The two OK-N Junior Prefinals of the WSK Super Master Series took place in sunny Franciacorta at a temperature of 12°.
Prefinal A: Bagutti in the battle
Pietro Bagutti (Tony Kart/TM) was right on the tail of Valerio Viapiana (KR/Iame) from the start, with Cristian Tonalini (Birel ART/TM) 3rd and Giacomo Giusto (Parolin/TM) 4th. Bagutti took the lead on lap 2, but Viapiana hit back. Ella Hakinen (KR/Iame) was back in 6th. The battle for the lead intensified with Bagutti leading ahead of Tonalini and Viapiana. Positions were constantly changing. At the halfway point, Bagutti was leading ahead of Viapiana, Giusto, Drew Walz (Exprit/TM) and Tonalini. Defending his position, Bagutti caused an even tighter grouping behind him. Walz lost several places while Justin Di Lucia (KR/Iame) took P3 (+7 places). Giusto crashed out and was forced to retire following spectacular contact with the leader. Bagutti won by 8 tenths ahead of Di Lucia, who was then penalised 6th (spoiler). Hakinen finished 2nd ahead of Nikolas Karagiannis (Intrepid/TM) and Viapiana.
Prefinal B: Cosma Cristofor
Bogdan Cosma Cristofor (Exprit/TM) took the lead, followed by Arthur Hoang (KR/Iame) and Kais Aziza (Tony Kart/TM). Ludovico Mazzola (Exprit/Vortex) then moved up to 3rd, followed by Andrea Manni (Exprit/TM). At the halfway point, Cosma Cristofor was 2 tenths ahead of Mazzola under pressure from Manni. The young Monegasque was up to 2nd place by the 8th lap. Although faster, Manni did not attack Cosma Cristofor, who won by just one hundredth. Mazzola was ranked 2nd, after Manni’s spoiler penalty 4to th Hoang 3rd and Archie Lovatt (Exprit/TM) 5th. Romain Kintzinger (Tony Kart/Vortex) finished 17th.
Info Kartcom with Kartlink / Photo © KSP – Arthur Saulnier-Bruneau