The favourites to the final stages of the WSK Champions Cup
After the heats on Friday and Saturday, the finalists of the WSK Champions Cup have been named in Lonato. All the racing action in Live Streaming on Sunday, January 21st from 9:20.
Qualifying heats on Friday and Saturday at South Garda Karting in Lonato have identified the top contenders for victory in the MINI, OKNJ, OKJ, OK and KZ2 categories of the WSK Champions Cup. Competitors from 50 countries are set to face the final phase on Sunday, January 21st, aiming to secure the first victory of the year in the inaugural international event of the new karting season.
KZ2 - Palomba puts in a great comeback taking two wins.
The Italian Giuseppe Palomba (#12 Sodikart/Sodi-TM Kart-Vega) claimed the provisional lead of KZ2 with two victories and a second-place finish. Also determined to make a comeback was his fellow countryman Cristian Bertuca (#1 BirelART/BirelART-TM Kart), securing a win and a second-place finish, despite a retirement in one of Saturday's heats. The Frenchman Emilien Denner (#11 Sodikart/Sodi-TM Kart-Vega), who started from pole position, was also on the rebound after an incident in the first heat, achieving a second-place and a victory. The Swiss driver Ethan Frigomosca (#49 Gerber/Maranello-TM Kart) and Alex Maragliano (#32 Renda Motorsport/Sodi-TM Kart) were also among the heat winners. All is set for an exciting final.
OK - Hanna leads the charts.
In the OK category, the Colombian driver Salim Hanna (#208 Prema Racing/KR-Iame-LeCont) emerged as one of the main contenders after a series of strong finishes, culminating in a victory in the last heat. This result propelled him to the top of the provisional standings. The Belgian Ean Eyckmans (#209 BirelART Racing/BirelART-TM Kart) with a heat win, Anatoly Khavalkin (#223 Parolin Motorsport/Parolin-TM Kart) and Ukrainian Oleksandr Bondarev (#201 Prema Racing/KR-Iame) were following closely. However, the Czech driver Jindrich Pesl (#237 Intrepid Driver Program/Intrepid-TM Kart) and Scottish driver Zac Drummond (#220 Parolin Motorsport/Parolin-TM Kart) have also been staging a comeback, despite both encountering retirements.
OKJ – Costoya takes the lead.
Spanish driver Christian Costoya (#337 Parolin Motorsport/Parolin-TM Kart-Vega) and the Italian driver Filippo Sala (#327 Ricky Flynn/LN-TM Kart) were under the spotlight in OKJ. They found themselves in a direct showdown in the last heat of the day. Costoya emerged victorious with his third win, securing the top spot in the provisional standings, while Sala was forced to retire. In the ranking Sala from first place slips to fourth. The Austrian driver Niklas Schaufler (#301 DPK Racing/KR-Iame) and Belgian Dries Van Langendonck (#328 Forza Racing/Exprit-TM Kart), each with two heat victories, were also ready for the final assault, along with the Dutch driver Rocco Coronel (343 Fath/KR-Iame).
OKNJ - Viapiana and Ruykov stage a nice duel.
After the first heat won by the Bulgarian driver Lyuboslav Ruykov (#720 Zanchi Motorsport/Tony Kart-TM Kart-Vega), the Italian Valerio Viapiana (#702 Team Driver/KR-Iame), who secured the pole position in qualifying, emerged victorious in the second heat, where Ruykov suffered a heavy retirement. The duel between the two OKNJ protagonists continued in the third and final heat, where Ruykov prevailed in a comeback against Viapiana. The Italian driver Pietro Bagutti (#701 Gamoto/Tony Kart-TM Kart) took third place. The Romanian driver Bogdam Cosma Cristofor (#711 Forza Racing/Exprit-TM Kart) was forced to retire. Among the top performers were also the Slovakian Alex Molota (#717 Firefly/OTK-TM Kart) and Japanese driver Sara Matsui (#708 KR Motorsport/KR-Iame).
MINI GR.3 - Blandino celebrates the hat-trick with three wins.
Among the young drivers in MINI Gr.3, aged from 10 to 12, the Italian driver Cristian Blandino (#550 Kalì-Kart/TGroup-TM Kart-Vega) was the standout performer of the day. He won all three qualifying heats after demonstrating speed from the initial rounds with the pole position. Behind Blandino, the Australian driver William Calleja (#516 BabyRace/Parolin-Iame) secured P2, followed by Nicola Stanley (#539 Gamoto/EKS-TM Kart), the Danish driver Matteis Stigsen (#556 CRG Racing Team/TGroup-TM Kart) and Mark Pilipenko (#522 BabyRace/Parolin-Iame).
MINI Gr.3 Under 10 - Perico is the leader.
The smallest category, MINI Gr.3 Under 10, proved to be particularly competitive. After the initial heats on Friday, where the Italians Niccolò Perico (#526 Energy Corse/Energy-TM Kart-Vega), Patrick Bissa (#588 Bissa/EKS-TM Kart) and David Moscardi (#560 BirelART/BirelART-TM Kart) claimed victories, Saturday saw successes from Leon Chelidze (#504 Team Driver/KR-Iame), American Lucas Palacio (#575 KR Motorsport/KR-Iame), as well as Scotsman Mason Robertson (#513 BabyRace/Parolin-Iame) and another Italian, Antonio Ianni (#537 Gamoto/EKS-TM Kart). However, Perico secured the lead in the provisional standings, maintaining his leadership with a third victory in the final heat.
The program of WSK Champions Cup, Lonato:
Sunday, January 21st: warm-up from 8:00; live on TV and Live Streaming from 9:20 Prefinals and finals from 12:30 (12:30 MINI GR3, 13:00 MINI U10, 14:00 OKJ, 14:30 KZ2; 15:00 OK; 15:30 OKNJ).