Zammit takes centre stage at Mistra

Zach Zammit driving his Honda at Mistra last weekend.

Young Zach Zammit, in only his second season in single-seater racing, won Sunday's sprint event at Mistra.

Zammit, 20, drove his Jagger Ralt Honda 2000 with masterly precision to beat current champion Hubert Camilleri by just over a second.

The Mistra Sprint was the second event in the Island Car Club's championship for 2008, and Zammit's first taste of overall victory. Judging by the way he drove, Sunday's win certainly won't be his last.

The event attracted a good competitive entry of 44 cars, eight of which were Group 6 single-seaters.

Group 5 seems to be going through a resurgence with nine entries while the four-wheel drive Special Saloon Class was made up of six cars, including the welcome return of Nikolai Degiorgio with his potent Lancia Delta Integrale.

As always, the Autocross Class set the ball rolling with the usual battle between Tony Agius and Steve Buhagiar, the former taking the honours this time round.

Terrence Vella was fastest in Group 1, Charlie Cutajar in Group 2, Joseph Cutajar in Group 5 and Mark Galea topped the charts in the Special Saloons Class.

The Group 6 cars provided the usual excitement with Steve Zammit Cutajar's Tatuus Suzuki Hyabusa posting the first sub 40-second time. Lino Brincat lowered that time to 39.004 with his immaculate Bardahl Dallara Alfa Romeo.

Then Matthew Zammit went one better with a 38.294 driving his Service Express Van Diemen Suzuki.

Paul Deguara trimmed a further eight tenths off Zammit's time with his Motoflash Yamaha R1. Joshua Anastasi, driving at Mistra for the first time, then improved even further to 37.227 with his John Bull Racing Dunlop JBR3 Kawasaki.

But it wasn't over yet. For the hundreds of spectators at Mistra were then treated to a superb display of on-the-limit driving by Zach Zammit who shaved 1.5 seconds off that time to post the fastest time of the day with an incredible 35.738 on his Dunlop shod Jagger Ralt Honda 2000.

On the twisty last section just before the finish, Zach lost it and caught it, lost it and caught it again, and lost it and caught it yet again, and all this time his right foot was planted right on the floorboard.

It was an excellent display which produced a well deserved win. Last year's winner Camilleri finished second overall with his Chevron Cosworth 2000 with a very respectable time of 36.852, with Joshua Anastasi third.

The third round of the championship takes place at Gnejna on April 20.