SA again shines at world karting event
Cristiano Morgado wins the 2018 Rotax DD2 Masters Grand Final world championship, which brings the victory tally of South Africans in this series to 13 while Michael Schumacher’s son, Mick, is set to race for the Prema team in Formula Two
Durban kart racer Cristiano Morgado won the 2018 Rotax DD2 Masters Grand Final world championship in Conde-Paraiba, Brazil on Saturday.
The 39-year-old started from pole position in the final after a week-long round of elimination races and led from green light to chequered flag. He was hounded all the way to the flag of the 20lap final, initially by fellow South African Michael Stephen, and then by Antti Ollikainen of Finland and Fraser Hart of New Zealand. Stephen finished in a close fifth place behind Mathew Hamilton of New Zealand.
Morgado’s win was a record-making fifth World Championship karting title in the annual Rotax Grand Finals, which were first held in Puerto Rico in 2000. That event was won by another South African, Gavin Cronje, and Morgado’s latest win brings the victory tally of South Africans in this global series to 13. Morgado won his first Rotax title in 2003 and was the World DD2 Masters Champion in 2011, 2012 and 2013.
Apart from karting, Morgado has also competed at the top level of single-seater racing in Europe and in 2006 finished second in the British Formula Three Championship.
In the DD2 Gearbox class for younger drivers (aged 15 and over) Vereeniging’s Arnold Neveling scored fourth place.
MICK MOVES UP
Michael Schumacher’s 19-yearold son Mick has moved a step closer to following his father into F1 after the Prema team announced he will race for them in Formula Two next season.
The series feeds into F1, and 2018’s top three finishers George Russell, Lando Norris and Alexander Albon have all secured seats with F1 teams for 2019. The young Schumacher won the Formula Three European championship in 2018 with eight wins, seven pole positions and 14 podium finishes.
“He is an extremely talented and dedicated racer, working with him is a pleasure and we can’t wait to begin this adventure together,” said Rene Rosin, principal of the Mercedes-powered team.
He tested with Prema in Abu Dhabi last week.
Five times F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton said in October that he expected Schumacher to go all the way. “There will 100% be a Schumacher back in Formula One, partly because of the name, but secondly because he’s doing a great job.”
Michael Schumacher won a record seven F1 championships, including five in a row with Ferrari, and holds the record for race wins with 91.
F1 MUSICAL CHAIRS
The Force India name will disappear from F1 next season, with the British-based team entered as Racing Point F1 on a list published by the FIA. The team, which became Force India in 2008 after Indian beer baron Vijay Mallya bought Spyker F1, were taken over in August by Canadian Lawrence Stroll after going into administration.
They then competed in the second part of the 2018 season as a new Racing Point Force India team to distinguish them from the defunct Sahara Force India co-owned by Mallya and Sahara Group. The team’s 2019 drivers will be Mexican Sergio Perez Ferraris and’Stroll’s official son team Lance. name also changes to Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow and Haas becomes Rich Energy Haas F1 team to reflect a sponsorship deal. The 2019 entry list also revealed that Formula Two champion George Russell will race for Williams while Lando Norris fills Fernando Alonso’s vacant seat at McLaren.
Polish driver Robert Kubica will race for Williams. Thailand’s Alexander Albon debuts at Toro Rosso, alongside Daniil Kvyat.
The F1 driver line up for 2019:
MERCEDES: Lewis Hamilton (Britain), Valtteri Bottas (Finland)
FERRARI: Sebastian Vettel (Germany), Charles Leclerc (Monaco)
RED BULL: Max Verstappen (Netherlands), Pierre Gasly (France)
RENAULT: Nico Hulkenberg (Germany), Daniel Ricciardo (Australia)
HAAS: Kevin Magnussen (Denmark), Romain Grosjean (France)
MCLAREN: Carlos Sainz (Spain), Lando Norris (Britain)
FORCE INDIA: Sergio Perez (Mexico), Lance Stroll (Canada)
SAUBER: Kimi Raikkonen (Finland), Antonio Giovinazzi (Italy)
TORO ROSSO: Daniil Kvyat (Russia), Alexander Albon (Thailand)
WILLIAMS: George Russell (Britain), Robert Kubica (Poland)