The Lithuanian competing in the OK-N category won two races in the final stage and finished second in the final, but that was enough for the Lithuanian athlete to become the laureate of the entire season.
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In total, V. Šilkūnaitė scored 195 points over two scoring stages. Previously, the Lithuanian won all three races in the second stage of the Baltic karting championship in Aukštadvaris.
The second place in the championship was taken by Estonian Theodoras Toobal (189 points), and the third by Matas Balčius (163 points).
“This season I really wanted to become the Baltic champion, so this title means a lot to me. It was one of the main goals of the season – I am very happy that I managed to achieve it,” said V. Šilkūnaitė.
The fight for the Baltic championship gold with the strong Estonian representative Th. Toobal lasted until the very end. Estonians have strong traditions in karting, and the decisive stage was held in Estonia. However, V. Šilkūnaitė managed both the pressure and the opponents’ pressure.
“I rate the last stage very well. We fought with the Estonians on their home track, so I knew it would be difficult. The conditions on the track were very different and that certainly did not help me. I am glad that I managed to win all the races except the final. The final was especially difficult because the race took place in the rain, and I had never driven on this track in wet conditions before,” admitted the talented racer.
OK is one of the main karting categories of the international automobile sports federation (FIA). OK-N is a somewhat simpler and more accessible version of this category. Because of the similarity of these categories, the Lithuanian chose to compete this season with an OK-N kart.
“This year I have been driving quite a lot with an OK-N category kart. I like this category because the kart has no gears, which means that every mistake can cost a lot and take a lot of time,” revealed V. Šilkūnaitė.
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V. Šilkūnaitė is one of the brightest representatives of the young karting generation in Lithuania. She is a multiple Lithuanian champion and in 2023 won the FIA “Girls on Track – Rising Stars” competition in the “OK-Junior” category. This summer she stood on the podium for the first time in the European karting championship.
Now her main focus is on the “Champions of the Future Academy” (COTFA) series. This is an international young drivers’ development program created as a bridge from karting to professional car racing. At the end of winter, the Lithuanian shone in the first stage of the “Champions of the Future Academy” in Valencia, where she finished second in the final race.
Currently, V. Šilkūnaitė is seventh in this series, in the “OK-N Senior” category, after three stages among 40 drivers from around the world. Two stages remain in Spain and Italy until the end of the season.
“My next goal this season is to reach the COTFA championship podium. I also want to improve as much as possible driving cars and perform well in the upcoming races,” emphasized V. Šilkūnaitė.
Last year, the “Champions of the Future Academy” series champion was V. Šilkūnaitė’s brother Markas.
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