Cristian Bertuca won the final round of the WSK Super Master Series at Viterbo with his Birelart chassis. He won despite particularly tricky conditions, contesting two races on a wet track on slicks. He was joined on the podium by Daniel Vasile, driving for CL Racing, while in the Mini Group 3 category Achille Rea claimed his first podium with Birelart, finishing 2nd.

Bertuca dominates in treacherous conditions
In Qualifying, which took place shortly after a downpour, Cristian Bertuca set the 4th fastest time before moving up to 2nd place after the heats, thanks to two 3rd places and a win. During the Prefinals, a shower fell while the drivers were already on the grid. In the Final, all the competitors had chosen slick tyres, but the rain came down again during the race. Confident in his equipment and his driving, Bertuca fought hard for victory and crossed the finish line with an impressive lead of ten seconds over his pursuers, enabling him to climb to second place overall.

Daniel Vasile had qualified in 3rd place, just ahead of Bertuca. A retirement in one of the heats complicated his route, despite a fine 2nd place in the last heat. He managed to cope with the difficult conditions in the Prefinal before gaining a further four places in the Final, giving him 3rd place on the podium.

Zoe Florescu Potolea put in a fine performance to finish 3rd in the Prefinal thanks to a judicious choice of tyres. CL Racing driver Jenson Graham continued to make progress in his first year in KZ2, finishing 11th in the Final after gaining four positions.

First podium with Birelart for Rea
In the Mini category, Achille Rea started his weekend by setting the second fastest time in his group in Qualifying. He then finished 2nd in a heat and 4th in the Prefinal. In the Final, contested in such wet conditions that it started under the yellow flag, Rea led the race for a long time before relinquishing the lead on the final lap and finishing 2nd, just three tenths behind the winner.

Reaction from Riccardo Longhi, team manager
"What Cristian achieved in the Final was exceptional. Managing to keep the kart on the track with slicks was already an achievement, but to overtake in these conditions proves that he has the makings of a champion. Daniel also showed his talent by bouncing back from his setbacks to claim a podium finish. As for the young drivers, Zoe and Jenson, they showed great mastery in the face of a particularly complicated situation. As far as the Mini class is concerned, Achille Rea showed us all his potential, as well as his composure and skill on the track. We can't wait to see what he has in store for us in the future, as we're very confident in the development of our equipment."

Birelart Racing's next race will be the first round of the Champions of the Future Euro Series, which takes place from March 26th-29th in Campillos, Spain, for the OK and OK-Junior categories.

 Press Release © Birelart