“Once again, it has been confirmed that establishing a group of young talent within the Buggyra ZM Racing team is a fantastic idea. Every team dreams of having a rich pool of talented drivers to choose from for their elite projects. Téo Calvet’s outstanding performances in the French Truck Championship serve as proof that Buggyra has great prospects at its disposal. We also acknowledge the active involvement of Adam Lacko in karting,” said Jan Kalivoda, Buggyra’s Head of Communications.
Three wins from four starts
The Buggyra Academy France pilots faced the challenge of the third round of the French Truck Championship. Their “trip” to the famous Nürburgring in Germany brought about intense battles and solidified the position of both the drivers and the team at the top of the series.
Out of the four races that were scored, Buggyra emerged victorious in three, all won by Téo Calvet. Raphaël Sousa also secured a podium finish in the opening race, ensuring a double for Buggyra. José Sousa achieved his first podium of the year at the German track, finishing in third place in the last race of the weekend.
Thomas Robineau emerged as the winner of the Grand Prix in his MAN, with Téo finishing a close second, trailing by just two points. Raphaël Sousa secured the third position overall. However, the most significant development was Téo Calvet’s increase in the championship lead to 27 points over Thomas Robineau, with a total of 150 points. Raphaël Sousa, in third place, is just two points behind. José Sousa occupies the tenth position overall. Furthermore, Raphaël Sousa holds the top spot in the Junior category.
“It was a very challenging race with plenty of close contact. We experienced varying weather conditions, with raindrops at the Nürburgring followed by hot weather. Additionally, the organizers altered the fixed race schedule, holding the first race on Friday, the second on Saturday, and the remaining two on Sunday. However, the entire team did an exceptional job. Overall, it was another fantastic weekend for us: Téo solidified his lead, José achieved his first podium, Raphaël Sousa leads the rookie standings, and Buggyra Academy France dominates the team standings,” expressed Fabien Calvet, Buggyra Academy France boss, with satisfaction.
Téo Calvet expressed his contentment with his performance at the Nürburgring. The only setback was the third race when his turbo started malfunctioning on the last lap, causing him to drop to fifth position. “All in all, it was a good weekend. We were just unlucky in the first race on Sunday when the turbo broke. But achieving three wins out of four races is a great achievement. It was a pleasure to compete against rivals I know from FIA ETRC races and fight for points on a European track,” said the 21-year-old, who eagerly anticipates the next round of the French championship. After the summer break, it will take place on the first weekend of September at the Charade circuit in France.
The European champion as mechanic
The young members of the Buggyra Academy, kart drivers, battled for points in the Czech Open Championship held at the Bruck an der Leitha track in Austria. Four drivers participated in a challenging competition against several dozen rivals.
Adam Lacko, the European champion in truck racing, also joined the team, albeit in the role of a mechanic. “I’m here as a mechanic,” he stated with a smile. “We had a nice but very busy weekend. The temperatures were tropical, which took a toll on both the drivers and the machinery. All the guys gave their best, and we are taking away valuable experience that we need as part of the Buggyra Academy.”
Adam’s son, Nicolas Lacko, faced difficulties with his technique in the Easykart 60 category and only completed the first final heat, finishing in 17th place. He did not participate in the second final, but made up for it in the superfinal where he secured the 11th position. “I’m happy that I managed to overtake in the first heat. However, the cart didn’t start in the second final due to an engine problem. In the superfinal, I started from 23rd position and successfully passed several competitors, which makes me very happy,” said Nicolas, carrying on the family racing tradition.
Matyáš Puršl, a newcomer in the powerful KZ2 category, fought hard but couldn’t improve his position beyond the second twenty in the first two final runs. However, in the superfinal, he showcased a strong performance after a challenging start and finished in twelfth place. “The track was in great condition. The start of the superfinal was the most memorable moment. It didn’t go well initially, and I was left standing. I had to make up almost half a lap, but I think I performed quite well in the end,” commented the young rider.
Filip Nedoma achieved a third-place finish in the timed practice of the ROK GP Cup category. He further improved his position by one spot in the first final run. In the second final, he maintained his position and secured a fifth-place finish. In the superfinal, he concluded the race in sixth place.
Representing the Buggyra Academy in the OK junior category was Michael Hlaváček. He did not finish the first heat, but in the second heat, he finished ninth, missing out by a mere 144 thousandths of a second. In the superfinal, he displayed a strong comeback, advancing to sixth place.
