Marc Gerstenkorn fights back strongly in the DKM final
Comeback in Wackersdorf secures seventh place in the championship
Marc Gerstenkorn fights back strongly in the DKM final
At the end of the German Kart Championship, Marc Gerstenkorn once again experienced a real rollercoaster of emotions. At the finale at Prokart Raceland Wackersdorf, the 15-year-old from Landshut had a difficult weekend, but showed great fighting spirit on Sunday and turned the tide with a strong comeback. In the end, he rewarded himself with 14th place in the final and seventh place in the championship.
Saturday started anything but as hoped. After finishing 29th in qualifying, things didn’t go much better in the heats. A retirement in the first heat and a spoiler penalty in the second race threw the Kartshop Ampfing driver far back. In 40th place in the interim standings, a place in the final seemed a long way off.
But on Sunday, Marc turned the tables once again.
He started the Superheat from 20th position and fought his way up to ninth place with a lot of determination and consistently fast lap times – an impressive comeback that secured him a place in the final. There, he once again put in a strong performance: starting from 24th place, he made up ten positions and crossed the finish line in 14th place. The youngster thus managed to get the most out of a poor starting position.
“It was a really difficult Saturday, but on Sunday we were able to show once again what is possible. I’m happy with the final, even though it’s a shame that it wasn’t quite enough for the top five in the championship,” said Marc, summarizing his weekend.
Overall, the DSKC rookie can look back on a successful debut season. With highlights such as pole position in Mülsen, strong performances at the start of the season in Mariembourg and on his favorite track in Kerpen, he immediately established himself on the shifter kart scene. Finishing seventh overall in the championship, Marc draws a positive conclusion.
Another special highlight awaits him this year: from October 9 to 12, he will compete in the Kart World Championship in Franciacorta, Italy. In the highly competitive KZ2 class, he will face the international elite and is looking forward to the big challenge. Before that, he will use the Champions of the Future race, also on the racetrack in northern Italy, to prepare himself perfectly.
by Björn Niemann, www.fast-media.eu – www.kart-magazin.de