A series of battles provided great competitive entertainment in the double final of the first round of the Italian Championship in Sicily in the KZ2, MINI, OKN, and OKJ categories. The next appointment at La Conca is on May 19th.
Triscina (Trapani), April, 21st, 2024.
It was undoubtedly a great display of competition that took place at the Triscina International Circuit for the first event of the Italian ACI Karting Championship, which received a strong confirmation in all categories at the Sicilian track. There were 225 drivers in this opening event of the Italian Championship, coming from 26 nations for an internationally renowned event, competing in traditional categories, from the smallest MINI to the most powerful KZ2, but also in the two new federal categories OK-N and OK-N Junior.
KZ2 – A stunning double win for Cristian Bertuca.
The 2023 vice Italian KZ2 champion, the Milanese Cristian Bertuca with LG Motorsport on BirelART-TM Kart, started this first round of the Championship in great form, with a sensational double win, dominating the first of the two finals and then confirming a full victory in Race 2 after a comeback following the grid inversion of the top 8 positions compared to the Race 1 finish. In the first of the two finals, Bertuca, also winner of the special Under 18 classification, triumphed with a margin of 4 seconds over the two Sicilians Simone Alogna (BirelART-TM Kart) and Michael Barbaro Paparo (Team Monster K/CRG-TM Kart). Another Sicilian, Salvatore Migliore (NGM Motorsport/Kalì-Kart-TM Kart), finished fourth ahead of the multiple world and European champion Davide Forè (KCS/BirelART-TM Kart), who secured the first place among the Masters. On the KZ2 Under 18 podium, the Finnish Kimi Tani (LA Motorsport/Parolin-TM Kart) finished second and the Sicilian Giovanni Renda (BirelART/TM Kart) third.
In the second final, the battle was much livelier, not only due to Bertuca's comeback, who was the winner again but only in the final moments after overcoming the resistance of Michael Barbaro Paparo, who finished second closely behind Bertuca at the finish line. Davide Forè secured the third place on the podium again, winning the Master category. Salvatore Gentile was fourth and he led in the early laps, ahead of Simone Alogna and Salvatore Migliore. A great comeback of 18 positions was put in by the Sicilian Angelo Lombardo on BirelART-TM Kart, who finished seventh. For the Under 18 category, after Bertuca, Enrico Martinese with CMT team on KR-TM Kart was classified second, and the driver from Calabria Ermanno Quintieri (IPK/TM Kart) third.
MINI Gr.3 - Truchot and Pilipenko share the success.
In the MINI Gr.3 category, the American Alessandro Truchot, with the BabyRace team on Parolin-Iame, won Race 1, while in Race 2, his teammate Mark Pilipenko won the duel against Alessandro Truchot. Julian Frasnelli, also with BabyRace, finished the first final in second position, while Gioele Girardello with the Parolin Motorsport team on Parolin-TM Kart finished in third position. In Race 2, after Pilipenko and Truchot, the third place went to the Spaniard Nicola Stanley with the Gamoto team on EKS-TM Kart.
MINI Gr.3 Under 10 - Race 1 went to Perico, Race 2 to Palacio.
In the smallest of the categories, the Under 10, Bergamo native Niccolò Perico, continued to be a protagonist with Team Energy Corse on Energy-TM Kart, standing out in practice and heats, and then dominating Race 1 with a lead of almost 5s over teammate Mark Martin Loomets from Estonia and Leon Chelidze of Team Driver on KR-Iame. In the second final, the American Lucas Palacio with Team Kidix on KR-Iame won ahead of Perico, who made a comeback, and fellow countryman and teammate Simone Rocco.
OK-N – Victories to Rossi and Sardo.
The two categories OK-N and OK-N Junior have confirmed an excellent start in the Italian Championship, with an attendance of about 90 drivers, providing a positive outlook for the future of these two categories. Moreover, the race in Sicily, along with the upcoming rounds of the Italian Championship at La Conca, Val Vibrata, and Sarno, are valid for qualification for the international event of the OK-N World Cup, which will take place during the OK and OKJ World Championship from September 12th to 15th in England at the PFI circuit in Brandon.
In OKN, the winner was Federico Rossi from Lazio with Team PRK on Tony Kart-TM Kart, who staged a recovery from the qualifications and won a great duel with Gino Rocchio from Team Monster K on CRG-TM Kart and Polish driver Karol Pasiewicz, who shone in practice and heats with Team Novalux on Lenzokart-LKE. The fourth place went to the Turkish driver Bati Ege Yildirim with Team Modena Kart, and fifth was Edoardo Leo with Team Spino Project, making a comeback of 10 positions.
In Race 2, it was a Sicilian driver who won the final, Salvatore Alfio Sardo with Team VRT Motorsport on Parolin-TM Kart, with Bati Ege Yildirim in second place and Federico Rossi again on the podium but in third place. Silvio Calza with KR-Iame finished fourth, and Francesco Marenghi with Team MLG Racing fifth.
OK-N Junior - Giusto wins Race-1, Orlando Race-2.
In OKNJ, there was a brilliant victory for the young Milanese driver Giacomo Giusto with Team Modena Kart on Parolin-TM Kart, who managed to overcome Pietro Bagutti, who had dominated the qualifications with Team Gamoto on Tony Kart-TM Kart. The Chinese driver Zheng Kingsley was third with Team Monster K Factory on CRG-TM Kart. The fourth and fifth places were taken by Cristian Blandino with Team Kalì Kart on Kalì-Kart-TM Kart and Cristian Tonalini with Team KCS on BirelART-TM Kart, respectively.
In Race 2, the Calabrese driver Michele Orlando with Team DR on DR-Modena Engines surprised everyone by winning from behind, ahead of Pietro Bagutti, once again in second place, and the Mexican driver Sebastian Frigolet with Team Driver on KR-Iame. Cristian Tonalini finished fourth, while Nico Carfagna was fifth with Team Modena Kart on Parolin-TM Kart.
The next rounds of the Italian ACI Karting Championship 2024.
19/05/24 - LA CONCA - Mini Gr.3 Under, Mini Gr. 3, OKNJ, OKN, KZ2.
23/06/24 - VAL VIBRATA - Mini Gr.3 Under, Mini Gr. 3, OKNJ, OKN, KZ2.
21/07/24 - SARNO - Mini Gr.3 Under, Mini Gr. 3, OKNJ, OKN, KZ2.
08/09/24 - VITERBO - KZN Under, KZN Over.
22/09/24 - LONATO - Mini Gr.3 Under, Mini Gr. 3, OKNJ, OKN, KZ2, 100/125 Legend.
In the picture: The podium of Race 2 of KZ2 with Bertuca, Paparo and Forè (Ph. Sportinphoto).
Photogallery: https://www.smugmug.com/app/organize/Campionato-Italiano-ACI-Karting/2024/TRISCINA-round-1
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