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Champions of the Future Academy Round 3 Recap: Onwards and upwards
Our F1 ACADEMY DISCOVER YOUR DRIVE supported karters were back to fight it out once more in Round 3 of the 2024 Champions of the Future Academy Program, as Italy’s Franciacorta Karting Track played host to the final European event of the campaign.
Reaching the halfway mark, our nine female racers continued to build on their earlier efforts and develop their racecraft, with Luna Fluxa Cross putting in another dominant display to strengthen her hold on the lead of the OK-N Senior Standings.
MINI 60 (8 TO 12 YEARS OLD)
It was a tricky start to the weekend for the Mini 60 trio. Ava Lawrence emerged furthest ahead in Qualifying in P15, but slipped back to P16 and P27 across the Heats and was unable to make the Final after a technical issue on the starting grid.
Sophie Guth steadily made strides across the day, going from P30 on the Final grid. A rocketing performance saw her gain 13 places on track, but a five-second penalty following a warning flag pushed her back to P24. Meanwhile, France’s Lina Salamanca gained 11 positions in the first Heat to finish P23 but couldn’t repeat the same feat in the Final where she classified in P30.
A good morning’s work on Day 2 saw Guth earn her best Qualifying result yet in 10th. The German racer continue to push further forward, taking P6 in the first Heat. She moved up to fifth at one point during Heat 2, but a wide moment onto the grass whilst battling in the pack cost her dearly and senther down to P30. Happily, she emerged from the Final with points to show for her efforts, climbing to P13 and taking the four points on offer.
Lawrence gave it her all to move up the order after she qualified in P26. Progressing up 10 places in Heat 1, her improvements continued into the Final, where the Emirati gained eight spots to seize the final Championship point in P15. Salamanca couldn’t quite move as far forward, but she did climb six places in the Final to finish in P26.
OK-N JUNIOR (12 TO 14 YEARS OLD)
Victoria Farfus seemed right at home around the Italian track on Day 1, posting the fifth-best time in Qualifying and playing for the win in both Heats. Immediately up to second on the opening lap of Heat 1, the Brazilian seized the lead and remained in the hunt for a top three finish to the chequered flag, but unfortunately was disqualified due to her mechanic pushing her kart beyond the white line.
Climbing back up to first in Heat 2, she lost out on the last lap and eventually dropped to P16 in the final classification following a five-second time penalty for pushing the race leader’s kart with her front bumper whilst trying to regain the lead in the final corner. With plenty of speed, she was able to make up lost ground in the Final, storming up 14 places to finish 13th.
Angelina Simons Torres also quickly got to grips with Franciacorta, finishing the Time Qualifying in P8. Although dropping down to P11 and P13 in the Heats, the Spaniard got her elbows out to fight back up to P7 in the Final.
Following a disappointing Time Qualifying, Sara Matsui wasn’t giving up after her P21 result. Full of fighting spirit, the Williams junior was in her element, making up 26 places across both Heats to finish P9 and P7 respectively. Sadly, a wide exit put her on the backfoot and the Japanese racer slipped down the order to P21.
Day 2 saw Farfus and Simons Torres both get off to strong starts, being close company on the grid for the Heats in P4 and P5 respectively. Simons Torres was able to get the better of her fellow F1 ACADEMY-backed karter off the line and took the chequered flag in fourth, whilst Farfus was disqualified from her eighth-place finish for a bad manoeuvre.
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Heat 2 saw Simons Torres firmly hold on to her P5 spot, whilst Farfus dropped back slightly to P9. These performances earned the Spanish racer a second row start for the 17-lap Final. Falling to 11th in the opening phase, she fought back to take her second-best result of the season in sixth, as she moved up to seventh in the OK-N Junior Standings.
Relegated to a P24-start, Farfus lined up just ahead of Matsui, who’d worked hard to make up 10 places in Heat 2. Both demonstrated strong race pace as they diced their way through the pack to finish 14th and 16th respectively.
OK-N SENIOR (14 TO 18 YEARS OLD)
Unassailable on Day 1 in Franciacorta, Luna Fluxa Cross led from the outset. Topping the Time Qualifying for the second time this season, she held on to the P1 spot in Heat 1 and refused to relinquish it, despite overcoming a Red Flag restart. Heat 2 saw her ace her getaway and although she briefly lost the lead, she returned to the front one lap later.
Covering off the lead at lights out, Fluxa Cross had plenty to manage after a slow procedure turned into a Red Flag stoppage. Untroubled on the restart, she controlled the pace and took a commanding win by four tenths.
It was a challenging day for Payton Westcott, as the American battled valiantly despite an injury setback. Qualifying in P19, neither Heat went her way. After a P21 finish in the first and getting caught up in a multi-kart off in Heat 2, an unlucky Final saw the American driver have contact in both restarts.
Charlotte Page turned things around after a tricky Qualifying session and two DNFs in the Heats, which saw her line up P34 for the Final. Gaining places left, right and centre, including nine on the restart, the Australian racer improved by 15 positions to take home 19th.
Day 2 saw Fluxa Cross fight back after taking the third-fastest time in a closely fought Time Qualifying session, with her best effort only 0.060s off the P1 spot. Wasting no time in Heat 1, the Spanish racer had snatched the lead by the end of the opening lap and comfortably took the chequered flag by 0.425s and repeated this feat in Heat 2.
Waiting for the right moment to put her foot down, Fluxa Cross got a textbook start. Whilst she faced some early pressure, the Mercedes junior managed the situation perfectly. Extending her advantage out front to 2.4s by the end, a fifth win out of six boosted her OK-N Senior Championship lead to 151 points.
Page and Westcott struggled to make the same inroads up the timing sheets, but both ended the third round of the campaign on a more positive note. Lining up in P20 and P29 following the Qualifying Heats, the Australia made up two spots to take 18th, whilst Westcott broke into the top 20, gaining 10 places across the 20-lap race.
The 2024 COTFA campaign will recommence in three months’ time, when the field head to Dubai for Round 4 from October 4-6. To see the full list of results from Round 3 and to view the remaining three rounds on the calendar, visit the COTFA website here.