The coordinator of the selection has been Giancarlo Minardi (CSAI's observer), together with Luca Baldisserri (Ferrari Driver Academy) and with the help of some CSAI Federal School of Vallelunga instructors like Renato Leporelli in Viberbo, Andrea Piccini in Lonato, Enrico Toccacelo in Sant´Egidio alla Vibrata and Francesca Pardini in Ortona.
The selection in Ortona awarded ALESSIO LORANDI (13 years old from Salò, competing in KF3), JAMES MISSO TOTI (16, from Portoferraio, racing in KF2) and LORENZO PAGGI (15, from Rome, racing in KF3).
As a whole, the initiative spanning the four latest round of the Italian CSAI Karting Championship selected 12 drivers that already had a physical and psycho-attitude test in Maranello.
The other drivers are Gianni Vigorito (15, Avellino), Alessio Santilli (16, Pescara), Mattia Vita (14, Lucca), Nicola Marcon (16, Jesolo), Antonio Fuoco (15, Cosenza), Federico Pezzolla (15, Fasano), Luca Corberi (14, Lonato), Nicolò Balsamo (14, Como), Alberto Di Folco (15, Rome).
Three out of the twelve young drivers will be selected and they will take part in a four days formative stage from 7 to 10 November at the Vallelunga circuit Piero Taruffi. The first two days will be devoted to showing how to obtain the correct physical preparation, to explain a right psychological approach to racing and to sportive and technical teaching with FDA instructors and simulator sessions. The final two days will see drivers running on the track at the wheel of ACI CSAI Abarth cars.
"This initiative is very interesting to us – explained Luca Baldisserri at the end of the individual interviews – The collaboration with ACI- CSAI and with the Federal School of Vallelunga strongly characterized the FDA program since its beginning. The meetings with the karting young promises are an opportunity to give our contribution in the formation process of the young drivers, especially at a national level, and witness the commitment that the Ferrari academy has towards minor formulas. The drivers that will not be selected due to age restrictions for the test on the Formula Abarth scheduled for next November will be observed anyway for future opportunities".
The three drivers chosen in Ortona:
ALESSIO LORANDI, 13 years old from Salò (Brescia). Alessio Lorandi is really a precocious kid. At the age of 5 he already started to drive karts and at 8 he run his first race in the 60 Baby where he obtained several wins amongst which the Primavera Trophy of Lonato. He afterwards moved to 60 Mini where he competed for three years until last May when he switched to KF3. In 60 Mini he won twice the Andrea Margutti Trophy and the “Trofeo delle Industrie”, the Asia-Pacific of Macau held last December. Alessio also obtained several podiums in the WSK Master. He was under the spotlight this season in the Italian Championship in KF3 winning one final in Lonato and Ortona and set the third absolute time in the qualifying of the World Cup held in Sarno, followed by the final 11th place.
JAMES MISSO TOTI, 16 years old from Portoferraio (Livorno). James Misso Toti, Scottish with Italian origins lives in the Elba Isle and to race on karts he has some logistics problems. He started racing at 10 in the 60 Mini and competed in the category for two years especially in the regional championship of Tuscany. Then he moved to 100 Junior where he won several Trophies and a regional championship of Tuscany; James also finished second in Lonato's Autumn Trophy. In 2009 he moved to KF3 racing in the Open Masters and the WSK Euro Series in Italy. In 2010 he moved to KF2. This year he competed in the Italian championship obtaining the third place in Ortona, 5th in Lonato and 8th in Viterbo. He also run the KF2 World Cup in Sarno.
LORENZO PAGGI, 15 years old from Rome. Lorenzo Paggi started running on karts very early at 5 and made his debut in the 50 Baby at 7 on the historic Pista d'Oro of Tivoli in the Champions Trophy. At 9 he moved to 60 Mini and, after a break, he started again with KF3 in 2010 successfully racing in the Ayrton Senna Trophy of Sarno and in several races of the Open Masters. In 2011 Lorenzo competed in the Italian Championship where he obtained 4 podiums (2nd place in Sarno and three third places in Lonato, Val Vibrata and Viterbo). He qualified for the European KF3 winning the Final-B in Zuera. At the World Cup held in Sarno he was forced to the retirement due to engine failure when he was aiming to a top ten finish.
ACI Sport
Press Office
In the picture: from the left hand side, Alessio Lorandi, James Misso Toti and Lorenzo Paggi.
