June 4th, 2009 Vainio at the front at Suzuka
Maranello Kart’s colours are once again confirmed at the height of international races such as the one of the Super KF World Cup which was run in Suzuka (Japan). On this 1264 metres long kart track where Maranello had won last year the prestigious title with Davide Forè, in this occasion the Italian Company has fought again for victory with its leading figure, the fast driver Aaro Vainio, a young Finnish pilot who was the 2008 KF3 Champion and already in great evidence also in the major category since the first rounds of the season.
It was Vainio’s first experience on this track but he was immediately a leader since the official trials by getting the second best final time at only 8 th.of seconds from the poleman Gary Catt. Unfortunately his joy and that of the whole team lasted less because of a technical problem which forced Vainio to withdraw during the first heat. His reaction was however brilliant, in spite of that mishap, and in fact he won immediately the second heat. His recover went on also in the pre-final where he passed from the 18th to the 11th position, then in the final where he made terrific overtakings ending the race with an excellent 6th place. Would it be different without that trouble in the first heat…
As to the other Maranello Kart driver, the fast British Ben Hanley who already had passed to GP2 motor racing and occasionally dedicated to karting, he also tried to add to his palmarès a prestigious international title like this, but at the end he had to give up after a 6th place in the pre-final. In the final Hanley was able to reach the 4th position at the beginning then had to slow down for technical problems, lost ground and ended in 17th position.
Mark Litchfield got a better result placing 11th in the final after his withdraw in the pre-final, also due to a technical problem. It was a pity indeed as Litchfield proved to be very fast and was doing good performances either in trial or in the heats.
In the Asia-Pacific KF2 Championship which was run at the same time, the best of Maranello’s drivers was the British George Blundell who placed 14th in the final, while the Japanese Shoya Kose ended 16th after his excellent 7th time in trial. Eduard Cheever (12th after the heats) and the other Japanese Naoki Yokohama of Peter Pan Team were forced to withdraw for accidents.
THE INTERVIEW. Armando Filini, Maranello Kart Manager: “We would deserve much more in this World Cup in Suzuka. Without Vainio’s technical problem we would certainly have been able to fight for victory. We won in fact the second heat with worn-out tyres and this proves how we were OK with our chassi. Vainio made a great progression in the pre-final but had to be satisfied with his 6th position in the final just because of his worn-out tyres. Considering his first experience on this track of Suzuka, he ran very very well. The same is for Hanley who was unfortunately stopped by a technical problem. Our next race is on the 14th of June in Genk, Belgium, for the fourth WSK round where we definitely should run at best”.
In the photo: Aaro Vainio (Photo KSP)