The seventh edition of the WSK Open Series kicked off at the Franciacorta Karting Track with excellent participation from manufacturers, teams, and drivers representing 42 nationalities. It was an internationally renowned karting event marked by intense competition and sporting interest.
Over 250 drivers competed across various categories in this event, which not only featured MINI and KZ2 but also introduced the KZ2 Masters for drivers aged 35 and above. Additionally, there was a strong turnout for the two new federal categories, OK-N Junior and OK-N, making their season debut in the WSK Promotion calendar.
Following the 39 qualifying heats held on Friday and Saturday to determine the finalists for this opening event, the final phase on Sunday, April 7th, began with the Prefinals followed by the Finals in all categories. After a series of thrilling duels right to the finish line, the winners in the Finals were Van Walstijn in KZ2, Forè in KZ2 Masters, Berezkin in OK-NJ, Marchesi in OK-N, Truchot in MINI Gr.3, and Perico in MINI Gr.3 U10.
The Prefinals.
The winners of the Prefinals follow:
MINI Gr.3 U10 – Prefinal A: Niccolò Perico (ITA) (#501 Energy Corse/Energy-TM Kart-Vega).
MINI Gr.3 U10 – Prefinal B: Jean Poujol (FRA) (#510 BabyRace/Parolin-Iame-Vega).
MINI Gr.3 – Prefinal A: Alessandro Truchot (USA) (#512 BabyRace/Parolin-Iame-Vega).
MINI Gr.3 – Prefinal B: Henri Kumpen (BEL) (#522 Tony Kart Racing Team/Tony Kart-Vortex-Vega).
OKNJ – Prefinal: Andrea Manni (MCO) (#306 Forza Racing/Exprit-TM Kart-Vega).
OKN – Prefinal A: Nicolas Marchesi (ITA) (#204 Team Driver/KR-Iame-Vega).
OKN – Prefinal B: Lamberto Ferrari (ITA) (FK Motorsport/IPK-Modena Engines-Vega).
KZ2 Masters – Prefinal: Davide Forè (ITA) (#102 GSR Team/BirelART-TM Kart-LeCont).
KZ2 – Prefinal A: Senna Van Walstijn (NLD) (#11 Sodikart/Sodi-TM Kart-LeCont).
KZ2 – Prefinal B: Viktor Gustavsson (SWE) (#25 CRG Racing Team/CRG-TM Kart-LeCont).
The Finals.
MINI Gr.3 Under 10 – Perico at the sprint to the line.
A thrilling battle for victory characterized the final of the MINI Gr.3 Under 10, with Niccolò Perico (#501 Energy Corse/Energy-TM Kart-Vega) emerging as the winner after a series of position changes in a hectic phase of the race with the Scotsman Mason Robertson (#509 BabyRace/Parolin-Iame). Perico, also victorious in Prefinal-A, clinched the sprint to the finish line, securing first place, while Robertson narrowly settled for second. The third step of the podium was claimed by another BabyRace driver, the Italian Lorenzo Di Pietrantonio. The remaining positions were filled by the Italians Davide Moscardi (#551 BirelART Racing/BirelART-Iame), Achille Rea (#525 Tony Kart Racing Team/Tony Kart-Vortex) and Davide Di Filippo (#507 BabyRace/Parolin-Iame). Due to a technical issue, the Frenchman Jean Poujol (#510 BabyRace/Parolin-Iame), winner of Prefinal-B, did not start the race.
Final MINI Gr.3 U10
1st Niccolò Perico (ITA) 10 laps
2nd Mason Robertson (SCO) + 0.053
3rd Lorenzo Di Pietrantonio (ITA) +0.185
MINI Gr.3 – Prefinal and Final victory for Truchot.
After a suspension due to an accident resulting in a red flag on the fourth lap of the Final, the American Alessandro Truchot (#512 BabyRace/Parolin-Iame-Vega), winner of Prefinal-A, took the lead and secured the first position. The Indonesian Oliveri Sini (#524 Tony Kart Racing Team/Tony Kart-Vortex), who also stood out in the heats, clinched the second position ahead of Mark Pilipenko (#506 BabyRace/Parolin-Iame). The Belgian Bruno Priam (#580 Parolin Motorsport/Parolin-TM Kart) secured the fourth position, while Daniil Kutskov (#545 Team Driver/KR-Iame) gained the fifth position after a good recovery. The sixth place went to the Ukrainian Nikita Botte (#562 Novalux/Lenzokart-LKE), just ahead of his compatriot Oleksandr Legenkyi (#533 Team Driver/KR-Iame).
Final MINI Gr.3
1st Alessandro Truchot (USA) 10 laps
2nd Oliveri Sini (IDN) +0.456
3rd Mark Pilipenko +1.044
OKNJ – A good victory for Berezkin.
Ilia Berezkin (#322 Monster K/CRG-TM Kart-Vega) took the win in the final after securing the lead on the third lap, overtaking the Monegasque Andrea Manni (#306 Forza Racing/Exprit-TM Kart) who had prevailed in the heats and won the Prefinal. Berezkin, however, remained consistently fast, crossing the finish line with a comfortable margin ahead of Manni. In the battle for third place, Brazilian Antonio Pizzonia (#328 Team Driver/KR-Iame) prevailed over Bulgarian Lyuboslav Ruykov (#336 Zanchi Motorsport/Tony Kart-TM Kart). In fifth place, Australian Sebastian Eskandari-Marandi (#Ward Racing/Tony Kart-Vortex) finished ahead of Italian Pietro Bagutti (#313 Gamoto/Tony Kart-TM Kart).
Final OKNJ
1st Ilia Berezkin 16 lapps
2nd Andrea Manni (MCO) +1.759
3rd Antonio Pizzonia (BRA) +4.246
OK-N – A winning streak by Marchesi.
In OK-N, Nicolas Marchesi (#204 Team Driver/KR-Iame) completed his winning streak with victories in the heats and in Prefinal-A. The Italian driver also dominated the Final, finishing the race with a comfortable margin over the Swiss driver Christian Canonica (#234 KGT Motorsport/Tony Kart-Vortex), who managed to secure second place in the final laps. The third step of the podium went to the Greek driver Vasileios Apostolidis (#206 AKM Motorsport/KR-Iame), who prevailed over the Italian Gino Rocchio (#223 Monster K Factory/CRG-TM Kart). Making a comeback to fifth place was another Italian, Stefano Pedani (#219 Kalì Kart Racing/Kalì Kart-TM Kart), who finished ahead of compatriot Nicholas Tomasella (#236 MLG Racing/Parolin-TM Kart).
Final OKN
1st Nicolas Marchesi (ITA) 20 laps
2nd Christian Canonica (ITA) +4.338
3° Vasileios Apostolidis (GRC) +5.014
KZ2 Masters – Forè leads the pack.
In the KZ2 Masters, for drivers aged 35 and over, one name stood out above all others, that of the multiple champion Davide Forè (#102 GSR Team/BirelART-TM Kart-LeCont), who was the absolute protagonist of the category from the qualifying sessions to the heats, and then the winner of the Prefinal and Final. Behind Forè, who on this occasion raced with the Greek team GRS, others who stood out were primarily the other Italian Manuel Cozzaglio (#106 VZeta/BirelART-TM Kart) and the Croatian Kristijan Habulin (#112 TBKart Racing Team/TBKart-TM Kart), who finished second and third respectively. Among the top performers were also the two Italians Alessio La Martina (#103 KR-TM Kart) and Antonio Piccioni (#108 TK Racing Kart/TK-TM Kart).
Final KZ2 Masters
1st Davide Forè (ITA) 20 laps
2nd Manuel Cozzaglio (ITA) +0.240
3rd Kristijan Habulin (HRV) +0.299
KZ2 – Van Walstijn is unstoppable.
The thrilling duels that characterized the entire qualification stages of the 15 heats and the Prefinals also ignited the final of the KZ2, where it was an unstoppable Senna Van Walstijn (#11 Sodikart/Sodi-TM Kart-LeCont) who emerged victorious in the end. The Dutch driver managed to overtake the Italian Cristian Bertuca (#1 BirelART Racing/BirelART-TM Kart) after a lightning start by the Italian driver who had led for the first half of the race. Once in the lead, Van Walstijn maintained control without any issues until the finish line, followed by Bertuca and teammate Giuseppe Palomba, who thus secured the third position on the podium. The Estonian Markus Kajak (#42 Maranello SRP/Maranello-TM Kart) confirmed his speed by finishing in fourth place, ahead of the Swede Viktor Gustavsson (#25 CRG Racing Team/CRG-TM Kart) and Jean Nomblot (#12 CPB Sport/Sodi-TM Kart). Rounding out the top ten were Francesco Celenta (#32 Tony Kart Racing Team/OTK-Vortex), Alessio Piccini (#55 Modena Kart/Parolin-TM Kart), Matteo Spirgel (#19 CPB Sport/Sodi-TM Kart) and Paolo De Conto (Parolin Motorsport/Parolin-TM Kart).
Final KZ2
1st Senna Van Walstijn (NLD) 20 laps
2nd Cristian Bertuca (ITA) +1.771
3rd Giuseppe Palomba (ITA) +3.026
The next round:
2nd Rd 11/05/2024 LA CONCA / MINI – OKNJ – OKN – KZ2 – KZ2 Masters (FINAL DAY SATURDAY)
Info WSK Promotion / Photo © Sportinphoto