25/11/2007
NEWS STORY
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Michael Schumacher has won the International Challenge of Go-Kart Champs at the Ingleses Kart Track, in Florianopolis (Brazil).
The German won the first race and finished sixth in the second, scoring 35 points in the aggregate results to take the winner’s trophy. Former Jaguar driver and Ferrari tester Luciano Burti finished second, ahead of 2007 GP2 Series runner-up Lucas di Grassi. The 2006 International Challenge champion Felipe Massa was fifth in the final standings, right behind fourth-placed Rubens Barrichello.
Schumacher shone in both races and made the crowd go crazy. In Monza style madness, hundred of people invaded the track to join the podium ceremony. Schumacher’s presence is guaranteed for next year. Asked if he was surprised with the victory on his first time at the circuit, he answered: “I told Felipe I was worried of getting the last place”, he said. He also said he was waiting for another invitation to come back next year. In front of the assembled journalists, Massa didn’t waste the opportunity and invited the German, who immediately accepted.
Felipe Massa was so pleased with the event’s success that he didn’t even care about the fifth place. “I knew it would be hard to win again, because of the high level of the drivers that came here today, even higher than last year. It was nice to feel like in Monza, with the crowd crossing the track to get closer to the drivers”, said Massa.
On track, Schumacher reigned supreme. Fourth on the Race 1 grid, he only needed two laps to take the lead, while his rivals were fighting against each other. In Race 2, starting from 8th, because of the reversed grid system, he was second when he got involved with pole position man Thiago Camilo and lost performance. “When I realized I had no brakes, I just tried to finish the race”, explained. Lucas di Grassi won the Race 2 and finished the challenge in the same third position he got in 2006.
Luciano Burti didn’t hide his satisfaction with the second place. “For someone who has been racing in Stock Car Brazil for some years, it was a great result. There are a lot of kids here who are racing in single-seaters and are more used to the karts”, he remembered. Burti thanked Massa for the event and Schumacher for the presence. “Just looking for the massive media presence here today you will realize how important these drivers were”, he said.
Race 1
1) Michael Schumacher: 21:59.406 (average 90.62 km/h)
2) Nelsinho Piquet Jr: + 5.687
3) Luciano Burti: + 5.737
4) Rubens Barrichello: + 8.147
5) Lucas Di Grassi: + 8.218
6) Marcos Gomes: + 9.090
7) Felipe Massa: + 16.328
8) Thiago Camilo: + 16.548
9) Ricardo Zonta: + 18.736
10) Tony Kanaan: + 19.107
11) Enrique Bernoldi: + 22.220
12) Vitor Meira: + 22.616
13) Ricardo Mauricio: + 29.499
14) Cacá Bueno: + 34.065
15) Popó Bueno: + 34.252
16) Tarso Marques: + 36.523
17) Roberto Pupo Moreno: + 36.703
18) Xandinho Negrão: + 1 lap
19) Gil de Ferran: + 1 lap
20) Antonio Pizzonia: + 10 laps
21) Felipe Giaffone: + 10 laps
22) Rodrigo Sperafico: + 12 laps
23) Alexandre Barros: + 31 laps
Fastest lap: Rubens Barrichello - 40.681
Race 2
1) Lucas Di Grassi: 22:12.328 (average 89.75 km/h)
2) Luciano Burti: + 3.506
3) Felipe Massa: + 4.579
4) Rubens Barrichello: + 4.775
5) Marcos Gomes: + 6.674
6) Michael Schumacher: + 7.087
7) Felipe Giaffone: + 7.273
8) Antonio Pizzonia: + 11.157
9) Tony Kanaan: + 16.198
10) Vitor Meira: + 21.943
11) Enrique Bernoldi: + 23.248
12) Rodrigo Sperafico: + 24.042
13) Ricardo Zonta: + 29.616
14) Roberto Pupo Moreno: + 30.973
15) Luca Badoer: + 31.273
16) Popó Bueno: + 31.416
17) Nelsinho Piquet: + 1 lap
18) Ricardo Mauricio: + 1 lap
19) Tarso Marques: + 1 lap
20) Thiago Camilo: + 2 laps
21) Cacá Bueno: + 12 laps
22) Alexandre Barros: + 13 laps
23) Gil de Ferran: + 14 laps
24) Xandinho Negrão: + 23 laps
Fastest lap: Michael Schumacher - 40.956
Final Standings
1) Michael Schumacher - 35
2) Luciano Burti - 33
3) Lucas di Grassi - 31
4) Rubens Barrichello - 26
5) Felipe Massa - 24
6) Marcos Gomes - 21
7) Nelson Piquet - 20
8) Tony Kanaan - 13
9) Ricardo Zonta, Enrique Bernoldi and Vitor Meira - 12
12) Felipe Giaffone - 9
13) Thiago Camilo and Antonio Pizzonia - 8
15) Ricardo Sperafico - 4
16) Ricardo Maurício - 3
17) Cacá Bueno and Roberto Pupo Moreno -2
19) Popó Bueno - 1
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