We returned to Trinec in the Czech Republic for the FIA European Karting Championship Round 2. The format of the competition is qualification, where you try and set the fastest time possible. The better your time, the better your position in a series of heats where your finishing position generates points. With 77 entrants, on the final day, only the top 72 get to compete in two super heats and earn additional points. After the super heats, then top 36 drivers then get to compete in the final. Our aim for Jarrett is to be competing in the final by the end of the year, so he is ready to be more competitive next year.
As we learnt in the warm up event, qualification is the key. The track has relative few places to overtake, meaning that the opportunity to gain places is relative limited. Jarrett improved his qualification time, to finish 13th fastest in his group. But as the picture at the top shows, Jarrett was often in a crowd. This led him to suffering nose cone penalties (5 second penalty) in 3 of his 5 races. In the two races where he had no penalties, he finished 12 and 15th. Sometimes penalties are unavoidable such as the shunt that forced Jarrett over the kart in front. Not his fault, but his nose cone was knocked loose, which is an automatic 5 second penalty.
Jarrett showed good pace, and now just needs to develop better race craft to avoid penalties. In the heats where he did not get a penalty, Jarrett finished a respectable 12th and 15th, which would have put him on pace to qualify for the final.
In his first year of “big karts” Jarrett is having to develop both his technique, and his fitness.
We move on to Rodby in Denmark for the warm up event in a few weeks, followed by the FIA Championship round 15 - 18 June.
TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS IN TRINEC - PART II