Race Report – FIA Karting European Championship KZ2, Round 3, Mülsen (Germany)
For the third round of the FIA Karting European Championship in the KZ2 category, Mach1 Motorsport fielded a trio of drivers at the challenging track in Mülsen (Germany). Emanuel Mai (#352), Rouven Wilk (#353) and Erik Müller (#358) faced a fiercely competitive international grid – and proved their pace, determination, and resilience under tough conditions.
Emanuel Mai – Earned His Spot, Lost It to Bad Luck
Emanuel delivered a strong performance in the heats, securing his ticket to the final with confidence. Unfortunately, his main race ended just four laps in after being taken out in an incident not of his making. A frustrating outcome – especially since he had shown excellent speed in the Super Heat. The potential was clearly there, even if the result didn’t reflect it.
Rouven Wilk – Consistent Progress and a Clean Finish
Rouven faced an uphill battle after a tough qualifying but kept his head down and fought his way through the heats. In the final, he delivered a clean and consistent drive to finish in 31st position. His steady improvement over the weekend underlined his determination and ability to learn and adapt in high-pressure environments.
Erik Müller – Fast, but Denied a Fair Shot
Erik Müller showed strong pace early on and looked set to fight for a place in the final. But a collision in the Super Heat – again not his fault – meant his weekend came to a premature end. A bitter pill to swallow, given his top-level performance in the free practice sessions and early heats.
Team Voices
Team principal Ralf Wilk summed it up with optimism:
“I’m really very pleased with the performance of our three drivers. With a bit more luck, Erik would definitely have made it to the final. Emanuel and Rouven both showed their potential in the Super Heat – sadly, racing incidents prevented them from repeating that in the final.”
Mach1 Motorsport boss Martin Hetschel praised the overall effort:
“Despite the extremely demanding conditions with high grip and hot temperatures, the boys brought out the full potential of our Mach1 Zelos karts. Big compliments to the whole team from my side as well!”
Conclusion
With 9 championship points from Mülsen, Mach1 Motorsport currently holds 12th place in the team standings. More importantly, the weekend proved once again that the German-developed Mach1 chassis is competitive on the European stage. A strong showing, even if the results don’t tell the whole story – and a foundation to build on in the rounds to come.
