For those in the know, at least, it had been coming for a little while, but Prima Racing’s breakthrough success on the global stage with a sublime victory for Billy Monger in the 60 Mini class of the 2011 WSK Master Series curtain-raiser at La Conca has really put the team on the karting map and sent out a warning shot for the hostilities ahead.
Having been the architect of a head-turning international debut at the very same circuit late last year and arriving back at the challenging southern Italian track with his spirits buoyed and his tail up following back-to-back triumphs at PF International, Monger’s confidence mirrored his lofty ambitions.
Describing La Conca as his ‘favourite circuit’ and proving to be right on the money from the word ‘go’, the 11-year-old unfortunately found his qualifying efforts stymied by being out in the earliest of the three sessions on a fast-drying track, leaving him just 39th in the fiercely-contested 75-strong field. With work to do in his heat races, some supremely gutsy efforts from lowly grid slots yielded a trio of top six finishes, and a similarly pacey performance in the semi-final left Billy to begin the all-important final from a considerably handier P6.
“I got a good start, got round the first corner safely and got into fifth and then for the first few laps I really pushed,” recounted the reigning British Honda Cadet Champion, taking up the story. “I made my way into third and within about four laps, I was right behind second place. Through Turn Two he went a tiny bit off the racing line and onto the mud that had been dragged onto the track by the earlier rain; as it was so slippery, that sent him over the kerb on the exit and allowed me to get past.
“I was over-the-moon to cross the finish line second, especially considering how WSK is one of the hardest championships in the world in karting. I had been desperately wanting to be on the podium, but when I then found out that the driver in front had been disqualified and I had won, I was gobsmacked – to win in only my second-ever WSK meeting was just amazing!
“We were all standing behind the podium getting ready for the trophy presentation, and there was a gap through which I could see the Prima team. I saw my dad and tried to signal to him that I had actually won, and he didn’t believe me at first! When they realised, the whole team began screaming and shouting and cheering.
“I was so shocked up on the podium; I can’t describe how it felt – I just had tears of joy in my eyes. The result meant more to me even than winning the British Championship. I had to work so hard all weekend to get up to the front after qualifying, and I couldn’t believe that I was standing on the top step of the podium in front of hundreds of people like that...”
It was indeed a tremendous result, and one that was reinforced by eye-catching showings from Monger’s five Prima team-mates at La Conca. Fellow 60 Mini competitors Gaby Weyer and Sam Brough displayed fighting spirit of their own, James Kellett made a very positive start to his KF3 career, Jacob Stilp betrayed few signs of race-rustiness in the same class and Jacob Nørtoft vied for victory in KF2 before being undone by a grand final mêlée not of his own making. Team manager Jamie Croxford admitted that it had been quite a weekend.
“For Billy and Prima Racing, the WSK championship is the highest possible platform, worldwide, for us to compete in the 60 Mini category,” recognised the former European factory Birel star. “For us to come away having won the final is an absolutely amazing achievement for both Billy and Prima Racing.
“Billy’s individual performance throughout the whole event was outstanding come rain or shine, and he deserved to be on the top step of the podium without a shadow of a doubt. From the first heat to the final, Billy did everything he needed to do to convert his potential into this result.
“Like Billy, Gaby and Sam drove well all weekend. Sam had some great drives in the heats, and in the semi-final, Gaby was absolutely brilliant, doing really well to make her way through from 19th to ninth – that was a really strong performance. Unfortunately, her engine then let go as she was coming through strongly again in the final.
“Jacob Nørtoft was really fast in all conditions but got tangled up a bit at the start of the pre-final, which allowed the leaders to get away. He then produced a solid drive to fight his way back to third, but in the grand final there was unfortunately a crash at the first corner and there was nothing he could do to avoid it.
“It was James Kellett’s first-ever race meeting in KF3, but he improved massively over the course of the weekend and really did drive well. He deserved to be in the finals, and only missed out by one place. He learned a vast amount, though, and should take encouragement from that – he was very impressive.
“For Jacob Stilp, a crash in his first heat put him on the back foot, but he managed to do enough to qualify for the finals. Having not raced for a while he is still learning a lot, but he had two good, steady drives and he is going in the right direction. There’s more to come from Jacob.
“As a team, we are very proud of what we achieved at the weekend – it’s what we’ve all been working for. Everything is coming together nicely now, and this kind of result just concretises that. The team is really working well together and throughout the weekend every single one of our drivers showed great promise; pretty much across the board inside the team, there wasn’t anybody that went away disappointed.
“This is the greatest achievement yet for Prima Racing, by a long shot. It was our first big meeting as a team at international level, and there could have been no bigger stage for us to go and prove ourselves on, especially in Mini 60 – and we went there and won, which was absolutely fantastic! Hopefully it will be the first of many...”
Prima still has drives available in all classes, from WTP Cadet up to KF2, as well as Super Cadet engines to rent. For more information, please contact Jamie Croxford on 07889 981631 or at: crox2@hotmail.com
