Xavier Lázaro raced this weekend in Italy, competing at the Cremona Circuit in the 1st stage of the Italian Karting Championship. In the Mini Sub10 class, the Portuguese driver secured a spot in both decisive races but ended up receiving a penalty in the first one, placing him in 15th position. In Race 2, after being hit by an opponent that pushed him off the track, he returned to the race but with a lap behind.
In the first race of a championship that the Várzea de Sintra driver will compete in entirely, there were indicators that it would be possible to fight for top positions, especially in the heats, where Xavier Lázaro showed great consistency. However, a hasty start in Race 1 led Xavier Lázaro to leave his lane before the traffic light closed, causing the 10th position obtained on the track to translate to only a top 15 after the application of the penalty.
As a result of the Race 1 outcome, the DR team driver started the final race in 15th position, had a good start, and by the first lap was already in eighth place when he was hit by an opponent. Xavier Lázaro went off the track and experienced a significant delay before returning, losing a lap in the process. He finished the race in the 34th position.
"This was an important race as it marked the beginning of a championship in which we aim to be competitive", stated his father, Vasco Lázaro. "However, after several days of hard work and dedication on the track, sometimes under quite challenging weather conditions, leaving here with just one point is frankly insufficient.".
Heavy Rain Hindered Progress on the Track
The first days on the track for the opening round of the Italian Karting Championship took place at the Cremona Circuit with heavy rain complicating the work of the young drivers present. Focused on delivering a strong performance from the outset in this competition, Xavier Lázaro was competitive and comfortable on the track, especially since the Portuguese driver enjoys driving in wet conditions.
In the Qualifying session, with many of the drivers in the Sub10 class already known to the Portuguese for being among the most competitive in the WSK championships, Xavier Lázaro managed to secure the 10th position in his series, ranking 19th overall. The DR team driver faced some challenges with his DR, but did not compromise, extracting the best possible performance from his equipment.
On Saturday, after the Warm-Up, Xavier Lázaro participated in two Heats, also in the rain. In the first of the two races, the nine-year-old driver delivered a good performance, moving from 13th to gain three positions and finish 10th, performing even better in Heat 2. For both Heats, he started in 13th and secured a very good eighth place in the final one. In the overall results, Xavier Lázaro secured the 10th position.
Challenging Races with Lessons for the Future
In the Italian Championship, in comparison to the WSK Promotion competitions, after qualifying in the Heats, drivers participate in two races instead of a single Final. Today, with the merit of qualifying for both races, Xavier Lázaro started from the 10th position. This morning, it was no longer raining, but the track was still wet before Race 1. The Portuguese driver was motivated for a good result, but due to being nine years old and having much to learn and manage, he made a mistake at the start, leaving his lane before the traffic light went out. He had a good race, unable to gain positions, finishing in 10th, but with a penalty for the start error, he dropped to 15th.
As a consequence of the result, the driver from the outskirts of Sintra had to start from 15th for Race 2. Right from the start, motivated and this time without any mistakes, Xavier Lázaro began to climb positions, and by the beginning of the second lap, he was already in eighth place. However, it was 'written' that the day would be challenging for the Portuguese driver, as he was hit by an opponent during the second lap. He went off the track but still managed to return to the race, albeit with a lap behind, ultimately finishing in 34th. A frustrating result in the opening weekend of a new competition on the schedule for the young DR team driver.
The return to the Italian Championship takes place in mid-June, at La Conca.
Photos: Sportinphoto Kart Photo-Agency
