The fastest of qualifying practice on Friday and the winners of the first heats have been shining today. The final heats will follow on Saturday, while the final stages will be on Sunday, March 17th, with Live Streaming.
The Andrea Margutti Trophy at the South Garda Karting in Lonato, the event that in this 35th edition sees a record number of approximately 300 registered drivers, with 288 verified from as many as 42 nations, introduced the first protagonists of the qualifying sessions. This great participation success that once again rewards the organization of Parma Motorsport and the continuity of this event, which was born in 1990 in memory of the young Andrea Margutti.
The qualifying sessions have already announced promising performances among the main protagonists competing in the categories of this event, ranging from the smallest MINI Gr.3 Under 10 and MINI Gr.3, to the new federal categories OKN and OKNJ, and the international OKJ and KZ2. There have also been several surprises among the many promising young drivers participating in this international event included in the FIA Karting calendar.
KZ2 – Dalè takes the pole position, but Van Walstijn has also been shining.
In the KZ2 qualifying session, the experienced driver Andrea Dalè (#139 Dalè/CRG-TM Kart-Vega) took the spotlight with the best time in the first session and overall with a time of 45.931s, while the lightning-fast Dutchman Senna Van Walstijn (#152 CPB Sport/Sodi-TM Kart), already the winner of the 2020 and 2021 editions, achieved the best time in Session-2 with 46.004s. Among the fastest in Session-1, the Estonian Markus Kajak (#108 Maranello SRP/Maranello-TM Kart) was just 13 thousandths behind Dalè and Giuseppe Palomba (#160 CPB Sport/Sodi-TM Kart) stopped at 0.135s. In Session-2, behind Van Walstijn, the Swedish Norton Andreasson (#169 KH Racing Team/BirelART-Modena Engines) was 0.244s shy of the top and was followed by another CPB Sport driver, the Frenchman Arthur Poulain, by 0.1s. Technical problems, however, affected the performance of last year’s winner, Cristian Bertuca (#101 KCS Racing/BirelART-TM Kart), forced to retire in his qualifying session.
OKJ – Berezkin claims the pole position leading his teammate Kingsley.
Among the young competitors in the international OK-Junior category, Ilia Berezkin (#314 Monster K Factory Team/CRG-TM Kart-Vega) secured the pole position. Within thousandths of a second were the other protagonists of the category, with Berezkin’s teammate, Zheng Kingsley, securing second place just 0.079s behind, followed by the Indonesian Qarrar Firhand (#323 La Motorsport/Parolin-TM Kart) at 0.09s, and the Japanese Kosei Oguma (#321 AKM Motorsport/KR-Iame) at 0.097s. Oguma’s teammate, the Polish driver Remigiusz Samczyk, claimed fifth at 0.107 s.
OKNJ – Surprising pole for the Greek Karagiannis.
Surprisingly, the Greek driver Nikolaos Karagiannis (#202 Monster K Factory Team/CRG-TM Kart-MG) secured the pole position in OK-N Junior by the narrowest of margins ahead of four other category protagonists. The Italians Valerio Viapiana (#215 Team Driver/KR-Iame) were 0.068s, Ludovico Mazzola (#234 Mazzola/Exprit-Vortex) 0.072s, Gioele Carrer (#208 Scarpi Racing/Parolin-Iame) 0.079s and Giacomo Giusto (#235 Modena Kart/Parolin-TM Kart) 0.174s behind.
OKN – Ferrari is the fastest of all, Albanese leads Session-2.
Riccardo Ferrari (#409 M2 Racing/OTK-TM Kart-MG) came to the fore in OKN as he secured the pole position in Session-1 with a time of 48.220s, while the other Italian, Federico Albanese (#417 Italcorse Racing Team/Italcorse-TM Kart), achieved the best performance in Session-2 with a time of 48.314s. Among the fastest in Session-1 the other Italians, Federico Rossi (#418 PRK/Tony Kart-TM Kart), trailed by 0.034s, and Brando Pozzi, also with team M2, by 0.092s. In Session-2, behind Albanese, the two Swiss drivers Marc Gerstenkorn (#435 3DK Umbria Motorsport/Righetti Ridolfi-TM Kart) and and Cristian Canonica (#429 KGT Motorsport/Tony Kart-TM Kart) closed in the order, the first at 0.120s and the latter at 0.138 seconds.
MINI GR.3 – Frasnelli posts the fastest time, as Botte leads Session-1.
Julian Frasnelli (#516 BabyRace/Parolin-Iame-MG) was the fastest in the MINI Gr.3 category with the best time achieved by the Italian driver in Session-2 in 53.278s, while the Ukrainian Nikita Botte (#535 Novalux/Lenzokart-Lke) prevailed in Session-1 with a time of 53.322s. In Session-2, behind Frasnelli, his teammate Mark Pilipenko was just 0.023s behind, with Patrick Bissa (#540 Bissa/EKS-TM Kart) securing the third time at 0.103s. In Session-1, the Greek Ioannis Kolovos (#531 Team Driver/KR-Iame) was just 27 thousandths behind Botte, while Matteis Stigsen (#504 CRG Racing Team/TGroup-TM Kart) was 0.029s shy of the top.
MINI GR.3 Under 10 – Poujol surprises in Session-2, Moscardi in Session-1.
In the Under 10 category, the Frenchman Jean Poujol (#619 BabyRace/Parolin-Iame-MG) surprised with the best overall performance in 53.458s, while the young Italian David Moscardi (Birel Art Racing/Birel Art-Iame) took the best time in Session-1 in 53.539s, ahead of the Swedish Elton Hedfors (#612 Monster K Factory Team/TGroup-TM Kart) by 0.033s and Stepan Mazepin (SM Racing/OTK-TM Kart) by 0.107s. Close gaps in thousandths also in Series-2, where Poujol preceded the Estonian Mark Loomets (#651 Energy Corse/Energy-TM Kart) by 56 thousandths and the German Carlos Nees (#609 Nees Racing/JR-Iame) by 88 thousandths. But other protagonists of the category are ready to climb up the standings.
The first qualifying heats also took place on Friday afternoon. Here are the winners:
KZ2 – Heat A-B: Senna Van Walstijn (#152 CPB Sport/Sodi-TM Kart-Vega).
KZ2 – Heat C-D: Markus Kajak (#108 Maranello SRP/Maranello-TM Kart-Vega).
MINI GR.3 U10 – Heat A-B: Lorenzo Di Pietrantonio (#621 BabyRace/Iame-MG).
MINI GR.3 U10 – Heat C-D: Niccolò Perico (#601 Energy Corse/Energy-TM Kart-MG).
MINI GR.3 – Heat A-B: Alessandro Truchot (#526 BabyRace/Parolin-Iame-MG).
OKN – Heat A-B: Riccardo Ferrari (#409 M2 Racing/OTK-TM Kart-MG).
The timetable.
Saturday, March 16th: Warm up from 8:30, Qualifying heats from 10:30.
Sunday, March 17th: Warm up from 8:30, Second chance races from 10:10, Prefinals from 10:50, Finals from 13:50, Prize Ceremony at 17:15.
Complete results are available at www.trofeomargutti.com.
In the picture: KZ2 start (Ph. Brigatti)
Parma Motorsport Srls
Press Office
15.3.2024