November 23: Ryo Fukuda of Japan took the checkered flag in the inaugural Elf-Karting motor-racing championship, held along the Vidhan Bhavan Marg today. He was followed by Christophe Vassort and Guillaume Gomez of France who came in second and third respectively.

Gomez, who was leading the pack of 16 drivers almost throughout the race, was unfortunate to miss out. ``I lost my focus for a moment on seeing the black flag which indicated the final lap. To top it, I had to slow down when one of the backlog driver came in front,'' said the 28-year-old.

Earlier, Gomez and Vassort topped the heats. Even in the final run, Gomez blazed ahead with Vassort and Spain's Antonio Garcia following him closely. In the fifth lap, Fukuda overtook Garcia for the third spot. From thereon, it was a keen tussle for the second spot between Vassort and Fukuda. The Japanese managed to overtake Vassort in the 22nd lap.

With Vassort behind him and Gomez slowing down, Fukuda made a final surge at the last corner to emerge winner. ``It was difficult to overtake Gomez as the corners were too tight. But I got the chance and made it,'' said Fukuda.

The race recorded an average speed of 76 kilometres per hour with top-speed touching 110kph, each lap measuring approximately 700 metres. The race included two heats of 12 laps each followed by the final round of 25 laps.

The 18-year-old Fukuda had seventh-four podiums and one pole position this year at the French Formula Renault Championship. He had also taken the ninth place at the Renault-Elf Campus French Cup last year.

Seventeen drivers came down for this first of it's kind racing in the country but only 16 took part, one withdrawing with a broken chassis. Apart from one Japanese and two Spanish drivers, the rest came from France and included a 16-year-old Marie Hirth who finished sixth.

Chief Minister Manohar Joshi had flagged off the race.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.