KZ2 Event Highlights | Shifters Round 2 - Franciacorta | 2025 Champions of the Future

KZ2: Maxim Orlov reigns supreme

The winner in Valencia, Maxim Orlov (CPB Sport) has been impressive since securing pole position in Qualifying. He had to retire from one heat due to a collision at the start, but regained the advantage over Markus Kajak (Formula K SRP Factory Team) and Timo Jüngling (CPB Sport) thanks to his success in the Super Heat. In the Final, Orlov got off to a perfect start. Kajak looked dangerous in the early laps, before having to let his opponent pull away to victory. A technical problem eventually forced Kajak to retire and Orlov took the chequered flag as the winner with the fastest lap of the race and a lead of almost five seconds.

There was plenty of action in the pack. Kimi Tani (LA Motorsport) took 2nd place on the podium ahead of a strong Simon Rechenmacher (Dörr Motorsport), who had already won one of the two Super Heats. A five-second penalty dropped Jayden Thien (CPB Sport) from 4th to 8th place. Having climbed up from 11th and 14th place respectively, the two British drivers Jüngling and Noah Wolfe (VAR by Birel) finished 4th and 5th ahead of one of the revelations of the weekend, Hungary's Menyhert Krozser (CRG Racing Team).

Already crowned FIA Karting European Champion, Orlov logically won the series with a comfortable lead over Germany's Max Schleimer and the Netherlands' Kasper Schormans, who finished just one point ahead of his compatriot Jayden Thien.

KZ2 Final classification

1 Max Orlov Sodi / TM Kart / LeCont
2 Kimi Tani (FIN) Parolin / TM Kart / LeCont
3 Simon Rechenmacher (GER) KR / IAME / LeCont
4 Timo Jüngling (GBR) Sodi / TM Kart / LeCont
5 Noah Wolfe (GBR) Birelart / TM Kart / LeCont
...

Final series standings:

1 Max Orlov
2 Max Schleimer (GER)
3 Kasper Schormans (NED)
4 Jayden Thien (NED)
5 Kimi Tani (FIN)
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