Xavier Lázaro retired in the Final of the 3rd stage of the WSK Super Master Series, held today in Sarno, near the Italian city of Naples. The Portuguese driver aimed for a spot in the top 10 in the decisive race of the Mini Sub-10 class but was forced to retire during the first of the eight laps of the race, as he was collided with by an opponent just a few meters after the start. The nine-year-old, competing in the official DR team, ended a weekend in an unfortunate manner, struggling with many difficulties to extract the maximum competitiveness from his equipment. After a qualifying session where he didn't perform well, Xavier Lázaro redeemed himself in the three Heats, finishing 12th, 9th, and 7th. With strong performances on the track, he secured a spot in Pre-Final A, starting from 12th position and finishing in 8th place.
The Final, in which he had aspirations to finish within the top 15, with his excellent goal being a place in the top 10, ended very prematurely, motivated by a mistake from an opponent.
"After a weekend in which Xavier fought as best as he could to overcome some challenges, including a less-than-optimal performance in Qualifying, this was not the result we expected in Sarno"Vasco Lázaro, disappointed, commented; he is the father of the DR driver. "Xavier fully delivered in the races, focused on building a solid foundation to start in a position within the first half of the grid in the Final. He achieved that goal but was unlucky in the first lap, falling victim to circumstances. It's racing; we have to accept the result and prepare for the next race in Italy, just a few days from now".
Qualifying Below Expectations
After the first days of free and official practice, Xavier Lázaro showed good performance behind the wheel of the DR, despite grappling with atmospheric instability and being absent from one of the sessions. The Portuguese driver was determined for the Qualifying session, where a good result would allow him to start in favorable positions during the Heats. However, with some wrong decisions proving costly on the time chart, Xavier Lázaro complicated his situation, managing no better than the 32nd best time among the 42 participants in the Sub-10 class. His lap time of 1m04.220 left him nearly two seconds behind the pole position.
Strong in the Heats and Lucky in the Pre-Final
With the DR team working to improve performance on the track, following the decision to change Xavier Lázaro's kart engine, better results began to emerge. In the three heats, the Portuguese driver consistently improved, delivering error-free performances. In the first of the three races that determine positioning in the Pre-Final, Xavier Lázaro gained four positions to finish 12th. In the second heat, he secured a 9th-place finish, climbing seven places from the starting position. His best performance came in the final heat, where a 7th-place finish was the reward for gaining nine positions during the race.
In the Warm-Up session, the Portuguese driver was involved in an accident that resulted in no physical consequences but led to the destruction of the DR chassis. For the Pre-Final A, the Portuguese driver started in 12th place, although he was forced to compete with a less competitive engine and soon began to accumulate small errors on the track, causing him to lose contact with the top nine. Xavier Lázaro raced without pressure in 10th place, but in the last few laps, he gained two positions when some of his opponents made mistakes. With some luck, the Portuguese driver finished the race in 8th place, securing a spot in the first half of the grid for the Final.
"Xavier made some mistakes at the beginning of the race and lost touch with the leading pack", said Vasco Lázaro. "He ended up having luck in the end, but the important thing is that he is where he needed to be for the Final, in the front half of the pack".
Short-lived Final
The Mini Sub-10 Final was perhaps the shortest in Xavier Lázaro's presence in international competitions. The Portuguese driver started from the 16th position and considered finishing within the top 10 as a very positive goal. Aware of his capabilities, he was also motivated by being able to rely on his more competitive engine.
The race was short for the young driver from Várzea de Sintra, who started well but fell victim to the overzealousness of one of his opponents approaching the fast but treacherous first corner of the Neapolitan circuit. The damage to the DR was substantial (the second chassis destroyed in a single weekend), forcing the Portuguese driver to retire.
Xavier Lázaro returns to competition in Italy next weekend, to participate in the first round of the WSK Open Series at the South Garda Karting in Lonato.
Photos: Sportinphoto Kart Photo-Agency
