For the first time, Xavier Lázaro managed to break into the top 10 of a Final in the Mini Sub-10 class. This achievement took place in the third round of the WSK Open Series, held this weekend in Castelletto di Branduzzo, northern Italy. On the track in the province of Pavia, Lombardy, the Portuguese driver concluded a weekend where consistency was his strongest attribute.
After being among the fastest in the official Thursday practice sessions, Xavier Lázaro confirmed his good pace when rain arrived on the track. However, he ended up losing some competitiveness in the timed practices, being hindered by the two drivers ahead of him on the track. He couldn't do better than the ninth time in his group (18th in the overall Sub-10 classification).
In the heats, the driver from Várzea de Sintra was quite consistent, starting from the middle of the pack and managing to avoid getting involved in any 'confusions.' He finished the three races that determined the positioning for the Pre-Final in 16th (twice) and 12th place.
Starting the Pre-Final from 13th, Xavier Lázaro couldn't make progress in the pack, ultimately finishing in 14th, a position he maintained at the start of the Final. In a race where he consistently ran in a highly competitive group, the Portuguese driver defended well his position on the track, managing to gain places in the final phase of the race and finishing in 10th place. This marks his best result in WSK competitions so far.
"Xavier managed to handle a race in which he wasn't as competitive as in other rounds, achieving a good result, his best so far in Italy", his father, Vasco Lázaro, expressed satisfaction at the end of the race. "Now the preparation for the return to Cremona follows, a track where Xavier felt very comfortable".
Competitive in Dry and Wet Conditions
On a track where he tested in the days following the Cremona stage, Xavier Lázaro proved to be competitive right from the early practice sessions, once again becoming one of the reference drivers for much of the grid when it was time to hit the track. He was among the fastest on Thursday and maintained competitive levels when rain surrounded the track near Milan. The competitive indicators he demonstrated suggested he would be strong in Qualifying, but reality proved different. Although he was quick in his group, Xavier Lázaro was hindered by two drivers ahead of him engaging in a direct dispute, precisely during the lap when the young DR driver aimed to set his time. The result was the ninth position in his group, translating to the 18th place overall in the Mini Sub-10 class. The lap in 54.745s left the Portuguese driver about eight-tenths off the 'pole position.
Heats and Pre-Final Without Issues
Knowing that with the result obtained in Qualifying, he would always be in the middle of the pack for the three heats to be contested, Xavier Lázaro was aware that it was important to finish the races without major problems to ensure a good position in the Pre-Final. Therefore, the DR driver focused on being consistent, which he achieved, finishing the three races without major issues. With fewer participants competing in the Mini Sub-10's at this stage of the season, but with all the big names in the category present, the level of competitiveness is very high, making it not always easy to progress in the pack. In the first two heats, Xavier Lázaro finished in 16th, with the final race before the Pre-Final being the one where the nine-year-old driver stood out, securing 10th position.
In the Pre-Final, starting from 13th, Xavier Lázaro fought hard but not only couldn't gain positions, but was also overtaken by the Swedish driver Maximus Unt (Tonykart), finishing in 14th.
Smart Race in the Final
After the points were tallied, Xavier Lázaro finished the Final in 13th place. In a highly competitive race on a very technical track, the Portuguese driver engaged in battles with several competitors over the 10 laps of the race, at times moving up and at other times dropping positions. In the final phase of the race, Xavier Lázaro managed to progress in the pack, demonstrating intelligence in his maneuvers. This resulted in his best performance so far in an event under the WSK umbrella. The DR driver finished the third round of the Open Series in the top 10.
"I am very happy with this result", said Xavier Lázaro at the end.
At the end of the race, referring to the weekend and the close lap times, his father said, "The team worked hard this weekend. During the first few days, Xavier always had two chassis to take to the track, allowing him to try out various solutions and approaches".
Xavier Lázaro continued, saying, "After this race, we return to Portugal for a few days, and the following week, we will be in Cremona for the fourth round of the Super Master Series. Xavier will spend even more time in Italy this year than initially planned, as we decided to make some changes to his competitive schedule. We will soon announce what's new".
Photos: Sportinphoto Kart Photo-Agency
