Ampfing is a very twisty Mickey-Mouse type of circuit in Germany, located about one hour’s drive away from Munich, and would play host to the final rounds to determine the 2006 European Champion.



Timed qualifying had gone reasonably well for Jon in the very hot conditions during Friday, when he set the 17th fastest time of 42.038s, just half a second shy of pole position. Only nine drivers were able to improve their times in the second of the two sessions, and Jon’s quicker lap was enough to lift him ten places up the qualifying rankings. “I’m happy with where I am for the heats”, Jon said Saturday morning, “as I will be starting on grid nine, and it is important to stay out of trouble. Being on the outside going into the first corner could be a bit dodgy”. The three heats went well, even though the kart and engine were not entirely to Jon’s liking, but with a fourth, sixth and an eighth from his three races, it left him in tenth place overall for the start of the first final on Sunday afternoon. 



After two days of sunshine and high temperatures Sunday morning dawned damp and it would get worse as the day wore on. Jon was confident before the race, hoping that the changes made had helped to cure the misfire he had been experiencing. From the start he made up two places over the opening laps, and was running comfortably behind fellow British driver and heat winner Jamie Croxford, less than seven seconds behind the leader. Sadly, just as he started to hunt for a way past the PF International driver, Jon’s TM motor expired after only ten laps. It was a retirement that would leave him on a distant grid 29 for the second final.



“That was a pity” he said, “but never mind. I’ll be fired up for the start and being so far down the grid does not worry me. It will give me a good excuse to show just how fast the kart is”.

Never a truer word… At this level of the sport the 15th row of the grid is almost an impossible position to progress from. But with 24 laps ahead on the twisty, tiring circuit, Jon’s fitness and precision would play into his hands. “I was really looking forward to that race”, he said afterwards, “and I really enjoyed myself”. And with good reason, because by the time the flag appeared, the red and white Birel driver had clawed his way up to an incredible seventh place, at an average pass rate of nearly one driver a lap. Pity it had not been a 30-lap final.



After such a bad year in the European Championship, seventh place meant that Jon picked up nine points in the Championship table. “That does not really bother me though”, he said, “because I now have only one more race left before I move into cars next year. “I know we are quick enough to win the World Championships, and I am quick at Angerville anyway. It would be nice to leave karting in my final race by winning the World Championship for everyone”.

Jon will now test before the Angerville race, and all eyes will be on the British ace to lift the crown he missed by one place in 2005.