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  • Interview & text: Guillaume Alvarez
  • Video: Alex Vernardis
  • Photos: KSP

Following a 2019 season full of successes, including a dominant victory in the FIA Karting International Super Cup – KZ2 with Emilien Denner (see above), CPB Sport doesn’t lack ambitions for 2020 with an impressive line-up of 15 drivers from seven different countries. “Diversity is an important aspect to me,” declares Paul Bizalion. “As the team officially representing the Sodikart Factory in KZ2, I was asked to maintain a certain diversity of nationalities in my line-up.” France has the most-represented contingent with seven drivers, lead by the likes of Jean Nomblot, last year’s Endurance World Champion and winner of the KZ2 Coupe de France, Hubert Petit, reigning KZ2 French Champion, and Arthur Carbonnel, second in France’s KZ2 Championship and one of the team’s latest recruits.

“Jean starts his third season with us,” comments Bizalion. “Last year went well for him with a victory in the ‘Coupe de France’ and a podium at the European Championship in Sarno, we count on him to shine again in 2020! The same can be said of Arthur Carbonnel whose big potential makes him one of our best hopes in KZ2, especially at the International Super Cup of Le Mans, a track where Arthur, like Jean, has always been very fast. They will drive alongside Hubert Petit, a young man of big experience who has been delivering many great results over the years, including in France with the national KZ2 title in 2019.”

France will also be represented by Damien Vallar alongside Yohan Sanchez, Sebastien, and Gregory Leder. “Damien is a true ‘Gentleman Driver’ of 45 years old, very courageous and here to have fun in the European Championship and in one WSK round. Yohan, Sebastien, and Gregory will compete mainly in KZ2 races on French ground,” according to Bizalion.

The team’s 2020 line-up adds new faces from the international scene, starting with Valentino Fritsch. The German driver will be one to keep in mind following some eye-catching performances last season despite his relatively-fresh KZ2 experience. “Valentino’s pace can easily put him amongst the best in pure performance,” affirms Bizalion. “Il still has some margin for progress, like in race management terms, but that’s why he chose to join us. He has always been very fast in practice but couldn’t quite confirm in races, so I think he needs that second season in KZ2 to learn even more. His case is not uncommon in the class where you have many very quick drivers in free sessions but when it comes to qualifying, their lack of experience plays against them. But Valentino is here to do well in FIA Karting meetings but also on a national level as we will participate again in the DKM German Karting Championship.”

© KSP

Russia is the second most-represented country with three names. Artem Kosarev is joined by recruts Nikita Artamonov and Lev Lomko. “Nikita is very young, only 14 years old, but we have high hopes in him, just like for Artem, 16 years old. Last year, he finished fourth in the ‘Trofeo delle Industrie’ at Lonato, his ambitions will be high in 2020. Lomko, seen in OK-junior for the past three seasons, not only steps up from direct-drive to shifter karts but will also march in his brother Vlad’s footsteps by tackling his first season in French Formula 4.

Interestingly, Paul Bizalion mentioned possible participation in the Russian KZ2 Championship in 2020, although the project is still being discussed at the time of writing. “We are indeed considering the idea of taking part in the KZ2 Championship of Russia. There is a certain demand and their calendar is compatible with our other activities. So, we discuss with Sodikart if we can make it possible in technical and economic terms but nothing is done yet.”

A member of CPB Sport since last season, Jovan Pavicevic, from Montenegro, competed in the WSK Open Cup, KZ2 International Super Cup and the final round of the FIA Karting European Championship at Sarno. “A fast driver full of ambition who still needs to gain experience,” says Bizalion. Slavik Putiatin, from Ukraine, will also start his second season with the team following appearances in the WSK Euro Series and Final Cup. “Slavik is young, only 15 years old, and ready to tackle his second year in the team with a big program and higher ambitions than in 2019.”

After a season where luck has not always smiled on him, the Swede Daniel Lindholm has renewed his confidence in CPB for a program essentially based on the FIA Karting Europe Championship and its preparation. “Daniel has great potential but doesn’t always have the opportunity to train much between races. Still, he returns with a motivation and a desire to progress.”

DENNER EMILIEN, KZ2, F, SODI / TM RACING / BRIDGESTONE, CPB SPORT, FIA Karting International Super Cup, LONATO, International Race, © KSP Reportages

Eventually, the sole Italian driver of CPB Sport is also one of the fastest and most experienced: Lorenzo Giannoni. “Here’s a driver that has greatly progressed last year with two important successes in one round of the DKM and in the ‘Trofeo delle Industrie’. He’s certainly one of the quickest of the KZ2 class in rainy conditions. He and Jean Nomblot could be considered as the natural leaders of the team because of their experience but someone like Arthur Carbonnel or Hubert Petit can create surprises in major races like the International Super Cup in Le Mans.”

CPB Sport will again have a busy KZ2 schedule in 2020 including the South Garda Winter Cup, followed by appearances in the WSK Promotion program, all rounds of the FIA Karting European Championship, DKM but also traditional stand-alone events like the Trofeo delle Industrie and Trofeo Margutti.

All those events leading to one major objective: “Le Mans. We’ll do everything we can to retain our crown from last year and I think we have the drivers to achieve it again in September,” assures Bizalion. “Last time we competed in an FIA Karting competition in Le Mans goes back to 2017 where we reached second place with Rokas Baciuska. In 2015, for the last KZ2 International Super Cup to date there, we took pole position with Nicolas Gonzalez who went on to finish fourth. And let’s not forget Jean Nomblot’s victory in last year’s KZ2 ‘Coupe de France’. Little to say that we particularly do well on this track”, concludes the French Team Manager.

Here’s CPB Sport KZ2 line-up for 2020:

  • Jean Nomblot
  • Arthur Carbonnel
  • Hubert Petit
  • Damien Vallar
  • Sebastien Leder
  • Grégory Leder
  • Yohan Sanchez
  • Jovan Pavicevic
  • Slavik Putiatin
  • Lev Lomko
  • Nikita Artamonov
  • Artem Kosarev
  • Lorenzo Giannoni
  • Daniel Lindholm
  • Valentino Fritsch

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