Young kart driver Jiří Forman contesting the first racing events in the UK |
- 18. 3. 2007, Wigan, Great Britain -Towards the end of February, young kart driver Jiří Forman, who is representing the ZIP KART team (www.zipkart.com) this year, took part in a race held at the 'Three Sisters' track at Wigan (between Liverpool and Manchester). Although this was an introductory event, which was held to allow the drivers to get together, and was not included in the standings of the MSA Series, Jirka could gain there his first racing experience within the UK. In the practice sessions, he fought his way ahead and, in the semifinals, he claimed the nineteenth place. Then, one of about forty drivers on the grid, he finished twentieth in the final race. The season-opening event of the MSA Series was held last weekend at the 'Three Sisters' track again, and Forman fared much better this time. In the free practice sessions, on the wet track, he always ranked among the top ten, no more than 0.5 s behind the first-placed drivers. Being one of the youngest drivers in the field, Jirka was particularly gathering the experience. This became evident in the timed practice: he got involved in a collision and went off the track for a moment. In the end, he only finished 29th, in the field of 38 drivers. However, he came eleventh in each of the two qualifying sessions, reaching the finals by a wide margin, and started from the seventh row of the grid. By the midpoint of the race, Jirka was even among the top five drivers. But then, he began to fall behind slightly owing to his painful ribs, bruised in the free practice. Consequently, he came fifteenth in the first final race; in the second one, he finished twentieth. These placings were considered to be fine results not only by Jirka's team, but also by his rivals, and Jirka has a good chance of attaining one of the top ten positions gradually. |
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