Charles Leclerc by Lennox Racing have revealed an 11-driver lineup for ahead of the 2020 season. Under the guidance of former English driver Jordan Lennox-Lamb, the team features a mixture of experienced drivers to compete in KZ or KZ2 categories, plus drivers making the step up to the OK category and four young prospects competing in OK-Junior.

By Adam Dickinson

The team completed their first full season in 2018 but have had a makeover in the offseason, which starting in November last year when Ferrari driver Leclerc announced he was giving his name to a kart chassis produced by Birel ART, following in the footsteps of other F1 drivers such as Daniel Ricciardo and Robert Kubica.

At the time of the announcement, as reported by Karting Everything, Leclerc said: “You must always remember where you come from, I know what I owe to karting: everything! I had been determined to do something for karting for a long time.”

Then last month Lennox Racing revealed they had partnered with the new chassis, with today’s driver lineup reveal the final piece of the puzzle before they go racing.

KZ and KZ2

Heading the team in terms of pedigree is 27-year old Italian Matteo Vigano. He joins the Lennox Racing from Tony Kart Team, with whom he won the KZ2 FIA Karting International Super Cup in 2018 and last year finished second in the KZ Macao International Kart Grand Prix. He also recorded third in the 2016 KZ2 CIK-FIA European Championship.

He’ll be joined in the KZ/KZ2 department by Swedes Benjamin Tornqvist and Viktor Gustavsson and American Michael Stevens who bolster the team’s experience, with Tornqvist a strong challenger in the 2017 KZ2 FIA Karting International Super Cup.

OK category

Three three drivers continuing with the team as they graduate into the OK category. Jamie Day finished his OKJ career with a third place in the 2019 WSK Super Master series and the UAE driver will look to continue that form in the senior category as he’s joined by Roman Sharapov and a third driver – a specialist in X30 juniors – yet to be announced.

OK-Junior

Rounding off the team are the OK-Junior drivers with Wilmer Wallenstam and Ivan Domingues bringing OKJ experience with them to the team. Meanwhile two Russian drivers will make their bow in the OKJ category – Platon Kostin and Vladimir Verholansev – to complete the lineup.

The team have said the aim is to continue the development of their young drivers while pushing for results with the senior drivers.

Lennox Racing have nine preseason tests planned and the KZ/KZ2 and OK/OKJ teams will compete on 19 and 14 race weekends respectively.

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