Kart – Stunning recovery for Karol Basz in the UK

/in /by

It was a weekend from mood swings to Karol Basz, busy at the PFI international circuit in the UK for the second round of the European CIK-FIA Championship KF category, which will end in Sweden on July 26th in Kristianstad.

The English weekend of the driver from Krakow started under the best star, achieving firmly the top positions in the four free practice sessions, before going back to the twentieth position for a problem of set-up in the Qualifying session and affecting the results in the two rounds of the Qualifying Heat because of some impetuous Anglo-Saxon drivers. With determination and stubbornness the bearer of the Kosmic Racing Team took revenge in the 3-4 Qualifying Heat by winning the top-four. In the pre-final, thanks to a stunning comeback – missing the fastest lap for only 50 milliseconds – Karol was able to recover ten positions, closing in the top-ten and proving that the available material was no less to anyone and continues to be at the top. In Final, unfortunately, a problem with the front brake limited another possible comeback of Karol, who had to be satisfied with the eighth final position. “It was a weekend in which the bad luck and the aggressiveness of certain drivers have denied Karol chance to win a deserved podium. During the free practice sessions he had proven to be part of the race, but a small problem in Qualifying and the English driver made him go back to the group. Karol is a very good driver in the development and in the race pace, as proved by the great comeback in the pre-final in a hellish battle and the lap times. Our mind is already turned to the last appointment, in Sweden, where we would like to close with a good podium and a win“, Alberto Tonti analyses.

“The English weekend did not go as we would have expected, especially after the results gained in practice sessions. In the pre-final, I enjoyed very much to recover, completing ten overtakings. Unfortunately in the Final, I had a problem to the front brake right from the beginning, then I was forced to close in eighth position”, the driver of the Minardi Management Karol Basz says.

Photo: Alexandros Vernardis/The Racebox

F.4 Italia – 400 km for Federico Iribarne’s debut at Imola

/in /by

On the track named after Enzo and Dino Ferrari in Imola, Federico Iribarne – class of 1998, from Lanus (Buenos Aires) – signed his debut in Italy and at the wheel of the Antonelli Motorsport team’s Formula 4, completing the first days of the programmed test sessions, with over 400 kilometres driven.

For Federico, it was the first race out in the Old Country, having grown up in Argentina, where he engaged in the 2015 Metropolitan Formula Championship.

Thanks to the strong friendship between Argentina and the Minardi family, alongside with a former Argentine driver, Miguel Angel Guerra, Federico is followed step by step by the manager Giovanni Minardi, under the watchful eye of Gian Carlo Minardi. Federico stood out by scoring excellent chronometric results on track, racing close to the best lap signed by the current leader Guan Yu Zhou. A training day in view of the upcoming program for June 23rd at Mugello circuit.

“It was a really good day and I’m satisfied with my result. For me, it was all completely new. Car, team and track. I had a chance to drive a lot of laps, even if I found a lot of traffic and the red flag exactly in the moment when I put on new tyres. At Mugello I can take advantage of this experience, to take a further step forward“, Federico Iribarne says.

“I was really surprised seeing the work done by Federico. It was a debut on a demanding track, such as Imola. He managed to improve lap after lap, stopping the clock on ‘1.47.7. Unfortunately he found traffic and the red flags waved just when just when he put on the new set of tyres. Otherwise, he could further lower his time lap. I am very confident for the next scheduled appointment on another selective track such as Mugello“, the manager Giovanni Minardi analyses.

Kart – Great recovery for Matteo Nannini at Adria

/in /by

It was a not easy weekend on track Adria International Raceway, which was the scene of the sixth appointment of the ROK North area Championship (the third for Matteo in the category KFJ). Matteo Nannini stood out for his stubbornness and talent at the wheel of the “125 Energy” of Fabio Urgnani’s New Technology.

In free practice sessions, the driver from Forlì was able to bring his car to the upper positions of standings, but during Qualifying, the set was not optimal and he had to settle for eighth placement. The most important episode came in Pre-Final lap, when Matteo was hit, causing serious damage to the kart that forced him to retire even before the start. A withdrawal that forced him to start from the 33th position, and last placement in the Final. With determination can replace twenty placings, finishing in 13th place overall. “On the one hand I enjoyed it very much in the Final,  managing in several overtakings that led me from the last till the thirteenth position, despite the not perfect conditions of my kart, grating various meters to the rivals on the straights. It’s a shame to see vanishing the work of a weekend in a single lap, but this is also part of the race. Now I want to think about the next challenge, hoping to have good luck “, the driver of Minardi Management, Matteo Nannini, says.

“I am very sorry for Matteo, because he worked very much to better prepare the kart, but everything was ruined during the warm-up of pre-Qualifying. Despite the drawback, Matteo has again shown his value, coming back several positions with a car which was not 100%. Now we must focus on the next race”, the manager Giovanni Minardi analyses.

F.4 – Great show of Joao Vieira in Monza

/in /by

Despite the points left behind, Joao Vieira was one of the great protagonists of the second round of the Italian F.4 Championship powered by Abarth in the temple of speed, Monza circuit.

The yellow-gold bearer of Antonelli Motorsport inflamed again the public in the stands managing two great comebacks, recovering more than forty positions in total. Right from the beginning, with a grid of 29 cars, Joao had brought his Tatuus F.4 #50 in the top positions, signing, thanks to the fifth and ninth in the overall standings, the two Qualifying session valid for the 28’+ 1 lap races. Unfortunately, the first round, scheduled for Saturday afternoon, ending in the worst way: the Brazilian had to retire after just a few meters from the start, while he was already in third position. The retirement forced him to start from the bottom (29th position) in the sprint race, scheduled for Sunday morning. Without getting caught up in despair, he acted an incredible recovery: 26 positions in about 18′ of race and Brazilian flag waving on the third step of the podium.

Thanks to this incredible comeback, he was back on the grid for the final appointment of the weekend. The lights went off, but something in the starting procedure did not work and Joao is passed, reaching the 26th place. Despite the entry of the safety car for a contact that involved four cars in the early stages, the bearer of Antonelli Motorsport started overtaking again the rivals, up to the fifth position.

“I’m satisfied only halfway. The incident of race-1 affected the outcome of the sprint race, as I was forced to start from the last position. In race-3 instead, I made a mistake at the start. Luckily, two important recoveries that led me to the podium, scoring important points. The lead from the first driver in ranking is important, but we still have a lot of races. Now, I think about Imola“, the driver of Minardi Management, Joao Vieira, says

“This weekend Joao showed all his value, a real fighter with the talent to spare. Unfortunately we have “given” too many points to our opponents that will not be easy to recover, even though we are only at the second race. We roll up our sleeves and try to race until the end, starting to recover with Imola. I thank all the staff of Marco Antonelli for the excellent work done over the weekend”, the manager Giovanni Minardi analyses.

The second round of the Italian Formula 4 Championship has now ended and next appointment will take place in a month, at the Enzo and Dino Ferrari circuit in Imola.

F.4 – Joao Vieira at Monza circuit to win

/in /by

For Joao Vieira it is time again to wear his overall, gloves and helmet to jump into the cockpit of his Tatuus F.4 #50. This weekend the fast Monza circuit will host the second round of the Italian F.4 Championship powered by Abarth, and the driver of Antonelli Motorsport will try to achieve the first win of the season, after the second place at the “Piero Taruffi” circuit.

The Year Last Joao had inflamed the public in the stands with several overtakings, gaining a valuable second place and important points for the championship, signing in March the new track record with a Formula 4, during the test-day. We have to forget, instead, about the result of last week collective test, when the yellow-gold driver of Minardi Management was stopped by Ascari’s mistake and later by a propeller that give much time to the rivals. It was the same already used at Vallelunga during the gara-3. “I will try to improve the second position gained last year. I want to leave behind the result of collective test, characterized by my mistake on Ascari and a problem to the engine already used at the end of Vallelunga weekend, after the failure of my unit. On the long straights we “gave” several km/h to the opponents. We know how important it is to have an engine in excellent condition in Monza”, Joao Vieira says. “At Vallelunga we gained the first podium. Now we need to aim for victory. Last year we worked very well and in March I was able to beat the 2014 pole position. I want to start from here“, the driver of Minardi Management concludes.

“We must quickly leave behind the bad day of collective test and, above all, gara-3 at Vallelunga, in order to start from the record marked in March, bringing home the first victory of the season and the most points, starting with a pole position. Joao and the car, prepared by the team of Marco Antonelli, have all the required skills to achieve these important objectives”, the manager, Giovanni Minardi, analyses.

F.4 – Ascari’s mistake conditions Joao’s test

/in /by

The Circus of F.4 Italy is make the appointment at Monza in preparation for the second round, scheduled for May 31st. Workday characterized by the off track as the Ascari in the late morning for Joao Vieira, who was forced to remain stationary in the pits of Antonelli Motorsport until mid-afternoon, to give the opportunity to the staff directed by Marco Antonelli of repair the Tatuus #50.

Back on track only at 4:00pm, the yellow-gold driver managed to go 22 rounds before the arrival of the rain, breaking early the work. A day’s work that certainly does not reflect the technical potential of Joao Viera, who in March had managed to lower more than 6 dec the time of the pole in 2014.

“The incident of the morning has certainly influenced the whole program because I could return to track only mid-afternoon. Anyway before the arrival of the rain I drove 22 laps with tires already lapped. When we were about to mount the new tires, it started to rain. Furthermore once again we had problems with the engine that in the straight gave much to the opponents. Ahead of the weekend of the race I think that we come back to my old engine“, the driver of Minardi Management, Joao Vieira, comments.

“Day conditioned by Ascari’s mistake that forced Joao to remain stationary in the pits until 4:00pm. In the morning he was still able to put together 31 laps. Before the arrival of the rain he has turned old tires along other 22 laps. We will have had fresh tires, but the rain made us change plans. Better to have made the mistake in a test that during the race weekend and I’m sure it will be helpful to Joao to maintain the concentration high“, the manager Giovanni Minardi analyzes.

Kart – Onboard Karol Basz in Portimao

/in /by

Enjoy the two fast laps onboard Karol Basz in this warm up session during the CIK European Championship for KF in Portimao, Algarve, Portugal.
Thanks Alexandros Vernardis/The Racebox
[media id=114 width=630 height=620]

Kart – At Portimao Karol Basz was slowed only by a contact

/in /by

On the track of Portimao, in Portugal, the spotlights turned on on the European Championship CIK-FIA KF category, the first of three appontiments of the championship that will touch even the boundaries of England and Sweden.

A weekend that did not follow the plans of the Polish driver from Krakow, Karol Basz, who was victim of an accident. The event, which affected significantly the final result, took place during the pre-final, when Jordon Lennox-Lamb, the driver that Karol was trying to overtake, closed the bearer of the Kosmic Racing Team towards the corner. The Polish driver was forced to retirement due to important damages reported. Without getting caught up in despair, the bearer pink-blue Kosmic team put together a good comeback, recovering until the thirteenth final position, after having started from the 29th placement and finishing at 11″ from the winner, racing at 2” from best lap of the race.

“It was an unlucky weekend, conditioned especially by the accident in the pre-final that forced me to start backwards, from the 29th position, in the Final. Unfortunately, the chassis was not 100% OK, but despite this, I was able to recover up to 13th position in the Final, scoring good lap time. There’s still the satisfaction with the seventh place in Qualifying Heats”, the driver of Minardi Management, Karol Basz, comments.

“If we look purely at the result, it was not the weekend we expected. Unfortunately, the incident in the pre-final affected the entire weekend, forcing Karol to start from the bottom in the Final and with not perfect frame. However, I have to congratulate him for the great recovery and the Kosmic Racing team of Olivier Marechal for the excellent work in the development of the material. In this season, tyres will be a very important and they’re showing to have the right balance”, Alberto Tonti analyses.

Thanks to the scored points, Karol greeted Portugal with the tenth place in standings, turning his mind directly to the next challenge: England, International  – on June the 21st. “We are only at the beginning. In England we will start again from the tenth position, with the aim to regain all lost ground here in Portugal, in order to race for the Final victory in Sweden”, Minardi Kart Supervisor concludes.

Photo: Alex Racebox.

Kart – Matteo Nannini confirms himself with a KFJ second placement in Pavia. Only a postponed victory.

/in /by

After the third position with his debut in KFJ last April the 19th on the International Circuit 7 Laghi in Castelletto di Branduzzo (PV), last Sunday Matteo Nannini won with supremacy and determination his second place, scoring also the fastest lap of the Final.

For the fifth appointment of the Rok Nord, the championship was back again in Pavia and the talented driver from Forlì of Fabio Urgnani’s New Technology team won another prestigious result improving on the third place of his debut. Certainly, it was not an easy weekend, but Matteo was not influenced by external events, proving his value with the 125 Energy right from the beginning of the weekend, scoring the second fastest time in free practice sessions and third in Qualifying, with a gap of just 16 thousandths from the winner (tied with second place), the prelude of the third place in Race 1 and fastest lap. In the Final, Matteo made a step forward in standings, signing his best result in the championship with a final second place, reinforced again by the fastest lap of the race: 50″432 and an average speed of over 88 km/h. “It was a difficult weekend and everything happened, including extra-race events. Besides, I am really happy for the second place in the Final, with the fastest lap in race and the third position in Race 1, scoring always the fastest lap of the race. I can say that I aim at the victory“, Matteo Nannini says with satisfaction.

“I’m really very happy with the weekend of Matteo. We are only at the second race in KFJ and have already collected two podium finishes, with a third place at the debut and a second place this weekend with the fastest lap in the race. We are ready for victory“, the manager Giovanni Minardi analyses.

Next challenge for Matteo Nannini will be on Adria’s track on the weekend of May 31st, as the sixth round of the Rok Nord Championship.

F.4 – Joao Vieira, a second place to start the Championship

/in /by

This result is certainly not enough for Joao Vieira and the team of Antonelli Motorsport at Vallelunga circuit, scene of the opening round of the second season of the Italian F.4 Championship powered by Abarth.

The first racing weekend started under the best star for the yellow-gold Brazilian driver from Gurupi, leading his Tatuus #50 in the top positions and taking the lead in the second free practice session, prelude to the P3 and P2 won in two rounds of Qualifying, valid for race 1 and race 3. In the opening race Joao signed his first podium, thanks to the second place at the end of 28 ‘+ 1 lap of the race, followed by a good fourth in the sprint-race. With the rule of grid inversion, the driver managed by Minardi Management moved from the ninth position, succeeding in a great comeback in just 13 laps, getting to the foot of the podium and confirming the second place in the drivers’ standings, with 24 points. The biggest regret comes in race 3. The staff of Marco Antonelli is forced to change the Abarth engine, but Tatuus performances are no longer the same. A good battles with David Alexander Beckmann began: the Russian driver tried to overcome several times the Brazilian, until, unfortunately, the contact, which penalized Vieira with a drive-through, closing in twelfth place and out of the score zone.

“The biggest regret is what happened in race 3. I do not find correct the drive-through that has been assigned me. Commissioners saw the video, but there was nothing to do. Unfortunately, it cost me a third / fourth place. Important points in the championship. A real shame. It will be a hard-fought championship, but we have proven to be there for the victory too. Now, I wait for Monza for the speedy redemption. We are only at the first of seven rounds. The season is still long“, Joao Vieira says.

“Up to race 2, the weekend was going in the right way. Joao proved to be among the fastest drivers on track, managing to win the second place in race 1, putting together a good recovery in race 2. Unfortunately, the result of race 3 leaves us a very bad taste in mouth. Between race 2 and race 3, the team had to change Joao’s engine. Being a new unit, it was still to test and therefore not 100%. Unfortunately, there’s been the drive-through that has denied a final fourth place and, consequently, important points for the championship. Honestly, we do not agree with this decision, but we accept it and we remain focused in view of the appointment of Monza “, the manager Giovanni Minardi analyses.

Next round of the Italian F.4 Championship powered by Abarth is scheduled in Monza, for the weekend of May 31st.

F.4 – Joao Vieira is determined visiting Vallelunga circuit

/in /by

Vallelunga Circuit is ready to get up the curtain on the second edition of the F.4 Italian Championship powered by Abarth. Among the major players, along with about 25 cars, there will also Joao Vieira who will appear at the start of the big favourites.

The yellow-gold bearer of Antonelli Motorsport get to the first of seven Racing weekends after several months of training, both athletic and on track, gaining the new record at Monza and Imola. In the last test session, just along the 4,085 mt of “Piero Taruffi” circuit, Joao excelled with his Tatuus F.4, ranking leaving the top of the second day, slowed only by a gearbox problem. “I can not wait to get on track for the first free practice session. Since that time, it will be true Championship. The season will begin. My goal, and that of the whole team, will be start with the right foot and pointing to the title will certainly not be easy though. I can count on one more year of experience, knowing curves, car and team. The novelty compared to 2014 will only Franciacorta and Misano circuits. I had the opportunity to learn about the MWC during a test day”, the driver of Minardi Management, Joao Vieira, comments. For pleasantries, Franciacorta were sent back.

“Finally we start, after many kilometres on track and so many hours of training in and outside the centre where he trains. From what I’ve seen in recent months working with Joao, he is ready to fight for the championship win. We do not know the true values of the Championship, because during testing we did not get to all join together on track, but I’m sure both Joao Antonelli and the team are ready for the first challenge“, the manager Giovanni Minardi analyses.

The appointment of the inaugural Formula 4 Italy will start Friday, May 1st with the two free practice sessions of 30’each, in preparation of the two Qualifying rounds on Saturday (9:10am and 9:35am), crucial for the deployment of the two races from 28′ + 1 lap (Saturday at 02:10 pm and Sunday at 02:20pm). Traffic lights of spint-race of 18 ‘+ 1 lap will switch off instead on Sunday morning at 9:00am.

Kart – Gianni Vigorito improved his feeling with KZ2 in Sarno

/in /by

On the international circuit of Sarno, scene of the fourth and final round of the WSK Super Master Series Championship, Gianni Vigorito improved his feeling with the new material of OK1 Racing Team in the selective KZ2, started in La Conca.

The talented driver from Sturno worked on the basis of future plans, to program after graduation in Human Sciences, but with the mind turned to the World Championship and especially to 2016, whose objective is to be present on track with greater consistency, to face all main commitments. Undeterred, Gianni has struggled with determination, collecting useful information both for him and the team. “It’s been certainly a not easy weekend, full of pitfalls. In Qualifying, I achieved the seventeenth place, after suffering a rupture in the clutch. It was important to race so many laps, collecting useful information in this category, which includes drivers with great experience worldwide“, Gianni Vigorito says.

“Gianni is proving to have a good base on which work. He signed his passage in KZ2 and La Conca and Sarno’s appointment was an opportunity to continue its improvement with new material. We speak of a category in which there are “legends” of karting, with worldwide experience. Together with his team, we will try to program future commitments, considering also the graduation. Gianni is certainly a driver who would need to run constantly to show his value“, Alberto Tonti analyses.

Photo: Alex Racebox

Kart – Second placement for Karol Basz in WSK Master in view of FIA-CIK

/in /by

After the triumph in the WSK Gold Cup and the successes in the first two appointments of the WSK Super Master Series at Adria and Castelletto, Karol Basz ended the fourth, and final, round of the championship with second overall place. A victory escaped only at the last race, after leading the standings since the first day.

A result that will give to the Polish driver of Kosmic Racing Team the right grit and determination for next event in Portimao – Portugal – in the first racing weekend of the European Championship.

On the international circuit of Sarno, Karol was on track among the favourites, bringing the material of Kosmic in the top positions, winning the third, second and fifth place in Qualifying Heat. “It’s been a difficult weekend for us, perhaps the most difficult since the beginning of the season. In the first two days I have been very fast. Unfortunately, we were not able to repeat. I do not understand why. We hope to solve our problems in preparation for the first round of the European Championship”, Karol Basz, the Minardi driver Management, says.

“It’s certainly not the ending we had in mind, but I’m glad for the work done in these first months of the year. The victory in the Gold Cup and the second place in Master Series are a great business card for the European and World Championships. It’s certainly a lesson of maturity that will let Karol grow even more. The Final was a good race, raced with determination. But we were not very happy with the 10″ of penalty inflicted to Karol, but races means also this and we accept the verdict“, Alberto Tonti says.

“I’m disappointed for the second place of Karol, since he deserved the victory. I’m very pleased with his work. I am sure that both in the European and World Championships we will be among the protagonists”, Giovanni Minardi comments.

Karol is now back at the wheel of his kart for two days of testing on Sarno’s track with Bridgestone, before flying to Portugal to test the material in view of the first test of the European Championship, planned for the weekend of May 10th.

Photo: Alex Racebox