Szeged’s Ádám Szabó takes podium finishes in Hungary and Italy karting races

Szeged-born kart racer Ádám Szabó secured back-to-back podium finishes this month, including a third-place result in his debut international race in Italy, according to a press release from his representative.

The young driver, supported by the University of Szeged (SZTE), is competing this year with an electric-powered kart. As part of his preparation, world and European championship-winning team KMS Europe entered him in the senior category at the Hungarian National Karting Championship round in Kecskemét. After a difficult qualifying session that left him starting 14th on the grid, Szabó climbed through the field to finish third overall.

The following weekend he joined his team in Sarno, Italy, at the ROTAX Grand Final, where he raced in the E20 electric category. Szabó set competitive times from the opening practice sessions, missed pole position in qualifying by just 0.039 seconds and won both heat races. In the final, he led for much of the distance but was overtaken by two Spanish rivals three laps from the finish and placed third.

Szabó said he was initially disappointed but later came to value the achievement, noting it was his debut on the track and that many competitors were already familiar with the Sarno circuit. “Looking back, I am proud of my result, even though I always want to win,” he said in the release. “I know I still have more to learn before the ROTAX World Cup in December, but I will do everything I can to arrive in Bahrain better prepared and fight for victory again.”

Szabó is scheduled to continue competing in practice events in the Hungarian championship in September and October.

Featured image came with the press release, photographer unknown.