Following an extensive schedule of competitions in Italy, Xavier Lázaro raced in the second round of the WSK Super Master Series this weekend, held in Franciacorta. In the Mini category's Sub-10, the young Portuguese driver made it to the Final, finishing in the 23rd position among the 36 qualified drivers. Behind the wheel of the official DR kart, Lázaro started the decisive race in 24th place, managing to surpass eleven opponents in the first four laps. However, while attempting to gain position from the defensive David Moscardi and move up to 12th place, he was collided with by an opponent, forcing him off the track. The driver from Várzea de Sintra rejoined the race in 33rd place, managing to recover 10 positions before the checkered flag, ultimately finishing in 23rd.
In a season where the driver's progress in a highly competitive environment has been noticeable, Xavier Lázaro faced a new challenge in the second round of the Super Master Series: on a track where he still gains his best pace, he had to 'struggle' almost the entire weekend with an engine whose performance was not at its best, evidently affecting the overall performance. Only in the Final did Xavier Lázaro have the equipment up to par, immediately showcasing his full potential with a stunning start to the race.
"I am pleased with Xavier's performance", said father Vasco Lázaro at the end. "The equipment conditions he was faced with forced him to give 200% to make the most of it, and that makes him stronger for the rest of the season. Throughout the weekend, I didn't see him make a single mistake".
Challenging Qualifying but Strong in the Heats
Xavier Lázaro, like all participants in the second round of the WSK Super Master Series, had to deal with the intense fog that 'settled' in Franciacorta during the morning, something that affected the number of track sessions in the free practice, forcing changes to the schedule of the heats. Contrary to what was outlined in the initial program, Friday was dedicated to Qualifying and the first of three heats for each driver, with the second heat taking place on Saturday. On Sunday, the day began with the third heat, followed by the Pre-Finals and Finals for each category.
The Qualifying didn't go well for the Sub-10 driver, who had to deal with some engine performance issues in the DR. In the session that determines the starting positions for the three heats, Xavier Lázaro couldn't do better than the 13th time in his group, resulting in the 26th position in the final timed session standings. The Portuguese driver's best lap was 54.444s.
For the three heats, Xavier Lázaro always started from the 13th position and managed to climb positions in each. In the first one, he finished 11th, and in the other two, he finished 8th and 11th, respectively.
Pre-Final A 'Going Backward'
Always combative on the track, trying to make the most of his equipment, Xavier Lázaro ended up having an unfortunate incident in the Pre-Final, being collided with by an opponent approaching the main straight for the start of the race. The result of the contact with his DR triggered a chain reaction that caused Lázaro to collide with the kart in front, damaging the nose, leading to a five-second penalty. The nine-year-old finished the race in ninth place, which would have allowed him to start the Final from the 5th row. However, with the five-second penalty, he dropped to 15th. With this result, his presence in the Sub-10 Final was secured, but with the 24th position, meaning he would start the decisive race only from the 12th row.
Bittersweet Final
For the Sub-10 Final, DR finally delivered a competitive engine to Xavier Lázaro, and the Portuguese driver didn't hesitate to show that with equipment equal to the competition, he can stand out. Starting from 24th, by the end of the fourth lap, Xavier Lázaro was in an impressive 13th place and was already pressuring David Moscardi to move up to 12th. However, the Parolin driver closed the door several times to the Portuguese, making both susceptible to attacks from pursuing drivers. On the fifth lap, Xavier Lázaro was collided with by an opponent who misjudged an overtaking attempt, throwing the Portuguese off the track. The DR driver managed to resume the race in 33rd position and recovered to 23rd by the end of the race. A bitter taste for a race that presented an opportunity for Xavier Lázaro to shine once again.
"Despite the final result not being what we aimed for this weekend, I am once again very pleased with Xavier's performance", said Vasco Lázaro at the end. "It was evident throughout the weekend that Xavier struggled a lot on the track with an uncooperative engine, and I must say that he didn't make a single mistake, adapting to the difficult conditions and always giving his best. Aware of the problem, the team made changes in time for the Final, where it could be seen that the starting position does not match Xavier's current value. With good equipment, he moved forward, gaining 11 positions in the Final in four laps. The result is not as expected, but this weekend was very rich in learning for Xavier".
Photos: Vasco Lázaro and Miguel Silva
