For Mathilda Paatz, a difficult but instructive season in the European Championship comes to an end with the fourth and final round of the FIA Karting European Championship in Cremona, Italy. Together with DPK-Racing, Fernando Alonso's Spanish junior team, the 15-year-old was able to set some highlights, but the ambitious student's high expectations were not met. Nevertheless, Paatz is looking forward with hope to the remaining races this year, especially the World Championship in Italy.

Die 15-jährige Schülerin hat ein schwieriges Jahr in der FIA Kart Europameisterschaft hinter sich. Schon der Saisonauftakt in Valencia stand unter keinem guten Stern, denn die Kölnerin konnte krankheitsbedingt nicht ihre volle Leistung abrufen. Im tschechischen Trinec ging der DPK-Pilotin im Qualifying der Motor kaputt und in Dänemark unterlief dem Team ein Fehler beim Luftdruck der Reifen, weshalb Paatz im Zeittraining chancenlos war.

This qualifying misfortune, which has accompanied the ADAC Sports Foundation protégé throughout the season, was something she could not shake off at the finale in Cremona: When Paatz was on her fastest lap and wanted to take advantage of her team-mate's slipstream, the engine of the kart in front of her suddenly broke down, so that the 15-year-old had to abort her fast lap and start the heats from the back again.

Difficult but instructive year

After Paatz had fought his way into the top ten from 21st on the grid in the first heat, the other heats were less successful. After collisions and tough duels with the competition, even with his own teammate, Paatz recorded two retirements as well as an 18th and a 19th place. "I have the feeling that some male competitors can't stand the fact that I'm racing in front of them," said the Cologne native contritely. "I fight my way past fairly - and then I get pushed off the track or simply shot down!"

However, the following penalties, in some cases even disqualifications of the opponents concerned, do not help the German Sport Driver's Association's promotional driver at all in the end. "When qualifying goes to shit, you almost don't need to drive the rest of the weekend," jokes Paatz, who, however, also takes positive experience from the season so far and the disappointing races in the FIA European Karting Championship. "It is my first year in the OK class and I have gained valuable experience. The cooperation with the new team has also steadily improved over the course of the year. Only the results are not right yet, but we are working on that!"

Now Mathilda Paatz is looking forward to a run in the Italian WSK Series, the Champions of the Future Euro Series and finally the World Championship (05 to 08 October) in Franciacorta. The rider from Cologne wants to be well prepared, which is why she travelled directly from Cremona to Franciacorta to collect more test kilometres. The fact that she even spent her birthday at the race track does not bother Paatz. She laughs: "I celebrated on the kart track with the team!"

August 3, 2023 FIA Karting EM