Kiwi karter Marcus Armstrong is back on the CIK-FIA KF class championship trail this weekend, contesting the second of three rounds of the 2015 European Championships title fight at the PF International kart track at Grantham in the English midlands.
Former New Zealand champion Armstrong, 14, from Christchurch, has enjoyed a promising start to his first year as a works driver for Italy’s Tony Kart team, though he and teammate and recent WSK Master Series KF class winner Nicklas Neilsen struggled for ultimate pace at the opening round of the 2015 CIK-FIA European Championships at Portimao in Portugal in early May.
The teams tested at the Grantham track last week but Armstrong says he won’t have a clear idea of where he and Nielsen stand until after practice this week.
“The track is one of the most difficult of the season and it’s hard to see where we are from the test because everybody was testing new equipment and tyres were never at similar ages.
“As I’ve come to know in KF, it’s not about the pace, it’s more about qualifying well and having a safe run through the heats because the finals are often won by the driver in the right place at the right time. Ultimately I want a trouble-free weekend.”
Armstrong has been kept busy since the first round of the 2015 series but says it is good to get back into race mode.
“The team have been working really hard for this weekend and they want to be back at the front, so I am very motivated!”
At the opening round of the 2015 CIK-FIA European Championships series at Portimao the KF class was dominated by Ben Hanley who beat fellow Brtish ace – and 2013 world karting champion – Tom Joyner to the line in the Final.
Armstrong qualified 24th, had a 15-13-9 run through the heats to grid up on P21 for the Pre-Final in which he finished 16th.
He then went on to finish 19th in the Final.
After the Grantham round there is just over a month until the final round of the 2015 CIK-FIA European Championships in New Zealand over the July 25/26 weekend.
