8/9 Salbris: End of a difficult Euro Challenge campaign
Mathias finishes P13 from last row start. Ninth overall in 2013 DD2 Standings.
Arriving in the Salbris paddock on Tuesday morning, 2012 DD2 Euro Champ Mathias Detige was hoping to keep up the momentum after taking the BNL Karting Series title two weeks earlier at Genk.
The MS Kart driver showed good pace in Free Practice. But minutes before the green flag was waved for Group A’s Qualifying Practice, dark clouds appeared for the first rainfall of the event. Frenchman Alexandre Finkelstein (MD Competition-Tonykart) was the only driver going for a late switch to rain tyres and he ended 6 seconds clear of the fastest slick-shod drivers. Mathias finished 8th.
25/8 BNL Karting Series DD2 Champions 2013!
Mathias takes the 2013 crown after a sensational weekend at Genk
Going into the third and final Round of the 2013 BNL Karting Series, five DD2 drivers were still in contention for the 2013 BNL title. Mathias Detige was leading the points table, but fellow Belgian Xen De Ruwe was the clear favourite, as he had won 4 of the previous 8 races. Strawberry Racing’s Andreas Backman and Dan Holland Racing’s Barrie Pullinger were also very much in the title hunt. Latvian Haralds Garkaklis still had an outside chance also but he needed 4 wins in the last event and a run of bad luck for his rivals.
21/7 Euro Challenge UK: Mathias bounces back
The UK’s famous PF International Circuit, near Grantham in Lincolnshire hosted the third round of the 2013 Rotax Euro Challenge. Excellent facilities, a challenging track, Europe’s most talented Rotax drivers and beautiful sunny weather all contributed to a weekend of absolutely cracking kart races.
After the disappointing results in the first two Euro Challenge rounds, the 2012 DD2 European Champion, Mathias Detige, backed by Sandhills and DF Aviation, was eager to do well at PF International.
As always, Wednesday and Thursday were used for extensive testing, with Kobe and Mathias trying out different chassis and different set-ups.
23/6 BMC3 Kerpen: Titelstrijd open na zege van Fazio Franssen
Mathias teleurgesteld, pas 17e
De derde manche van de Belgian Max Challenge, gereden in het Duitse Kerpen, heeft het kampioenschap in de Senior Max categorie een nieuwe wending gegeven. De leiders in de tussenstand, Dylan Lahaye (GKS-Birel) en Glenn Van Parijs (Bouvin Power-Tonykart) hadden een moeilijke dag en daarvan profiteerden de jonge Nederlanders Fazio Franssen (Tonykart) en Sam Schippers (TPK-Alonso Kart) optimaal. Met z’n vieren staan ze nu nagenoeg gelijk in de tussenstand. Ook Frederic Op De Beeck (DFK-Gillard) deed een goede zaak en volgt op amper 5 puntjes van de leiders.
Voor Mathias was de race eentje om snel te vergeten.
De vrije trainingen van vrijdag en ook zaterdagochtend verliepen nochtans veelbelovend. Maar toen er steeds meer rubber op de baan kwam, zakte de MS Kart van Mathias helemaal terug. Kobe probeerde alle mogelijke afstellingen, in de hoop de halve seconde die Mathias tekort kwam ergens te vinden. Tevergeefs. Mathias klokte pas de 19e Chrono en finishte daarop P12 en P13 in zijn Heats. In de Finale moest hij zich tevreden stellen met de zeventiende plek. Hierdoor zakt Mathias naar de 8ste plaats in de tussenstand van het kampioenschap. De vierde manche van de Belgian Max Challenge gaat door op 4 augustus, in Genk. Hopelijk kan Mathias zich dan weer vooraan in de strijd mengen.
26/5 Bad luck strikes again for Mathias in Castelleto
2012 DD2 Euro Challenge Champion retires from race after first lap incident
After the misfortune of the first race in Genk, where Mathias was unable to fight at the front of the field in the Final, due to a pierced radiator, the Bouvin Power team was hoping for better luck at the 7Laghi track in Castelleto, Italy, hosting the second round of 2013 Rotax Euro Challenge.