Heat Races: Italian Karting Championships, Rnd 1

press release

The particularly positive opening of the Italian CSAI Karting Championship at the International Circuit Napoli of Sarno, featuring 173 drivers in the season opener, was commented by CSAI's President Angelo Sticchi Damiani: "The CSAI championship is a landmark in the tricolored karting panorama. The 173 entered drivers, 148 of which are Italian, do not leave margin to doubts on the correctness of the developing lines decided by CSAI nor on the approval of those by the Italian karting world. At the beginning we had to turn the page, which meant to us not to cancel the past but to restart with the experience of all good things that have been done to continue, grow and improve on those. We devised an ethic, sportive and organizational "revolution" that is producing extraordinary results. This is putting strongly again CSAI at the centre of the National karting activity".

italian karting championships round 1
Above: Federico Pezzolla, KF3

The success of this first Italian Championship with a direct involvement by CSAI and promoted by Aci Sport is unquestionable, the competitiveness expressed in qualifying heats on Saturday produced a series of very interesting confirmations in all the four categories.

In KZ2 Francesco Celenta (Crg-TM), won both the heats he took part in, while the victory in the third heat went to the driver of Formula K Antonio Piccioni (Parolin-Tm). After eliminatory rounds, Celenta is leading the classification, followed by Zanchetta (CRG-Tm), author of two second places.


Above: Francesco Celenta, KZ2

One of the novelties of this new championship is the top eight grid inversion in final one on Sunday morning. The starting grid of the second final (live on TV) will follow the classification defined by the penalties after the heats. Accordingly, the pole position of KZ2 has been given to the Belgian Yannick De Brabander (Parolin Tm), eighth after the qualifying heats.

In KF2 the fastest driver has been Lorenzo Caponi (Tony Kart-Vortex) who scored two victories, but his closest rival will certainly be Matteo Gasparrini (Tony Kart-Vortex), with the latter harvesting a victory and a second place. The pole position of final one will go to the Italian champion Alessio Santilli (Intrepid-Tm), currently eighth in the classification.

In KF3 the day's revelation has been Federico Pezzolla (Intrepid-Tm) two-times winner but the Canadian Lance Stroll (Zanardi-Parilla) also had his glory with a victory and a good second place. The pole position will go to Rosario Lupo (Tony Kart-Vortex), eighth after the qualifying heats.


Above: Canadian Lance Stroll took a heat win in KF3

The ruler of the heats in the 60 Mini has been the Russian Robert Shwartzman (Birel-Lke), 2010 Italian champion in this category who won both the heats in Sarno. The second position of the classification went to Remigio Garofano (Top Kart Lenzo), who was followed by fast German Sophia Floersch (Top Kart-Lke). The pole position of final one will anyway go to Michelangelo Nifosi (Tony Kart-Lke), as he classified eighth after the two qualifying heats.


Above: Watch out Vitaly! Russian Robert Shwartzman has been the pace in 60cc Mini

The event will benefit from TV coverage on Italian networks with live broadcast as well as highlights on motor-sports programmes.

Final-1 races for all categories are scheduled for Sunday 3 April starting from 11.25 (local time, GMT+2) while final-2 (with live TV coverage) will start at 15.25.

The money prize of the Italian CSAI Karting championship is worth 60.000 euros plus what awarded by CSAI in partnership with Ferrari: the most deserving driver (aged between 14 and 15) will win a first level stage at the "Ferrari Driver Academy".

Updated classifications will be available on the website www.acisportitalia.it where all races can also be followed live.


Above: Gasparrini, KF2

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