For Mathilda Paatz, the 2022 ADAC Kart Masters season ends with two important successes: The driver from the TB Racing Team finished third in the overall standings of the OK Juniors. In addition, Paatz won the Ladies Cup for the second time after 2020 as the best girl of the year. Now the Cologne native is looking forward to the upcoming challenges with confidence.
Before the final of the ADAC Kart Masters in Mülsen, Mathilda Paatz still had mathematical chances of winning the championship title, but the starting position proved difficult. In contrast to her competitors, who completed a few days of testing and took part in the races of the German Kart Championship in August, the ambassador of "Women in Motorsport" travelled to Mülsen for the first time this year due to international commitments. On top of that, a practice session on Friday fell victim to the weather.
As a result, the ADAC Nordrhein protégé had to start Saturday without a final set-up. In addition, a very different set of tyres was used - the circumference of the rear wheels differed by a full centimetre - which caused the kart to pull strongly to the left. Neither in qualifying nor in the heats did the 14-year-old manage to match her previous performances in the ADAC Kart Masters. With the fifth-fastest time in the warm-up on Sunday, it became clear that the Cologne-based driver was now much better. In the first of the two races, the sponsored driver from the German Sports Drivers' Association made up five positions and finished the race in fifth place. In the second race, she moved up another place to fourth. This result was enough for a well-deserved third place in the overall standings and to win the Ladies Cup.
Satisfaction after the end of the season
"I am very satisfied with my season in the ADAC Kart Masters. I have made progress, improved continuously and was always competitive," Mathilda Paatz sums up. "I was able to fight for the championship title right up to the last race, even though I unfortunately don't have a race win to my name. But we didn't have a single retirement in the whole season, which speaks for my continuity. I'm particularly pleased that I finished on the podium in both classes [2020 in the Mini60; 2022 in the OK Junior]. I take this as motivation for the upcoming international challenges. I'll be competing next weekend at the World Championships in Sarno, Italy (15-18 September)."
We haven't had a single drop-out all season, which speaks for my continuity.
Mathilda Paatz
In addition, Paatz has two more major events coming up. As part of Motorsport Team Germany, she will take part in the FIA Motorsport Games in France (29 to 31 October). In November, the final of 'FIA Girls on Track - Rising Stars', in which Paatz has to prevail against the remaining three competitors, will decide whether she will receive the coveted sponsorship from the Ferrari Driver Academy.
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