Archive for category: Championships

Three weeks after the last appointment of Italian F.4 Championship powered by Abarth, Joao Vieira is ready to get back at the wheel of his Tatuus #28, for the 2014 Winter Trophy  in the Adria International Raceway circuit.

For Joao, this is a return on the track of Rovigo: in June, the 2,702 meters have been for the 16-year-old Brazilian driver the scene of the first weekend of competition at the European and at the wheel of an open-wheel. The race will be the closing party of a growing season, which led him to fight quickly with the first of the class, gaining podiums and important points over seven rounds on the calendar. In these four months, the driver followed by Minardi Management has risen steeply in the starting grid, even touching pole-position and victory on several occasions. “Unfortunately, only the victory missed. It would be just the cherry on top. This weekend, however, is back on track“, Joao says satisfied. “I close the season at Adria, just where four months ago I started this fantastic adventure. It will be the last event of the season at the wheel of an open-wheel, waiting to define 2015 plans. On November 23^rd, in fact, I’ll fly to Las Vegas for the Supernationals Kart Race”. This is competition is considered the event of the year within the American karting, and the young driver has already won it. “I’ll try to hunt the encore“.

“We got to the last appointment of the season. The Winter Trophy of Adria is also the last chance for Joao to achieve a well-deserved victory, considering the significant growth, race after race, and the great feeling achieved with the team of Marco Antonelli and the features of this category. It will also be an opportunity to enrich his showcase with a great trophy. We are preparing to store a definitely positive season. Going on this way, also next year we will be able to fight constantly for winning right from the first races, whatever the championship will be”, the manager Giovanni Minardi says.

The event will involve motor racing and karting in the same circuit, where, for the first time, karting and Formula 4 will be busy live at the same time. This year, WSK Final Cup stops in the brand-new Raceway Karting circuit of Adria. Races program focuse on the two days of Saturday and Sunday, November 1^st and 2^nd, after the series of free practice tests, that are scheduled on Friday, October 31^st. Each of the two days includes warm-up and Qualifying in the morning, followed by the race in the afternoon, based on the usual 28’ plus one lap. The new open-wheel will be the queen of a weekend that, together with 500 Abarth Trophy, will also host Touring and GT races, classified as Adria Trophy, and F.2 races of the Italian Trophy.

At the Enzo and Dino Ferrari circuit in Immolate the curtain goes down over the first season of Formula 4, achieving resounding success thanks to a constant participation of 20 cars in the seven rounds – from Adria to Imola – that have enlivened the calendar with 28 drivers in all at the wheel of Tatuus T014, coming from 14 countries and 4 different continents. “The season of the Tricolored F.4 is a positive sign. We had an absolute leader with Stroll, who was awarded of important points right from the early appointments, demonstrating a highly professional approach for this innovative formula“, Gian Carlo Minardi says. “The opponents, however, are not missed, thanks to our young Drudi – Russo – Pulcini, covering the role of the first actors in particular in the last rounds“.

The thoughts have already turned to next season, when also other Nations will bring to the track the F.4 Championship. “On this drive, we have to work to form the generational change, both in view of the next step (F.3 European) and for this preparatory formula itself. We has been the first to believe in this new reality, bringing it on track and the results have proved us right. With the arrival of other championships, it won’t be be easy to keep the lead, but with the help of WSK and all the staff of ACI-Sport will ride this success. As ACI, this championship has been our flagship“, the manager from Faenza comments.

The public response has been interesting, thanks to races full of overtakings and to the “Paddock Free” initiative, implemented by Italian Federation. “The audience gave a strong signal, wanting to get closer to the preparatory formulas for an introduction to the champions of tomorrow. We want to bring the fans back to the racetrack, to let them experience the racing weekend as a country outing with the whole family“.

The focus is racing program. At Imola, the young F.4 drivers have shared track and paddock with the Italian GT and European Formula 3, in order to pass the baton with two formulas, that are placed on the central axis of International Car Racing. “The spectacular nature of races plays certainly a crucial role in getting closer. The home-races of the Italian GT, which has seen a grid of nearly 24 cars per event, will end only with the last race in Monza with 3-4 teams still fighting for the title. Then, we had first contact with the “elder sister” European F.3 that, only in the last manche won by Max Verstappen, consecrated the Prema driver Esteban Ocon with our standard bearer Antonio Fuoco and AntonioGiovinazzi to complete the podium. For our F.4 rookie-drivers, this has been the opportunity to see first-hand the natural continuation of their career“.

A European F.3 that has returned to its past glories and benchmark for Circus’ Team Principals. Max Verstappen will make the leap to the top serie already next year, wearing the colors of Scuderia Toro Rosso, while Ocon will be at the wheel of Ferrari at Fiorano and of Lotus E20 at Jerez. “It seems to me to go back to the ’80s, when the hierarchy was formed by F3-F2-F1. At Imola we had a grid composed of 28 Dallata F3, even with 14 cars in 9 tenths. Thanks to Gerhard Berger and to FIA, this championship is finding again the glories of the past, acting as a real springboard, more than other categories“. On the agenda, there’s already the creation of a new intermediate category between F3 and F1. “In International Federation thoughts there’s a new Formula 2, which could reopen the scenarios that have written the history of Car Racing“, Minardi analyzes.

Standings in hand, love hasn’t blossomed between the Enzo and Dino Ferrari circuit and Joao Vieira, who ended his first season in formula and in the Italian F.4  Championship powered by Abarth, at Imola. Scene of the seventh and final round of the F.4 Tricolored, Imola has left, in a certain sense, a bitter taste in mouth of the young Brazilian driver of Antonelli Motorsport, that had to say goodbye to the paddock with only a reward of 5 points, which don’t reflect the true potential.

Author of a season gone from strength to strength, Joao ended the championship scoring the fastest lap in race-2 and the second in race-3, behind only the much more experienced French Maisano, demonstrating that even here there were all the conditions to do well. However, the first venture into the world of formulas ends with a total reward of 93 points, seventh place in general standings, two podiums thanks to third place in the demanding Mugello Circuit and second place in the “Temple of Speed” of Monza and different placements in score-zone.

“Week-end that confirmed the leap seen in the last appointments. I’m very happy because he finally grasped the difficult track of Imola, scoring the fastest lap in race-2 and the second in race-3“, the Manager Giovanni Minardi says. “Unfortunately, he was marked by ups and down, together with misfortunes that have not allowed him to collect what he deserved. The potential would allow us to fight for victory in all three races, but a little bad luck and errors dictated by youth took us away the greatest satisfaction. It remains the awareness of having completed a season in crescendo. We got to fight with the best of the class and we are ready to challenge for the title of next season“, the manager of Minardi Management comments. “I conclude with congratulations to all staff of Marco Antonelli, who helped us to make great strides since first day of test“.

“On the hand of result, it wasn’t the weekend I would have expected. There remains the consolation for having scored the fastest lap in race-2 and the second in the last race. Anyway, I’m happy with my progress in this season. I really learned a lot, both on track and at technical level. I came to fight with the first drivers, winning two podiums and several placements“, Joao Vieira says. “Now, we will decide the next programs“.

Sixth round of the Italian F.4 Championship powered by Abarth, in the name of competitiveness for Joao Vieira, who wins an important second place in Race-3, in a weekend consistently in top positions.

Since free practice sessions, the young Brazilian of Antonelli Motorsport shows the good feeling get with the “Temple of Speed”, bringing his Tatuus #28 with constancy in the very first positions, signing the third fastest time with a handful of tenths off the pole, in both free practice sessions. Joao repeats himself, touching the second row in Qualifying with the third time (1’53.926), just 70 thousandths from the pole of the much more experienced Brandon Maisano.

In Race-3, satisfaction is great, with the achievement of the best result of the season with a peremptory second place. From his first passes, the 16-year-old steps heavily, keeping the tread rhythm. Even in the restart after the safety car, which entered the track on the first lap because of a contact at the start, he held his position trying to lunge. Given the expressed potential, reward could certainly be larger, especially for what has been showed during the sprint-race on Sunday morning. Having started from the last row for an accelerator problem in the first manche, the yellow-gold driver recovers in less than 18″ up to the third position, winning the audience’s applause and inflaming the wonderful public setting on the steps of Monza circuit. Only a contact in the last meters before chequered flag denies him the satisfaction of a deserved podium, closing only in seventh place.

“I’m really happy for this second place and for my rhythm, throughout the weekend. Certainly, regret still remains for what happened in Race-2, where I lost a podium in the last few meters to avoid a driver who took me off the track. It’s been exciting to overtake many times in so few laps. After the third place at Mugello, now the second place has arrived. It only remains to win the victory“, Joao Vieira says smiling. “At Imola, in fifteen days, I’ll try to get my revenge“.

Manager Giovanni Minardi, who follows Joao’s development and career, is of the same mind. “I have absolutely to congratulate Joao both for his second place and for the rhythm of the whole weekend, as well as the entire Antonelli Motorsport team. Certainly, there’s regret for having seen fade, not our fault, a podium in Race-2 and a great comeback. Passing from 20P to 3P in less than 18″ is not bad for a beginner. It’s a pity, because we could make a bigger jump in overall standings. We still lack 2-3 tenths that we’ll try to erode in view of Imola“, the manager of Minardi Management analyzes.

Joao Vieira greets the penultimate race on the calendar with the sixth place in overall standings, waiting for the last round at Enzo and Dino Ferrari circuit, on 12^th October.

The Italian F.4 Championship powered by Abarth is getting ready for the sixth and penultimate round of the season at Monza.

Took the first contact with the fast Monza circuit, Joao Vieira is ready to gain the first win of the season, after having touched the pole in the last race at “Piero Taruffi” in Vallelunga. Once again, it will be a debut in a weekend race for the Brazilian of Antonelli Motorsport, on a track that does not need any introduction, as part of the history of Motorsport, with the unknowns of the first chicane, the two curves of Lesmo and the famous parabolic curve.

In the first five rounds, the development of the Brazilian counts 66 points and the seventh place in general raking, with the podium at Mugello and other important placements. From here until the end of the season, the goal is the highest step of the podium. The challenge is issued.

“We arrive at Monza after the good results of Vallelunga and last weekend. Last week I had the opportunity to take the first contact with Monza. A really fast track, with several points to overtake. I can’t wait to be on track, but only on Friday we’ll understand what’s our potential“, Joao Vieira says.

“After the test of last week, that goes pretty well, I am very optimistic in view of the weekend race, where we can finally play for the top step of the podium. If weather will assist us, we can experience an amazing show. In this last month and a half, Joao has worked hard, making a great difference in quality. It’s time to collect the important results. Fingers crossed“, the manager Giovanni Minardi comments.

As scheduled, the weekend will start on Friday, with two turns of free practice sessions, followed by Qualifying on Saturday 27^th (11:50 am and 12:30 pm), to determine the starting grid of the two races (28′ + 1 lap), scheduled at 5:35 pm and 4:05 pm (on Sunday 28^th). In the middle, the sprint race with 23 drivers, competing for 18′ + 1 lap.