WSK Final Cup rd 1, Sarno: MINI Final – A spectacular Gianmatteo Rousseau claims maiden WSK victory

[translated with Google]

Tyres: Vega

The MINI gives another Oscar-winning final and the best actor title is won by an amazing Gianmatteo Rousseau (Alonso Kart by Kidix - Alonso Kart - IAME). Starting fifth after having collected another success in his last heat of the weekend and having finished the Prefinal A in second place, the driver of the Alonso Kart by Kidix team immediately parades third and performs very well in the various phases of an extremely contested race. Rousseau even slips fifth and halfway through the race his hopes of victory seem to vanish, but the young driver proves mature in managing the agitated tussle of the last laps to build a masterpiece. In fact, the Panamanian begins the last passage in fifth position and quickly climbs to third, then taking advantage of the slight contact between Iskender Zulfikari (Babyrace Driver Academy - Parolin - IAME) and Vladimir Ivannikov (Gamoto - EKS - TM Racing) to sink a double breathtaking overtaking and fly to the checkered flag. Rousseau thus wins his first triumph on the WSK stage and takes the reins in the provisional championship standings.

He takes home another silver medal precisely the winner of the Prefinal A Vladimir Ivannikov. Started from second place on the grid, the fresh WSK Open Cup runner-up juggles skillfully in the various challenges of the race and starts the last lap in front of everyone. When he realizes that Zulfikari is ready to launch the attack, the Gamoto standard bearer suddenly closes the door. The youngster from the Babyrace Driver Academy is stamped on the bumper of his rival and this is how the two drivers touch each other slightly, moving away from the apex of the curve and paving the way for an arrembante Rousseau. Ivannikov is hoisted in second position also in the championship and will be ready to compete for him in a week in Lonato, on his favorite track.

Filippo Sala (Team Driver Racing Kart - KR - IAME) climbs on the third step of the podium. After obtaining his fourth consecutive victory in his last heat of the weekend, the driver of Team Driver Racing Kart starts from pole and immediately engages in an exciting duel with Zulfikari, who is also joined by Ivannikov. The young Italian firmly regains his leadership during the third lap and, together with Ivannikov, stretches over the group of direct rivals, giving the impression that success can become a two-way conversation between himself and the Gamoto team bishop. The reality turns out to be different and, despite being the driver who leads the most laps at the top of the race, with three laps completed in front of everyone, Sala has to settle for third place in the race as well as fifth in the championship at the end of a particularly intense final tussle.

Also affected by the final tussle is Iskender Zulfikari, who finishes fourth both in the race and in the provisional championship standings. After being beaten, for the first time during the weekend, in his last heat, which ended in 13th place, the poleman on Friday slips well from the third place on the grid and, to the sound of overtaking and counter-overtaking, finishes the first two passes in front. to everyone. Despite slipping up to fifth position during the battles between the leading group, the reigning champion of the WSK Open Cup is back in contention for the victory on the last lap, but his dreams of a second consecutive success vanish in the contact with Ivannikov at few curves from the checkered flag. Zulfikari even sees the podium vanish just a few meters from the finish, when he slowly exits the last corner following an attempt to overtake team rival Gamoto and is overtaken by Sala.

Ilia Berezkin (Team Driver Racing Kart - KR - IAME), fifth, Dean Hoogendoorn (Alonso Kart by Kidix - Alonso Kart - IAME), sixth, and Ilie Tristan emerge in a final full of twists and turns and recover different positions from the start. Crisan (Alonso Kart by Kidix - Alonso Kart - IAME), seventh.

William Calleja (Parolin Motorsport - Parolin - TM Racing), author of the fastest lap, is also among the five drivers who will taste the top of the race. The winner of Prefinal B sprints fourth and takes part in the challenge for victory, so much so that he launches an attack against Ivannikov to gain the leadership, despite the Gamoto team rider responding immediately. The standard bearer of the Parolin Motorsport team sees the opportunity to compete for success fade to the finish right on the last lap, when a contact with Lorenzo D’Amico (IPK Official Racing Team - IPK - TM Racing) slows him down. The young man of the IPK Official Racing Team, another great protagonist of the final, is forced to retire, while Calleja passes eighth under the checkered flag and climbs to third place in the championship.

Bogdan Cosma-Cristofor (Babyrace Driver Academy - Parolin - IAME) also closed the weekend on a positive note, ninth after being a main player in the leading group in the first laps, and Cristian Blandino (CRG Racing Team - CRG - IAME), tenth thanks to an extraordinary comeback of 11 positions.

Juliusz Ociepa (Gold Kart Racing Team - Righetti Ridolfi - TM Racing) completes the top 15 thanks to convincing performances, 11th after competing for the top positions in the first phase of the race, Asher Ochstein (Babyrace Driver Academy - Parolin - IAME), 12th, Firhand Qarrar (Alonso Kart by Kidix - Alonso Kart - IAME), 13th, Bruno Gryc (Parolin Motorsport - Parolin - TM Racing), 14th, and Augustus Toniolo (Team Driver Racing Kart - KR - IAME), 15th.