The target for Marti this season, from administrative point of view is to be allowed to take part in car racing championship. One of these potential championships is the Czech based Carbonia Cup in the 1600 cc class.
This isn’t easy because in Europe drivers below 14 years of age are not allowed race! Most circuits also don’t allow for younger drivers to test, but often times they’re making exceptions like it was for Marti until now.
In this test Marti had to show that he’s a stable & reliable driver who deserve to race with more experienced drivers.
The test was at the Czech circuit Most Autodrom. Classic flowing track with a mix of fast & slow corners. The team was the local JMT Racing Engineering.
The car they supplied to Marti was once again a Mygale, but this time a tubular space-frame Formula Campus with 1.6l Renault engine capable of around 115 hp.
The day didn’t start well. A small technical issue hampered Marti in the morning, but the mechanics were quick to fix it. The weather was far from perfect for racing – strong winds and temperatures around zero degrees.
Already in the first session with the car Marti showed speed and he was comfortably ahead of the other drivers who were testing in the 1.6 class as well as even some of those in the faster Formula 4 cars.
During the whole time Marti was learning very fast, local driver and multiple Carbonia Cup champion Honza Rieger was working with Marti analyzing the telemetry and video onboards. Marti was improving all the time and in the last session for the day he posted a time of 1:50.30 which is the best time JMT Racing Engineering has ever posted on the track and a time that would have put Marti second on the grid of Carbonia Cup’s last race at Most last summer.
Of course his time was on old tires and cold conditions, it was so cold that tire temperature during this last run was barely 40C!
Without a doubt on new tires and better conditions Marti can improve his time by seconds.
At the end of the test following Marti’s impressive time, Honza Rieger and other drivers gathered to watch the onboard and they were all quite impressed.
The development in Marti’s driving is obvious and he’s getting smoother and more economical with the steering wheel inputs.
After this impressive test, the decision is in the hands of Carbonia Cup’s race director to decide if Marti constitutes a special case worthy of being given a waiver to race at 13 y.o.
If this happens, Marti will become the youngest ever driver to race single-seaters in Europe.
