Race Report - Round 1
CADET SCHOOL SEASON OPENER SEES IKONEN & YUSUF TRIUMPHANT...
The season opener at Streatham Kart Raceway saw 55 drivers
competing for honours as the first round took place in February
rather than January. The cadets took to the track with a lot of last
years protagonists moving up to the junior class; the way was open
for the new stars to make their mark.
RD1 Cadet Category
Krishaan Sivagnanam led the way with 3 early wins, whilst impressive
newcomer Joe Bennacuer racked up the points with an economic style,
but in the end it was Asha Brookes that clinched pole position for
the Grand Final.
The racing was fierce without being over committed and the officials
were able to relax into the racing, resorting to the black flag only
twice for Advantage by Contact to Jacob Lefevre in Heat 9 and later
on in Heat 21 to Callum Mazzella, as the drivers kept the crowd
entertained with some superb racing and excellent sportsmanship.
Once the Grand Final was under way and the drivers charged into the
first bend, pole position driver Brookes immediately came under
pressure from Luis Ikonen who nipped through into the lead and
cleverly backed Asha Brookes into the chasing pack. Whilst Asha
desperately fought off the challenges of fast starting Rasaan
Malcolm-Moore and Krishaan Sivagnanam, this allowed Ikonen the room
to open a commanding lead he was never likely to lose.
Luis Ikonen then rattled the 10 laps off to victory, leaving Brookes
to eventually cement 2nd place and Malcolm-Moore climbed up to the
third spot on the rostrum, despite a strong challenge from
Sivagnanam and Vincent Souillat, who put in the fastest time of the
day in 5th place.
So new names for a new season at the top end of the cadets.
Cadet A Final Podium (L-R) Asha Brookes, Luis Ikonen, Rasaan
Malcolm-Moore
Cadet A Final Results
Pos Driver Best Lap Starting Position 1st Luis Ikonen 23.603 3rd 2nd Asha Brookes 24.051 1st 3rd Rasaan Malcolm-Moore 24.065 4th 4th Krishaan Sivagnanam 24.103 2nd 5th Vincent Souillat 23.887 9th 6th Joe Bennacuer 24.221 5th 7th Brandon John 23.883 6th 8th Harry Brewer 24.437 10th 9th Tyler Dougan 25.212 7th 10th Sean-Michael Adams 24.706 8th
In contrast the older section was fraught with black flags during
qualifying heats and the racing was littered with clashes bordering
on the ill tempered and contact became the norm as the older age
group muscled their way around the circuit.
It was that most gentlemanly of drivers Prajesh Shah who headed the
leader board after qualifying equal on points with Sipho Manzi, just
up from cadets and enjoying himself in the ’big league’. Reece Yusuf
also showed increased maturity to be in the top 3 qualifiers and he
was to pay his full part in an absorbing battle in the final.
RD1 Junior Category
From the start, pole sitter Prajesh Shah was swamped by faster
starting drivers, and emerged from the first corner in 5th place
with the two former cadets Manzi and Yusuf showing out on this early
stage. Yusuf snaffled the lead after a few laps with Andrew Knight
lurking dangerously in third place behind Sipho Manzi.
Then Yusuf showed his maturity. Manzi kept nudging him and driving
by him into the lead. Instead of the histrionics of a lesser driver,
Yusuf simply took the lead back again at the next corner, and Knight
prepared to make his move.
On the last lap, Knight ploughed into the side of Manzi at Casualty,
stopping the momentum of both drivers and Yusuf gleefully accepted
this form of poetic justice to win easily, with Manzi second. Andre
Aguirre Conde emerged from the pack in 3rd place, as a disconsolate
Knight dropped out of the race, trapped in the tyre wall.
Junior A Final Podium (L-R) Sipho Manzi, Reece Yusuf, Andre Aguirre-Conde
Pos Driver Best Lap Starting Position 1st Reece Yusuf 24.602 3rd 2nd Sipho Manzi 24.668 2nd 3rd Andre Aguirre-Conde 24.556 8th 4th Michael Iacovou 24.402 6th 5th Prajesh Shah 24.335 1st 6th Alex Douglas 24.842 10th 7th Kori Angus 25.296 4th 8th James Hart 24.842 5th 9th Andrew Knight 24.205 7th 10th Rasaan Malcolm-Moore 25.208 9th
Forthcoming Events:
Monday 14th
February
Bambino Training (6-8yrs)
Monday 15th
February
Academy Tuition
Tuesday 2nd
March
Academy Tuition
Saturday 6th March
Championship - RD2
Report: Russ Pittingale
Images: Steve Jefford
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