Archive for category: Championships

For the second year in a row, Karol Basz conquers the World Championship podium thanks to an authoritative weekend in Bahrain. After winning the world title in 2015, the Polish driver of the Kosmic Racing Team followed by the Minardi Management, signs the absolute second place in the OK category authoritatively , proving to be a great professional. A result that put Karol among the best world karting drivers, letting him end a season rich in success.

The second world title in a row was missed just few meters away from the Final checkered flag, after signing a victory in the first two qualifying rounds Heat 1-2 and the third place in the third round that gave him the pole position in Pre-Final that was closed by him in the second place with the fastest lap of the race after a recovery. In final, Karol is among the protagonists of a great fight with his direct rivals and finally conquers the leadership that went then into the hands of the winner, Hiltbrand, a few meters away from the finish line.

“This weekend was raced constantly at the maximum, since the first rounds. We had an excellent speed and it was a fundamental experience for me. For the second year in a row, I am on the World Championship podium. We played for the victory fighting lap by lap, even if I am sorry for the way it finished. For me, anyway, it has been extremely important to finish the race”, Karol Basz comments.

“For the second year in a row, we went onto the world podium with Karol. Once again, he has been a true professional and has fulfilled a great work on the most important stage of karting. I must compliment the whole Kosmic Racing Team, the OKT group that put the best material at Karol’s disposal and the new world champion Pedro Hiltbrand for his win as well. From now on, we will start preparations for the next season”, Alberto Tonti and Giovanni Minardi say.

In Monza, there was a lot of Italy, not only Formula 1. If Ferrari achieved the third place behind both the Mercedes drivers, in the GP2 Series Antonio Giovinazzi gave us another exciting success with the third place in second race.

By a jerk from the last place, the standard bearer at Prema Power team managed to achieve his third seasonal success after the double win in Baku, in the same category that launched both the champions at Mercedes who are playing now  for the World Champion title 2016.

With 35 points gained in Monza, Giovanazzi has risen in the standings, reaching the second place, only 10 points away from the leader. In race-1 on the podium there were two tricolor waving flags, thanks to the second place achieved by Raffaele Marciello that strengthens the third position in the championship. The unbelievable weekend of the Italian standard-bearers belonging to the ACI Team Italia is completed by the sixth place of Luca Ghiotto, another GP3 Series debutant.

A podium for Antonio Fuoco in the GP3 Series event, with the third place, the standard-bearer at the Trident team consolidates the second place in the standings, 24 points away from the leader with two scheduled weekends.

The temple of Speed also hosted the event of Porsche Supercup with the home success of Matteo Cairoli who had conquered the pole position, and the unbelievable third place of Mattia Drudi.

“I must to congratulate all our guys. That in Monza was a sensational weekend among wins, podium and placings. As ACI Team Italy, we have three drivers fighting for the title in the GP2 and GP3 championships. A great result for the Italian colors that deserve more and more important stages“, Gian Carlo Minardi says.

Karol Basz’ dream to win the European OK title in 2016 vanished two bends away from the finish line on the Belgian track in Genk at the last CIK FIA championship event.

The Polish driver of the Kosmic Racing Team, 2015 World Champion, was almost to celebrate an excellent third place that would have given him the chance to fight as a protagonist for the European title when the engine betrayed him two bends away from the chequered flag. This way, the dream of celebrating a second CIK FIA title in two years vanished, after being among the great protagonists of this edition of the European championship. Karol proved to be the driver to beat for the whole weekend.  After winning the second qualifying manche and after signing the fastest lap in the first lap, the driver handled by the Minardi Management had started the Prefinal.He kept himself away from any troubles and recovered up to the third place. He had decided not using the new tires with the aim of using them in the Final where he would have made the winning strike with his Kosmic.

“Such a regret. We had the win in our pocket. Losing at two bends away from the end in Prefinal hurts a lot. Anyway, we must congratulate with the whole Kosmic Racing team and with the OTK group because, once again, they put an excellent material at Karol’s disposal.  Unfortunately, the luck did not want to help us. This kind of drawbacks can happen, sport, especially the motorsport it is also made up of this. Now, we remain focused for two rounds in the German Championship, and waiting for the World Championship in Baharain”, manager Alberto Tonti says.

“Our pace had been really good for the whole weekend. Unfortunately, I had to withdraw at the last Pre-final lap when I was in third, going out of the game for the Final. In spite of everything, I ended the European championship in third. This is also part of motorsport. After the summer break, we will be back, stronger than ever. I want to thank, once again, the whole Kosmic Racing Team staff”, Karol Basz says regretfully.

Karol Basz greets the European Championship with the third absolute place.

With the second place gained in Genk valid for the third event of the German Kart Championship, Karol Basz proves to be a great protagonist in the “OK” category, remaining in the fight for the final title. With two more scheduled events, on the track of Oschersleben and Kerplen, the standard-bearer of the Kosmic Racing is just 21 points away from the top of the standings.

A testbed very useful for the next event in the European championship scheduled on the Belgian track at the end of the month during which Karol made different tests with the frame, ending race-1 with a fifth place and the Final in second behind of the current leader.

“It has been an important weekend that ended with the second place that left me in fight for the final win. Once again, I have to pay a compliment to all the Kosmic Racing Team. We made many different tests for the next European appointment. In free practice, I was very fast, instead I had some problems in setting during qualifying that I solved in time for the Final that ended with the second place”, Karol Basz says.

“After the test with the Lamborghini in Mugello, I wanted to see a Karol Basz focused on the kart and so he was. Once again, he did not save himself. He had also to defend his second place in the DKM Championship and had to prepare at his best the decisive appointment in the European CIK-FIA that takes place in Genk. He did his best exploiting the struggle between two drivers, inserting himself in the second place in race-2. Now, we’ll have a relaxing weekend in Poland during the 2nd Driver Summer Camp with Karol as an instructor and Giovanni Minardi and me as supervisors”, manager Alberto Tonti says.

More than a months later Imola, and after he recharged his batteries in his green and gold land, Joao Vieira, Brazilian driver at Antonelli Motorsport, is ready to be back on track for the fourth round in the Italian F4 Championship powered by Abarth at the Mugello Circuit.

On the demanding Tuscan circuit, characterized with many rises and falls, he will chase that win that he failed because of some engine complications coming from his Tatuus F4. In addition to the various pitfalls of the track, the heat will be a rival to keep in mind for all the drivers.

“I expect a good weekend because I really like this track and I have always done well. There are many pitfalls and, as usual in this part of the Tuscany, it will be very hot. It is a track where the engine has a prime role. In the first events, the engine was our Achilles heel. With the first round of free practice, we’ll have the first results”, an enthusiastic Joao Vieira explains.

During the collective test, Joao Vieira and the Antonelli Motorsport team had their first good outcomes, moreover they made some set-up tests to find the best balance for qualifying and three races.“It was a positive day and this make us think positively for the weekend that starts tomorrow. In the first morning round, I signed the fourth best time laps, less of 3 tenths of seconds away from the first one, while in the afternoon we entered the track almost at the end of the session. During my fastest lap with new tires, they exhibited the red flag, so I went back to the pit, but up to that moment our results were good”, the driver from the Minardi Management concludes.