Once again, the international karting by WSK Promotion performed at its best at the first round of the WSK Master Series. With the sun back again and the track surface changing from wet to dry, La Conca International Circuit in Muro Leccese was the setting for new changes in the rankings.
DE CONTO (KZ1) AND ZANCHETTA (KZ2) SCORE UNDER THE SUN.
After Saturday’s practice, Italian Paolo De Conto (Energy-TM-Dunlop) was expected to launch his attack against the two Tony Kart-Vortex top drivers namely Italian Marco Ardigò and Belgian Rick Dreezen. In fact, De Conto was sure to be successful since he has dominated both the heat in the morning and the Final 2 in the afternoon. Taking immediately a consistent lead, the eighteen driver from Farra di Soligo (Treviso, Italy) was safe from Ardigò’s recovery. Starting in fifth row, the driver from Brescia succeeded in beating Dreezen in the concluding phase and the latter completed the podium. Another driver coming from Treviso, Marco Zanchetta (CKR-TM-Dunlop) won KZ2, the class sharing the same race. He concluded not far away from the first three drivers, followed by a tenacious Riccardo Negro (DR-Parilla-Dunlop). Zanchetta’s teammate, Massimo Dante was very clever at mounting the podium as well.
CUCCO’S SUCCESSFUL ATTACK IN KF2.
The new WSK star in KF2 comes from Biella, Italy: Stefano Cucco (Birel-Parilla-Vega) first went off track in the early race then joined in a long duel against several drivers and finally took the lead and gave the pace until the finish line. The winner concluded ahead of French Victor Sendin (Tony Kart-Vortex-Vega) that had leaded for long and English Sam Macleod (FA Kart-Vortex-Vega) who had been a strong opponent in the early bagarre. Such a phase was unlucky for Russian Stepan Karasev (Tony Kart-Vortex-Vega) who after dominating the qualifying heats, concluded now only eighth. On the contrary, the outgoing champion Antonio Gionvinazzi (PCR-Parilla-Vega) from Taranto performed a good recovery seeing that from a 22nd place in the qualifying phase he finished 6th in the Final.
OKEEFFE WINS UNEXPECTED IN KF3.
On a dry racetrack, British Callan Okeeffe (FA Kart-Vortex-Vega) emerged victorious too. He first launched a successful attack in the last qualifying heat in the morning and then closed the gap on the leading drivers in the Prefinal. In the Final, the British driver withstood an attack launched by Spanish Pedro Hiltbrand (Kosmic-Vortex-Vega) who concluded second after an early heated duel. After an unlucky result in the Prefinal, Max Verstappen (CRG-Parilla-Vega) took advantage of the brawl recovering up to third. It was a tenacious Antonio Fuoco (Top Kart-TM-Vega) to give him his place up, despite a leadership in the qualifying practice.
MONGER IS THE FIRST STAR IN 60 MINI.
In the beginning, Turkish Berkay Besler (Top Kart-LKE-Vega) and Russian Alexander Vartanyan (Tony Kart-TM-Vega) were the favourites seeing that they had respectively won the two Finals. Unfortunately, the brawl in the Final caused Bestler to go back while Vartanyan went into the lead. From a start in third row, English Billy Monger (Birel-LKE-Vega) had a free hand and reached leader’s back. The driver from Charlwood, Surrey, achieved then victory after a penalty given to Vartanyan for non-regular start. Spanish Eliseo Martinez (CRG-Parilla-Vega) and Italian Alessio Lorandi (Tony Kart-LKE-Vega) followed him on the podium.
NEXT WSK MEETINGS ON TV.
WSK Master Series highlights are on the web thanks to the reports on www.stopandgo.tv and www.tkart.it. On the following week, the traditional 40’ special report will be on Rai Sport 2. For information go the WSK site. |
