Xavier Lázaro finished today in the 10th position in the Mini Sub 10 category, in the Final of the 3rd stage of the WSK Super Master Series, held at the Franciacorta Karting Track in Italy. The Portuguese driver completed his second race behind the wheel of the Gillard from SM Racing in a highly commendable manner, showing that he is increasingly adapting to the kart of the British team.
In Franciacorta, Xavier Lázaro showed throughout the weekend that he was quite competitive and among the fastest in the Mini Sub 10 category. After securing the overall best time in the official free practice sessions with a lap of 53.866 seconds, the Portuguese driver did not see his true speed reflected in the Qualifying session. He was one of many adversely affected by a strange maneuver from an opponent that blocked the entire field at the moment of setting the best lap. As a result, Xavier Lázaro could only achieve the 10th best time in his series, ranking 20th overall.
As a consequence of a poor Qualifying session, Xavier Lázaro started the three Heats from the 10th position, a challenging position in itself, further complicated by placing the young driver from Várzea de Sintra on the outside of the track.
Apesar de se encontrar numa situação difícil, Xavier Lázaro largou bem para a Heat 1 e desde logo subiu vários lugares, mas no final da primeira volta acabou por cometer um erro, ‘queimando’ a travagem no fim de uma zona rápida e afundando-se na classificação. Até ao fim das oito voltas da corrida, conseguiu de certa forma compensar o erro, recuperando posições para terminar no 18º lugar. O jovem de 10 anos teve o seu melhor desempenho na Heat 2. Largando de 10º, foi desde logo proativo e eficiente para subir de forma consistente no pelotão, terminando a prova em sétimo. O infortúnio chegou na Heat 3, para a qual Xavier Lázaro tornou a largar bem, mas acabou por ser envolvido num acidente que envolveu vários karts, abandonando a corrida ainda na primeira volta.
Without Margin for Error in the Pre-Final and With Determination in the Final
In the sum of points from the three Heats, the situation was not easy for Xavier Lázaro. The Portuguese driver started the Pre-Final A in 19th place, aware that he needed a good result to secure a spot in the decisive race. Handling the pressure well, the young SM Racing driver had one of his best performances of the weekend, in a race without mistakes that ultimately finished in seventh place.
Despite the good performance in the Pre-Final, the points obtained by Xavier Lázaro in the Heats also influenced his starting position for the Final of the Mini Sub 10. The SM Racing driver started from the 27th position. With determination and a lot of grit, Xavier Lázaro had a nearly perfect first lap, gaining 12 positions. Despite being forced to make some challenging decisions for overtaking, the Portuguese driver managed to gain a few more places by the end of a race where he secured a remarkable top 10. In the Final of a highly competitive category with a total of 63 participants in Franciacorta, gaining 17 positions in a race that only has eight laps is truly an exceptional achievement.
“Estou cada vez mais confortável ao volante do Gillard e vou-me sentindo cada vez mais confiante”, said Xavier Lázaro in the end. “Foi pena eu ter abandonado uma das Heats, o que me condicionou tanto na Pré-Final como na Final. Ainda assim, dei o meu máximo para tentar chegar o mais à frente possível. Mais uma vez, quero agradecer o esforço e dedicação de todos na SM Racing. Estamos todos a trabalhar muito e eu estou cada vez mais bem preparado e competitivo”, concluded the driver from Várzea de Sintra.
In the next week, Xavier Lázaro will be in Sarno to continue the competitive program with SM Racing, which includes many kilometers of testing and training. Additionally, he will start preparing for the next and final stage of the WSK Super Master Series, scheduled from February 28 to March 2 at the circuit near Naples, always hosted by WSK Promotion.
Photos: Sportinphoto Kart Photo-Agency
