HISTORY ON THE KARTS
ITALIAN Paolo De Conto is on the hunt for history.
No driver before him has earned triple champion status in the annual Race of Stars karting event on the Gold Coast.
But the 26-year-old’s chance to enter the record books will arrive on Saturday when he hits the track at Pimpama’s Xtreme Karting.
PAOLO De Conto is on the hunt to make history.
No driver before him has earned triple champion status in the annual Race of Stars karting event on the Gold Coast.
De Conto has that chance on Saturday, having won the elite KZ2 class in each of his first two visits to Pimpama’s Xtreme Karting in
2016 and 2017.
“It’s always a good place to come back to,” he said.
“I want to win it three times in a row. I like the track because it is completely different compared to a European track.
“It’s faster, it’s different, so you have to change your idea about the kart.”
Standing in his way will be a host of well-credentialed international competitors from France, the Netherlands, New Zealand and his native Italy, as well as the threat of inclement weather.
Twelve months ago, a heavy downpour forced the final to be cancelled, meaning overall placings were decided on points tallies from four heat races that took place earlier in the event.
De Conto is hoping for sunshine this time around to test himself against his rivals in the Coast’s usual pristine conditions.
The 26-year-old has won the past two World Karting Championships but conceded 2018 has been “up and down”.
“I won the race in the European championship but then I got a penalty for 10 seconds for contact so I finished fifth in the championship and I was also fifth in the world championship,” he said.
The practice sessions at Pimpama will begin on Thursday.
IT’S FASTER, IT’S DIFFERENT, SO YOU HAVE TO CHANGE YOUR IDEA ABOUT THE KART. KART RACER PAOLO DE CONTO