Phoenix FM-sponsored Karting Champion Lochlan Bearman was in Genk, Belgium last weekend for Round 1 & 2 of the BNL Karting Series which sees the best teams and drivers from across Europe compete in a 6 round Championship with the winners in each class gaining a free entry into the world karting finals in Portugal later this year.
Team principal of CooperMotorsport, Gary Cooper, said, “It’s a huge jump for Lochlan and the team to come to Genk, step up a category from Minimax to Junior Rotax where drivers can be 17 years old, learn the track, get a set-up and be competitive against teams and drivers with so much more experience of racing here, but having come for the warm up round last month when Lochlan was running with the top 6 before being knocked off we felt we could surprise a few people”.
However, it turned out to be a massive learning curve with the team struggling to get a good set-up having only practised on the Friday compared with others who had been there since Wednesday. Lochlan looked fast at the start of every session and in qualifying was in 6th place but then fell away to finish 21st out of the 30 drivers. The same happened in the pre-final and final where he started really well and moved up through the field before falling away.
The 13 year old added, “It was really frustrating, I was fast at the start and then the tyres would overheat and then grip fell away and I just couldn’t defend my position.”
There was more disappointment for the Phoenix FM-sponsored driver in the pre-final as he came in 200g underweight and was excluded from the results. Gary Cooper added “They are the rules and we have to accept them, but we were caught out by 2 warm up laps and running a larger jet in the carburettor which used more fuel than we had before”
In the Final Bearman mad a fast start and was running in a group of 4 on just the man in 8th before the tyres overheated again and had to defend, backing those up behind him before he eventually was pushed wide and the train got through and he finished 18th. This left him with an overall Round 1 result of last.
“It’s hard to take, I’ve never finished last and not racing for the podium is disappointing, but I know it’s not me and I feel I can compete at this level if we get the set-up right”.
On Sunday 19th for Round 2 the team felt a little better prepared. In qualifying Bearman was 2nd with 2 minutes to go but unbelievably finished 20th. Gary Cooper said “it was another learning for us, the other drivers were all trying to follow each other to get the ‘tow’ (Sitting in the slipstream of the kart in front) as this is worth 2 to 3 tenths of a second here. Bearman finished in 20th place 5 tenths slower than the leaders.
In the Pre-final the team tried a different set-up to protect the tyres and this seemed to make them last longer. “The kart was hard to drive at first as the tyres weren’t at race temperature but when they came on I made really good progress, but then 5 laps before the end they went off again and all I could do was hang on to my position”. He crossed the line in 14th place.
The team had been watching and learning and managed to borrow some different parts to fit to Bearman’s kart for the final. Starting in 14th he had a steady start and began moving through the field. He was picking karts off and moved up to 8th with just over half of the 20 minute race completed . The front 3 had got away but 4th to 9th were in a battle with Bearman on the charge. He was then hit from behind in the hairpin and it broke a bolt holding the rear bumper on. With his bumper dragging on the floor he was given the Black and Orange flag signifying a mechanical failure and had no choice other to pit of get an exclusion. So another last place finish meant he finished 28th overall.
“The result is incredibly disappointing because I know I can be at the front. But I will take the positives from the weekend that when the set-up was right were had the pace to be at the front. I also know that I can compete at this level and in this category”, said Bearman.
Bearman’s father John stated “as a team we’ve done a fantastic job, but I am really proud of Lochlan. I just wish I could provide him with the same equipment as these other lads because I am know he’d be winning at this level”.
The World Final entry has gone now, and the Bearmans need to decide whether or not they continue with the BNL Championship of focus on the British
Club Championships Lochlan is competing in where he leads one and is 4th in the other. His next race is Round 4 at Whilton Mill Kart Club on Sunday 26th April.
“Ultimately it comes down to where to spend the money or finding a sponsor said Bearman senior.
If anyone would like to support Bearman or the CooperMotorsport team they can contact John Bearman via Bearman.racing@gmail.com
