Powell is hoping to close out the season with a bang
Contributed
Despite the disappointment of a penalty that robbed him a podium finish in Czech Republic at the weekend, Jamaica's young sensation Alex Powell left that second round of the FIA European Karting Championship feeling confident that he can truly take the fight to the leading lights in the hunt to create more history this year.
The American-born Powell, who just missed out on an historic top-three finish in last year's overall championship, has once again established himself as a main contender for those coveted top spot in the OK category, as he sits third in the current standing on 96 points with two more rounds to come.
Italian Gabriel Gomez holds pole position on 150 points ahead of Dutchman Rene Lammers (136 points). Latvia's Tomass Stolcermanis (86 points) and Nathaniel Tye (60 points) of Great Britain complete the latest top five.
This follows a riveting second round battle on the demanding 1223-metre Steel Ring track in Trinec, where the winding, hilly layout, offered challenges for the drivers and technicians, especially amid changeable conditions.
In the end it was Gomez who maintained his composure best and, finished tops ahead of Lammers and another Italian Sebastiano Pavan.
Powell initially placed second, but was later penalized and, as such, had to settle for fourth.
"It was a difficult weekend, but we were strong in the final once again which is always a positive because the aim always to challenge for the podium. Naturally, I was very disappointed about the five second penalty at first, but there are a number of positive takeaways and so we will just focus on those and make the necessary switch to take the next two rounds as they come," Powell said from his base in Italy.
With the next round of the European Championships set for June 15-18 in Rodby, Denmark, Powell is eyeing significant improvements to ensure he remains in contention to possibly pull off the historic feat of being the first Jamaican or Caribbean driver to be crowned overall European champion.
Before that, the 15-year-old will have the Champions of the Future event to navigate from May 31 to July 3, also in Denmark, which should assist in his preparation for the bigger event. He is currently second on the Champions of the Future standings.
"The European Championships is definitely not over yet for sure I will be looking to improve on those results over the next two rounds and try my hardest to keep up with those ahead of me," Powell, a cousin to former 100m World record holder, Asafa Powell, said.
"Being in third position at the moment really encourages me to put my best foot forward, like i said, we had good pace in the final and so I’m hoping we will be even faster in the races to come and I really want to take that next step up onto the podium," he added.
With this possibly being his final year in karting, Powell, a Mercedes-Benz AMG F1 protege, who was denied the overall honours by a mere two points last year, is determined to close this chapter of his career with a bang.
"There is a chance we can do something special this year and I obviously have more experience now too, which gives me the confidence to push harder.
“If things go well, I honestly believe we can compete with the top guys and cause them some trouble. It’s a really strong field and the leading four drivers in the championship will all be aiming to hold their positions, but my goal is to close the gap going int to the final round and from there, anything is possible," Powell noted.
Lewis Hamilton says he will ‘struggle to get into top 10’ at Spanish Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton fears he will start Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix outside of the top 10 following a disheartening day in practice for the British driver and his Mercedes team.
As Max Verstappen predictably set the pace for Red Bull with a practice double at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya, Hamilton finished only 11th, more than six tenths of a second back.
Home favourite Fernando Alonso raised hope that he could challenge Verstappen and his all-conquering Red Bull team after he finished second for Aston Martin, just 0.170 seconds back. George Russell was eighth in the other Mercedes.
Before stepping into his cockpit this weekend, Hamilton admitted that his team’s much-anticipated upgrade, which made its debut in Monaco a week ago, had not provided the magic fix he was hoping for.
And on his new machine’s second outing at a track where the Silver Arrows said they would obtain a greater understanding of their upgrades, the evidence suggests they are no closer to taking on the mighty Red Bull, or leapfrogging rivals Aston Martin and Ferrari.
Indeed, Mercedes might have fallen further down the pecking order, with Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg, Alpine’s Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly, and the Alfa Romeo of Valtteri Bottas all above the seven-time world champion in the order.
Asked about his prospects for qualifying on Saturday, Hamilton said: “From the pace that I had today it will be a struggle to get into the top 10. It is not going to be easy, that is for sure.
“We are fighting as hard as we can. It was a difficult day getting on top of the tyres. The car feels… like the car. Hopefully we can make some changes overnight.
“It is impressive to see the improvements that everyone has made around us – if you look at the Alpines, and you can also see the Aston Martin is right behind the Red Bull which is impressive.”
Hamilton said after May’s Miami Grand Prix that he was “counting down the days” for the upgrade he hoped would propel him back to the front. But there appears no end in sight to his 30-race losing streak.
Verstappen, 39 points clear in his pursuit for a third successive title, has been in a class of one for the past 18 months and his dominance continued on Friday.
A day after he made the ominous prediction that Red Bull could win all 16 remaining races this year, Verstappen finished seven tenths faster than anyone else in the opening running before returning to the top of the timesheets for the day’s final action.
Alonso however, lingers with intent. His home race this weekend marks the 10th anniversary of his 32nd and last win in the sport.
However, the Spaniard, 41, is enjoying a career resurgence following his transfer from Alpine to Aston Martin, finishing on the podium at five of the first six races.
“Every time I have come to Barcelona I have been told it has been five years since I last won, and then seven years, and now it is 10,” said Alonso.
“But it doesn’t feel that long to me. Last year we saw how much Mercedes improved during the season, and they won in Brazil with George. There will be an opportunity around the corner and we have to be there to take it.”
Max Verstappen sets the pace again but little to cheer for Lewis Hamilton
Max Verstappen completed a practice double for Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton finished only 11th on a disheartening day for the seven-time world champion and his Mercedes team.
As Verstappen predictably set the pace for Red Bull at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya, Hamilton, 12th in the day’s first running, ended second practice six tenths off the pace.
Home favourite Fernando Alonso raised hope that he could challenge Verstappen and his all-conquering Red Bull team after he finished second for Aston Martin, just 0.170 seconds back.
Nico Hulkenberg was an impressive third for Haas, with Verstappen’s Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez fourth.
Hamilton admitted on Thursday that Mercedes’ much-anticipated upgrade, which made its debut in Monaco a week ago, had not provided the magic fix he was hoping for.
And on his new machine’s second outing, at a track where the Silver Arrows said they would obtain a greater understanding of their upgrades, the evidence suggests they are no closer to taking on the mighty Red Bull, or indeed, leapfrogging rivals Aston Martin and Ferrari.
Hamilton’s team-mate George Russell finished eighth, half-a-second off the pace.
Russell also came within inches of a nasty accident with Oscar Piastri after he was blocked by the rookie McLaren driver.
Russell was forced to take evasive action, running off the road and into the gravel.
“Who the f*** was that in the McLaren,” said the usually mild-mannered Briton as he limped through the sandtrap.
Verstappen has been in a class of one for the past 18 months and his dominance continued on Friday.
A day after he made the ominous prediction that Red Bull could win all 16 remaining races this year, Verstappen finished seven tenths faster than anyone else in the opening running before returning to the top of the timesheets for the day’s final action.
Alonso’s home race this weekend marks the 10th anniversary of his 32nd and last win in the sport.
However, the Spaniard is enjoying a career resurgence following his transfer from Alpine to Aston Martin, finishing on the podium at five of the first six races, and emerging as a possible threat to Verstappen.
Five days after he finished on the podium in Monaco, Esteban Ocon was fifth for Alpine, three tenths back, with the Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz sixth and seventh respectively.
British driver Lando Norris finished 14th for McLaren, two places behind his rookie team-mate Piastri.
Lewis Hamilton toils in 12th as Max Verstappen and Red Bull dominate in Spain
Lewis Hamilton finished only 12th in opening practice for the Spanish Grand Prix.
As Max Verstappen predictably set the pace for Red Bull at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya, Hamilton ended the one-hour running 1.2 seconds behind the Dutchman.
Sergio Perez finished second, seven tenths adrift of his Red Bull team-mate, with Esteban Ocon, fresh from his podium at last weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix, third for Alpine. Home favourite Fernando Alonso was sixth.
Mercedes spent the first running of the weekend rooted to the bottom of the time sheets before late laps from George Russell, who finished two places and one tenth ahead of his team-mate, and Hamilton hauled them up the order.
Hamilton admitted here on Thursday that Mercedes’ much-anticipated upgrade, which made its debut in Monaco a week ago, had not provided the magic fix he was hoping for.
And on his new machine’s second outing, at a track where the Silver Arrows said they would obtain a greater understanding of their upgrades, the evidence suggests they are no closer to competing with the grid’s all-conquering team, or indeed, leapfrogging rivals Aston Martin and Ferrari.
Verstappen has been in a class of one for much of the past 18 months and his dominance continued on Friday.
He was the only man to break the 75-second barrier, a day after he made the ominous prediction that Red Bull could win all 16 remaining races.
Nyck de Vries has endured a trying start to his Formula One career but the AlphaTauri driver finished fourth in first practice, a spot clear of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, with Alonso, the 41-year-old Spaniard, the only other driver to finish within a second of Verstappen.
British driver Lando Norris was 11th for McLaren, six places ahead of Oscar Piastri in the other McLaren.
Second practice, which could be disrupted by rain, is due to start at 5pm local time (4pm BST).
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