Michael Schumacher has won the International Challenge of Go-Kart Champs at the Ingleses Kart Track, in Florianopolis (Brazil).

The German won the first race and finished sixth in the second, scoring 35 points in the aggregate results to take the winner’s trophy. Former Jaguar driver and Ferrari tester Luciano Burti finished second, ahead of 2007 GP2 Series runner-up Lucas di Grassi. The 2006 International Challenge champion Felipe Massa was fifth in the final standings, right behind fourth-placed Rubens Barrichello.

Schumacher shone in both races and made the crowd go crazy. In Monza style madness, hundred of people invaded the track to join the podium ceremony. Schumacher’s presence is guaranteed for next year. Asked if he was surprised with the victory on his first time at the circuit, he answered: “I told Felipe I was worried of getting the last place”, he said. He also said he was waiting for another invitation to come back next year. In front of the assembled journalists, Massa didn’t waste the opportunity and invited the German, who immediately accepted.

Felipe Massa was so pleased with the event’s success that he didn’t even care about the fifth place. “I knew it would be hard to win again, because of the high level of the drivers that came here today, even higher than last year. It was nice to feel like in Monza, with the crowd crossing the track to get closer to the drivers”, said Massa.

On track, Schumacher reigned supreme. Fourth on the Race 1 grid, he only needed two laps to take the lead, while his rivals were fighting against each other. In Race 2, starting from 8th, because of the reversed grid system, he was second when he got involved with pole position man Thiago Camilo and lost performance. “When I realized I had no brakes, I just tried to finish the race”, explained. Lucas di Grassi won the Race 2 and finished the challenge in the same third position he got in 2006.

Luciano Burti didn’t hide his satisfaction with the second place. “For someone who has been racing in Stock Car Brazil for some years, it was a great result. There are a lot of kids here who are racing in single-seaters and are more used to the karts”, he remembered. Burti thanked Massa for the event and Schumacher for the presence. “Just looking for the massive media presence here today you will realize how important these drivers were”, he said.

Race 1