Day 11: The Worlds are over — 41st of 180 after a tough semifinal

My World Championship is over. After missing out on the final, the semifinal turned into a race in a kart that never gave me a chance to fight for positions. I leave Denmark 41st of 180 drivers — and, despite everything, with the feeling that I can still compete up there.

The match race: drawn against the best right away

The day began with the head-to-head match race qualifying, where drivers go up against each other one on one. I was drawn against Ruben Boutens in the very first round — a driver I would rank as one of the best, maybe the best, rental kart driver of all time. Going out against him is nothing to be ashamed of.

The loss came at a price, though. Ruben got to choose his kart for the semifinal, and I was assigned kart number 40. I had neither seen nor driven it during the week, and within the first few laps it was clear the pace simply wasn't there.

The semifinal: a lonely race in kart 40

I started 15th of 18 drivers. Within a couple of corners I was last, and from there I drove almost the entire 30-minute race on my own, with no chance to fight for positions.

The numbers tell most of the story: my fastest lap was three tenths slower than the second-slowest driver in the field, and a full eight tenths off the fastest. For parts of the race I was also close to being lapped by the winner.

Frustrating, of course. At the same time I knew the final was already out of reach, so whether I finished a few places higher or lower no longer made much difference.

The feeling after the Worlds

I finish this World Championship in 41st place of 180 drivers. Considering how little I have driven ahead of this year's championship, I'm actually pleased with that. I drive maybe five to eight times a year in total, while many of my competitors fit that much into one or two weeks. For them, this is a full-time job, with training and racing all over the world.

Apart from the local drivers, who already know the track, I also had the least practice of almost anyone at the event. Better preparation would have made a real difference and helped me find my pace earlier in the week.

I have reached the Worlds final every previous year I've entered. This time it wasn't enough. I can accept that — and at the same time it motivates me for the future.

What I take with me

• Better preparation before big championships makes a real difference.
• Even with limited seat time, it's possible to compete near the top of the world field.
• Sometimes the equipment decides more than you'd like. Then you have to accept it and move on.
• A big thank-you to Primab and Labatus — their support made this Worlds campaign possible.
• And thank you to everyone who followed the race reports, cheered and sent messages during the week. It means more than you know.

All reports from the week are collected on the championship page.

The 2026 Worlds are over. Over and out.