The inaugural FIA African Karting Cup (AKC) was hosted at Zwartkops Kart Raceway this past weekend, where Johannesburg native Diego Antunes opened his 2024 karting season.
Diego, no stranger to the Mini ROK class, was invited to participate in an invitational class to bolster the AKC grids of only OK-J and OK-N karts. Enduring several practice sessions in the blazing Gauteng heat on Friday, he was entangled in a Saturday mercury-topping battle for the midfield positions in the first two heats. However, after adjusting his setup, he improved his performance and results to finish the final two heats within the top eight. Eighth was also his overall position for the day.
“Other than the extreme heat we had to endure; the biggest challenge was fine-tuning the setup. Initially, we moved in the wrong direction, but we eventually found some pace after some minor adjustments. While not completely new to Diego, I think starting from the front row for the final race was a touch daunting for him as he is not known for making good starts. It’s an area we have to work on for the season. Overall, I’m happy with how he performed, and we hope to take this momentum into the first national in a few weeks,” stated Rui Antunes, Diego’s father.
Diego will return to racing on 1-2 March when he makes the trip to Cape Town for the opening national round of the MSA ROK Cup South Africa Championship. Diego also thanks everyone, including TrevPar World, for their support.
Published by: Motorsport Fanatix
Picture Caption: Diego Antunes
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