Archive for category: Championships

Removed the rust with the appointment in the opening round of WSK Super Master Series at Adria International Raceway in March, after a year of stop, for Riccardo Negro the doors of the CIK-FIA KZ2 European Championship are now opened, waiting for completing the programs for the 2015 season.

On the international circuit of Sarno and at the wheel of a semi-official material of CRG developed by Renda Motorsport team of Antonio Renda, Riccardo completed the first of three events that colour the European championship, before moving to Spain and later in Belgium. Despite the difficulties, in the rows of the Qualifying Heat, he won consistently the top-seven, out of the top-10 only in the third round and closing with the twenty-first position in standings, among 60 participants. In the final, he brought on track all his tenacity, managing to replace more than ten positions, moving in just 16 laps from the 24th position to the final twelfth, winning the first points, leaving behind official drivers.

“It was an important weekend because it gave me the chance to return to lead in a European event, after the opening round of the WSK at Adria. It was a weekend characterized by some difficulties, but nevertheless I managed to recover several positions, especially in the Final. Unfortunately, when you start behind, recovering is more difficult, especially when your pace is virtually identical to that of the former driver. In addition, Sarno track does not facilitate much overtakings, being a fast track“, the driver of Minardi Management, Riccardo Negro, comments.

“I am satisfied with Riccardo’s work, who is back to lead after more than a month of stop. He’s a guy with great quality that brings out also for his technical expertise. He managed to best interpret the combination chassis-LeCont tyres. In Finale won an important twelfth proving to par, if not superior, to many factory riders. Despite the inactivity, I am also impressed by his physical training. The results come out race to race and in Spain he will already make the leap in quality“, Alberto Tonti analyses.

Next appointment in the weekend of May 24th at Zuera, with the second round of the FIA-CIK KZ2 European championship.

Great debut for Gianni Vigorito, who signed his debut in the top KZ category at La Conca International circuit, scene of the third round of the WSK Super Master Series.

The bearer of OK1 Racing Team took a challenge against drivers with experience in the World and European Championships, managing a good recovery, with amazing 14 positions in just twenty overtakings in the Final. Starting from the twenty-sixth position, he was able to got to the top-ten. It was a weekend certainly not easy and full of technical problems that forced his team also to change the chassis in the warm-up, while in the pre-final a brake problem forced him to retirement, after just four laps. Despite the mishap, the bearer of Minardi Management didn’t give up and in the Final started a valuable recovery that leads to conquer the tenth position.

“It was my first race in KZ and I found myself having to fight with experienced drivers, also at the international level. The change of category was already planned, but with the team we decided to anticipate a weekend. Unfortunately, there have been problems, but in the final it was all for the best. Having started from 24th position, I recovered up to tenth place. Not bad. Now I look forward Sarno’s challenge with great trepidation”, Gianni Vigorito comments.

“An international debut in KZ for Gianni, above expectations, resulting the second best IPK chassis, conquering the top-ten. His change of category was already planned, but we thought to anticipate it, in view of the last meeting in Naples. A weekend with a few problems, but he was able to be calm, continuing to fight on track. In Sarno he can put on track the experience gained here“, Alberto Tonti analyses.

The next date for Gianni Vigorito will be the fourth, and final, round of the WSK Super Master Series, scheduled on the international track of Naples on April 23th – 26th.

Photo: Alex Racebox

From the second place in Lonato to the second place in Nizza Monferrato. Matteo Nannini continues to impress, continuing quickly the new season with the Energy material.

Right from the beginning, the young Italian Champion from Forlì sets the pace, by signing the fastest chronometric result in Qualifying, before achieving the pole position with a best lap of 47″728 of Rok North 60, leaving behind 28 drivers. In the first race, Matteo is once again the fastest, racing with Qualifying lap times, but he had to be satisfied with the second place. In the final, Matteo is determined to reach the top step of the podium, after demonstrating to have the right stuff on track. Unfortunately someone crashed into his car, removing him from victory’s battle. Undeterred, he recovered, ending the last Mini 60’s race with a fifth place. For Nannini, a chapter ended. The next challenge, at the International Circuit 7 Laghi in Castelletto di Branduzzo – Pavia – a new chapter will begin in KFJ with 125.

“On one hand I am very happy because I was constantly the fastest on track. Unfortunately, I bring home only a second place. In the final, a contact denied me the chance to win. A real shame. But tomorrow a new challenge with the 125 will begin and I’ve already tested it in recent months, scoring the fastest time in testing. Pavia’s race, being the first, will be a real test, to make any assessment in view of subsequent appointments. I don’t wait to start”, a smiling Matteo Nannini says.

“I have to congratulate Matteo. Throughout the weekend, he was the fastest, demonstrating his talent. Unfortunately in the final his car was crashed. The dispensation has finally arrived and now the parenthesis of 60 ended, full of successes and rich in the title of 2014 Italian Champion. From tomorrow, we turn the page and get to race with the up category. The first race will be the “zero”. I am sure that with the 125 he is able to fight for important positions”, the manager Giovanni Minardi analyzes.

After winning in WSK Gold Cup and in the opening game of WSK Super Master Series at Adria, Karol Basz grants his third winning, achieving also the second round on the track of Castelletto and confirming his leadership with 180 points in ranking.

Bad weather conditioned the weekend, putting to the test the skills of all 33 drivers involved along the 1,285 meters of the International Circuit 7 Laghi in Pavia. A difficult weekend beginning from the bearer of Kosmic Racing Team, who became the protagonist of a great comeback in the second Qualifying heat, after winning the first one and being hit on the second lap. Finishing back at the 24th position, he came back until the twelfth place, winning the eighth place in standings. Thanks to two sensational starts that left public and experts stunned, the Polish driver of Minardi Management showed on track all his talent, even in difficult wet track conditions, gaining a splendid double in the pre-final and final, which are worth the nickname: “Rain wizard”. In pre-final, he outdistanced the second driver with more than 21 sec, which is definitely a lot in the world of karting.

“Another fantastic weekend, despite the pouring rain. It wasn’t certainly an easy weekend, especially in the second Qualifying heat, after winning the first one. In the pre-final and final everything went very well, despite very difficult track conditions. I recovered positions until finishing first, confirming me leading the standings“, Karol Basz says.

“It’s really a pleasure to see Karol in action, in both wet and dry conditions. He’s a complete driver, who doesn’t lose heart because of unlucky situations, like in the second Qualifying heat. With great intelligence, he recovered positions until the double success of pre-final and final. He has improved a lot compared with last season, especially considering this aspect. Two very important successes, both for spirits and in view of the other seasonal events. He impressed with two amazing starts, being protagonist of breath-taking overtakings“, Alberto Tonti says.

Karol Basz’ next appointment is planned at La Conca circuit, the third round of WSK Super Master Series on the weekend of April 9th – 12nd.

Photo: Alex, RaceBox

Excellent start for Matteo Nannini in the Rok North 60 Championship. On the South Garda Karting track, scene of the 26th Trofeo Primavera, Matteo opened the new season with an important second place.

With his first experience using the new Energy material and in this new series, the young 2014 Italian Champion from Forlì (Italia), he put on track all his talent, touching the second consecutive podium of the weekend in the final, unfortunately missed for just to 2 tenths. After measuring himself with the track and gaining more confidence and kart team, Matteo closed the Qualifying with the tenth fastest time (the seventh of his tournament), achieving the second place at the end of a good recovery during first race, after signing the second fastest time in warm-up. In the final, only a problem with the engine took satisfaction of gaining again the podium away from Matteo, who greeted the kart track in Lonato with the fourth placement in standings, leaving behind 26 pilots.

“As first race, it went very well, also because I was debuting both in the championship and with the new kart. In Qualifying I gained the seventh place and in race-1 I was able to recover up to second place, entering into the final. Unfortunately, an engine problem slowed me down in race-2, which I closed at the foot of the podium. Now I can not wait to get back on track later this month on Winner track”, the driver of Minardi Management, Matteo Nannini, comments.

“I’m pleased for Matteo’s debut in the 60 Rok, as we are talking about a very challenging series, with up to 30 drivers on the grid. Coming from a winter stop, he was really good at opening the season with a podium and a fourth place finish. Moreover, from next race he will have to make the great leap in class, moving to KFJ”, the manager Giovanni Minardi from Faenza analyzes.

In the opening race of WSK Super Master Series at Adria International Raceway, Gianni Vigorito became the protagonist of an important recovery. The new bearer of the OK1 Racing Team has come back to competitions last week in Gold Cup after a year absence and he is quickly finding pace and feeling with car and new team.

Because of not perfect physical conditions, he ended the Qualifying rounds with a thirty-seventh position, but showing a great recovery in the pre-final, which was closed with an eighth place in B Group.

In the Final, he recovered three more positions, ending the comeback with an encouraging thirteenth place. The top 10 is now the aim of the champion from Sturno (Campania).

“Despite my fever, I managed to make a great recovery, showing that I’m finding the right feeling with kart. Together with team, we are working in the right direction and at the moment this is certainly the most important aspect. Going on this path results will also come. We are only at the first race of the season. The championship is still very long. Now the mind is already focused towards next race on 7 Laghi circuit“, Gianni Vigorito says.

“Despite a result certainly affected by his physical condition and some misfortunes, we are happy with Gianni’s weekend and his hard-work, developing KF materials together with OK1 staff. I am sure that we will see Vigorito’s true value at Castelletto. He is growing and integrating in the best way inside Minardi Team“, Alberto Tonti, supervisor of Minardi kart comments.