Engine problems hold Robert back once again

GUERNSEY kart driver Greg Robert has been plagued by more mechanical problems in the CIK-FIA European Superkart Championship. The 50-year-old chartered accountant encountered more engine-performance disappointments on his latest venture at Assen in the Netherlands.

After a long drive to the venue and on the back of disappointment at Magny Cours where engine problems had scuppered his chances, he made a journey into the unknown and was hoping for a top-30 finish.

Each race comprised 12 laps of the 4.5km circuit with which he was familiar only from watching MotoGP motorcycle racing on TV on a few occasions.

'Unfortunately Assen produced more engine-performance disappointments. I had problems at the previous rounds in Magny Cours and it was thought that these had been ironed out,' said Robert.

'However, I was still losing performance down the straights and the plan is to try different carburettors at the last two races in Sachsenring in Germany on 15 and 16 September.'

It meant that many of the 60 entrants, who race far more frequently and were more familiar with the circuit, combined with his problems, saw him qualify 53rd for the two races in Assen.

'The circuit is fast and flowing but difficult to put a good lap time together due to the typical Dutch lack of gradients which makes obtaining reference points for slowing or braking into the corners difficult,' said Robert.

In race one his clutch cable broke while being push-started, meaning it was difficult to keep the engine running clearly during the formation lap so he chose to sit at the very back of the field.

'Fortunately we have rolling starts so taking the green lights was not a problem and I gained about 10 places into the first corner and several more through the very tight first section,' he said.

An accident on the first hairpin brought out the safety car and more concerns about keeping the engine running clearly but he managed to keep position and at the restart again gained places.

He was able to move up the field to finish in 32nd place.

'I like to aim for a top-half finish so, considering the performance issues, I was not too unhappy,' said Robert.

The start of race two went according to plan and he gained about 10 places into the first corner as a gap opened up in the middle of the circuit.

'I managed to tag on to a group of karts and was having a good battle with them, all the time improving my best lap times, when I noticed the temperature warning light appear on my data-logging system. I decided discretion was the better part of valour as, with five laps still left, it was unlikely that the engine would make it to the finish without serious damage and so I pulled off the circuit and recorded a non-finish.

'The group I was racing with finished just outside the top 30 so again I would not have been too unhappy.'

It would appear that British drivers are again starting to become the masters of Superkart, as in the 1980s and 90s.

In the 'Rizla Racing Day' in Assen they made a clean sweep of the top four places in race one and then monopolised the podium in race two.

With full grandstands, a circuit appreciated by all drivers, summery weather and 60 karts on the starting grid, all ingredients were there for it to be a successful second event of the European Superkart Championship.

Galvanised by this very popular event, drivers broke records in practice and there were overtaking manoeuvres galore and up to three lead changes per lap, with the winners emerging only in the last few yards.

The British stranglehold on the races did not really come as a surprise.

Robert will be hoping his luck changes in Germany next month.