure 11th place on the track. However, due to a penalty imposed on one of the competitors who finished ahead of him, Xavier Lázaro moved up to the final 10th place.
In Race 2, the young SM Racing driver ended up being a victim of the excessive aggressiveness of an opponent. Starting from 10th place on the outside line into the braking zone for the first corner at Val Vibrata, Xavier Lázaro had a cautious start and first lap. However, he fell victim to the aggression of Nikita Botte (Lenzokart/LKE/MG) on the second lap, being pushed into another opponent, resulting in irreparable damage to the OTK chassis. The Portuguese driver was forced to retire prematurely from the race.
Xavier Lázaro will have little time to rest after the 3rd round of the ACI Italian Championship, as he will be present next weekend in Franciacorta for the 1st round of the WSK Euro Series.
Photos: Sportinphoto Kart Photo-Agency
