An almost complete line-up for the CRG Racing Team in Lonato where the 1st Round of the WSK Super Master Series is scheduled for this weekend. There will be 19 official drivers in the race split into the 4 categories, with the largest squad in the KZ class, where 7 drivers will get on track: the two 2022 Champions Viktor Gustafsson and Arthur Carbonnel, as well as Jeremy Iglesias, Paavo Tonteri, Brandon Nilsson, Bruno Mulders and Andrea Bosetto. CRG drivers Simone Bianco, Gabriel Gomez and Mattia Colnaghi (in his debut with the CRG Racing Team) will race in OK, while Michael Ider, Oliver Rasmussen and Klara Kowalczyk will be back on track in OK Junior. The large CRG troop will be completed by the MINI team that will line up 6 drivers: Bruno Blanco, Cristian Blandino, Asher Ochstein, Luuk Taal, Achille Rea and Nikita Botte.
After two days of Free Practice, the event program includes Qualifying Practice and the first Heats on Friday February 3, followed by other Heats again on Saturday and the Pre-Finals and Finals on the final day on Sunday.
The CRG Racing Team’s goal in this race will be to get the first feedback from the track on the 2023 chassis and an indicative comparison with the most important competitors in international karting. Above all this first race of the year will be very useful for the drivers to start preparing and approaching the FIA events. There will be over 300 drivers in the race and as far as the weather is concerned, a sunny weekend is expected, even if the temperatures will still be very low.
To follow the event from home, it will be possible to connect to the WSK Live Timing and Live Streaming is also scheduled for Sunday, while those wishing to watch the show of the international karting categories live, will be able to take advantage of the free admission to the circuit.
CRG drivers’ expectations:
Viktor Gustafsson (KZ): “The entry list for this Series includes all the big names in KZ, so the comparison on the track will be very competitive and will give us very useful information. In this type of race we always try to combine technical work, comparing some different solutions in the race, both in terms of chassis and engine, with the need to be competitive in any case, according to the final result. Furthermore, after the December break, the first race is also very useful for regaining all the driving automatisms which, in the winter tests, are difficult to replicate. As usual I am very excited and eager to start the season in the best possible way”.
Gabriel Gomez (OK): “For me this race will be a great test at the start of the season with which we will resume work in view of the FIA races. All the most important drivers and teams in the OK category will be here and the data that we will be able to gather from these 5 days of track will be very useful, both as regards the chassis and the engine. We will use different tires compared to the FIA races, but some indications that we will be able to repeat in the race will be very useful in any case. I am very motivated for this season that is about to start and I want to work hard every day with the team to quickly get the results we missed last year”.
Klara Kowalczyk (OK Junior): “Last week's first race with the team was very valuable for me to familiarize myself with all the technical staff and experience a full race weekend with all the pressure that entails. I am happy with my performances and above all with what I have learnt. I know that every race will help me to make progress and this weekend will be very useful for taking a step forward in this direction, too".
Bruno Blanco (MINI): “I am very happy with the feeling that was immediately created with the team: for me everything was new apart from my mechanic who followed me in this step in CRG and I have to say that after a few sessions on the track I was already comfortable with the technical material and with the team's working method. Talking about the results, the first race was positive and this weekend I am sure we can confirm the same performance".