First major victory in OK for Enzo Tarnvanichkul
The experienced Italian Luigi Coluccio (Tony Kart Racing Team) was the fastest in Timed Practice ahead of Hungary's Martin Molnar (Energy Corse), then confirmed more than ever in the Qualifying Heats: five wins out of five! Thailand's Enzo Tarnvanichkul (Prema Racing) also impressed, winning four heats. Dutchman Rene Lammers (Parolin Motorsport) won three times, Italy's Sebastiano Pavan (Tony Kart Racing Team) twice and Belgium's Thomas Strauven (KR Motorsport) once, while Louis Iglesias (CRG Racing Team) held on to the lead in this highly competitive field. Lammers and Tarnvanichkul won the Super Heats, before experiencing a diametrically opposed fate in the Final.
Thai driver Tarnvanichkul surprised poleman Coluccio at the start and took the lead at the first corner, while Lammers retired a few metres further on after a collision with Iglesias. Among the victims of the spectacular incident after the start were Alex Powell (Prema Racing), Martin Molnar and Nathan Tye (Sodikart).
After a brilliant start from 6th position, Kean Nakamura-Berta (Prema Racing) quickly passed Coluccio and set off in pursuit of his team-mate, in addition to setting the fastest lap of the Final. Although he eventually came back to within two tenths of the Thai, the Briton failed in his attempt to overtake with just a few bends to go. Tarnvanichkul and Nakamura-Berta thus secured the Prema Racing one-two ahead of Denmark's David Walther (Koski Motorsport), who had overtaken Coluccio a few laps earlier. Pavan finished isolated in 5th position ahead of Latvian Tomass Stolcermanis (Energy Corse), who held off Anatoly Khavalkin (Parolin Motorsport). Just behind, Mozambique's Ghazi Motlekar (KR Motorsport), Portugal's Francisco Macedo (CRG Racing Team) and Italy's Nicolo Cuman (Forza Racing) moved up 21, 27 and 22 places respectively.
Gabriel Gomez (CRG Racing Team), who finished 17th after a difficult weekend, was unable to take advantage of Powell's retirement in the Final to claw back points from him in the series' provisional standings, and Nakamura-Berta even managed to slip into 2nd place with one race to go.
