Menyhért Krózser was in explosive form again at the second round of the WSK Open Series in La Conca, where he showed his speed despite all the obstacles. And there were plenty of setbacks: flu, mechanical failure, puncture, accident… But his 15 overtakes in the semi-final made up for everything. 

It was Menyhért Krózser’s first time racing in La Conca, located south of Lecce, considered one of the toughest – if not the toughest – karting tracks in Italy.

The WSK field rarely visits here, but when they do, there are fierce battles. Moreover, this year, the field had to face some additional challenges. The test day had to be shortened due to asphalt degradation, requiring drivers to perform at their best with minimal practice. The rain that fell at night ensured that track grip varied heat by heat.

“The conditions didn’t bother me much; I tend to learn tracks relatively quickly, and I’ve raced on various surfaces and grip levels enough to adapt fast,” said Menyhért Krózser.

“La Conca is indeed a challenging track, especially the chicane, where you have to cut through the first right-hander. Going fast is easy on the track, but going very fast is very difficult.“

In the KZ2 category, it’s become customary that mere speed isn’t enough. This time, the field was roughly half the size compared to Northern Italian races, with 35 participants, but due to the track’s uniqueness, many frontrunners were present, including several world champions challenging Menya.

The MHH Racing Team driver’s fate was sealed in qualifying due to a mechanical failure. One of the gears in the gearbox was not replaced, leaving Menya with an extremely short gearbox. He still managed to perform a minor miracle with the almost unusable kart, finishing 22nd out of a field of 35. 

This wouldn’t have been a problem yet; he still had a shot at a top 10 finish. However, in the Heat 1, his tire came off the rim, causing him to slip, and in Heat 3, he was pushed off from behind. Thus, he finished last in two out of three heats. However, he managed to improve by seven positions in Heat 2, finishing in 15th place.

Due to the two retirements, he started the pre-final from one of the last positions, but here, we could witness the true Menyhért Krózser, as he swiftly advanced, overtaking 15 competitors and climbing to 17th place.

In the final, he started from the back again, and at the start his spoiler came loose, not only resulting in a five-second penalty but also dragging under his kart throughout. Despite the obvious loss of pace, he managed to overtake eight competitors and even after his penalty, improved by three positions, securing 24th place.

“It was a tough weekend for us, but we managed to bounce back from every situation,” said Menyhért Krózser. “I struggled with the flu throughout the weekend, which mainly affected the time between the two heats. I feel sorry for the qualifying; with a better gear ratio, I could have finished higher.

Punctures and crashes are part of this sport. But my only clean heat and especially the pre-final went well. I overtook 7 and 15 competitors in these two heats, which is not easy in KZ2, and I’m very proud of it.

I’m glad I could race on such a classic track, and I was satisfied with my pace. If things go better next time, the result will also come.”

Menyhért Krózser’s next race will be the first round of the KZ2 FIA European Championship, from July 4–7 in Aragon, Spain.

Menyhért Krózser, MHH Racing Team, KZ2 results

Participants: 35
Qualifying Practice S1: 11th
Qualifying: 22nd
Heat 1: 35th (retired – puncture)
Heat 2: 15th – 7 positions gained
Heat 3: 35th (retired – accident)
Penalty After Heats: 32nd
Prefinal: 17th – 15 positions gained
Final: 24th – 3 positions gained

MHH Racing Team’a partners:

Metál Hungária Holding Zrt., Carsystem Hungária Kft., BDP – Brilliant Driver Program