Kart SM 2022: Eric Berguerand on the podium
STRONG PERFORMANCE Seven-time Swiss mountain champion Eric Berguerand put up a brave fight as a VIP driver at the final of the autobau Swiss Kart Championship. In the end, he even stood on the podium, albeit exhausted, in third place.
At the finale of the autobau Swiss Kart Championship, Swiss mountain champion Eric Berguerand is a VIP driver in the team of spirit-karting.ch started in the KZ2 category. The seven-time Swiss mountain champion did more than respectably.
But Berguerand not only did his best, he even outgrew himself. After abandoning the two heats after 5 and 13 laps respectively, he bravely completed the final over 26 laps. In the end, he finished in third place, which he had not even noticed at first in the heat of the moment.
The goal was to contest the final from A to Z
Eric Berguerand: "I last sat in a kart in 2005. It's very, very difficult to get back into a rhythm after I realized in the practice sessions on Friday and Saturday morning how exhausting karting is, so I set myself the goal of at least competing in the final from A to Z. The fact that I still came third in the end is the reward for really hard work."
Karting is no comparison to the hill climbs
Of course, the pro had benefited from one or the other dropout in the final. But unlike in the two heats, he didn't let the competition directly in front of him shake him off in the final. Berguerand was just 0.182 seconds off the fastest lap time set by champion Sebastian Kraft.
Eric Berguerand: "It suited me that the track was damp, even very wet in places. As a result, the strokes were not quite so wild. But it was still exhausting. And it's no comparison to the hill climbs I usually compete in."
Former Swiss karting champion Berguerand can be proud of his performance. To face the young drivers, who train almost every weekend, like this takes a portion of courage.
Eric Berguerand: "I would like to thank Spirit-Karting.ch and Auto Sport Schweiz for this opportunity. First and foremost Ken Allemann, the team boss, and my mechanic Tobias Borel. It was a great experience and it was very, very fun despite the pain I had to endure! But now I have to recover from the exertions first."
More results of the championship later this week in AutoSprintCH.
Photos: Christian Eichenberger
motorsport.ch
