Xavier Lázaro raced this weekend in the final stage of the ACI Sport Italian Championship, which took place at South Garda Karting in Lonato. Today, in the two decisive races of the Mini Gr. 3, the young Portuguese driver struggled greatly to break into the top 10, a mission he managed to accomplish. In Race 1, this morning, Xavier Lázaro started from 15th position and finished the race in the same spot, despite facing significant difficulties to remain competitive. In Race 2, the Portuguese driver was a true 'warrior' on the track, fighting for the best possible result. With one of his best performances of the season, Xavier Lázaro overcame competitiveness issues through sheer skill, bringing home a hard-fought but well-deserved ninth place.
In a month full of hard work on the track, Xavier Lázaro will not have time to rest, as he will return to Italian soil at the beginning of next week to race in the second stage of the WSK Euro Series, at the Circuito Internazionale Napoli, in Sarno.
A Promising Weekend That Turned Difficult
Xavier Lázaro's presence in Lonato for the fifth and final stage of the ACI Sport Italian Karting Championship started on a very positive note, with the SM Racing driver being among the fastest during the first days of free practice, including in the official sessions. However, without finding a plausible explanation, the Portuguese driver began to struggle with a lack of competitiveness in Qualifying. He managed to mask this issue on the final lap of the session, taking significant risks and delivering a near-perfect performance, securing the third-fastest time among the 46 participants in Mini Gr. 3. The young driver from Várzea de Sintra pulled off a lap in 54.030 seconds around the circuit near Lake Garda, just one hundredth of a second behind Mason Robertson’s (Parolin/Iame/MG) pole position.
The setbacks began in the first Heat, with the Portuguese driver realizing that the competitiveness issues had returned. Despite starting on the outside, Xavier Lázaro got off to a good start but quickly realized he wouldn't be competitive enough to challenge for the top positions in Mini Gr. 3. As the race progressed, the SM Racing driver gradually lost positions, finishing in 14th place, ten spots below his starting position.
In the second Heat he competed in, Xavier Lázaro once again had a strong start, managing to position himself within the top five. However, he soon experienced the same competitiveness issues that had affected him in the previous race. By the end of the race, 10th place was the best he could achieve, after having to defend himself from his rivals throughout. The team continued working hard, trying to find solutions to the lack of race pace, while Xavier Lázaro demonstrated his ability to adapt and improve in challenging situations, showing that setbacks also help him gain maturity.
Turning Weaknesses into Strengths‘
The sum of the results from the Heats placed Xavier Lázaro starting from 15th position for today’s two races. Far from the positions capable of contending for victory, the Portuguese driver knew he faced a tough challenge. With the competitiveness issues persisting since Friday, the 11-year-old driver fought with the tools he had and gave his best. He ultimately benefited from some incidents involving his rivals, finishing in the same position from which he started the race, 15th.
With the team’s constant effort to find a solution to the time Xavier Lázaro was losing to his competitors, a decision was made to change the chassis for Race 2, which aligned with the Portuguese driver’s wishes. In what was the final race of the year in Mini Gr. 3 in the Italian Championship, Xavier Lázaro gave it his all on the track. Starting again from 15th, the Portuguese driver managed to mask the still-present competitiveness issues with his Gillard/TM chassis by delivering one of his best performances of the year. Through sheer determination, Xavier Lázaro fought throughout the 10 laps of the race to secure a brilliant 9th place. The young driver from Várzea de Sintra exceeded expectations and "turned weaknesses into strengths" to overcome a challenging weekend.
"This was a weekend where I had to fight hard", Xavier Lázaro said. “I continue to learn every day, and here in Lonato, I come away stronger after all the setbacks I faced since Friday morning. It was a weekend of overcoming challenges, but I leave with a sense of a mission accomplished. I want to thank my team for their dedication; they were tireless.”.
Photos: Sportinphoto Kart Photo-Agency
