The races keep coming, and so do the podium finishes for the Modena Kart Racing Team. Two weeks after Elton Hedfors’ brilliant performance in the WSK Euro Series, Ioannis Kolovos has added a second victory in the ACI Sport Italian Championship. Having already won at La Conca, the young Greek driver put in an impressive performance in all conditions at the Val Vibrata circuit, where he triumphed in the Final whilst setting the fastest lap of the race. Radu Basescu Pricop shone in 4th place. Kolovos and Modena Kart will be battling for the title in September at Viterbo with their highly competitive Parolin-TM Kart equipment.
Kolovos fast in both dry and wet conditions
Ioannis Kolovos began his weekend with three superb comebacks: 4th, 2nd (with the fastest lap) and then 4th. His 2nd place in the Super Heat, again on a dry track, secured him a front-row spot for the Final. Then the hot, sunny weather gave way to rain for the Final showdown. Kolovos led for much of the Final and his fastest lap proved he fully deserved his victory. The Greek driver has moved back up to 2nd place in the Italian Championship ahead of the final round.
A wealth of strong performances
The Modena Kart Racing Team racked up numerous impressive results at Val Vibrata. Winner of one heat, Radu Basescu Pricop (ROU) finished 4th in the Final. There is no doubt he could have fought for a podium place had he not lost precious positions in the scramble at the start. In his first race of the season with the Italian team, Mauro Fabian Nario Urias (MEX) demonstrated his full potential, having been racing in the Mini class just a few weeks ago. 6th in Qualifying, 9th after the heats – with a 4th-place finish to his name and excellent pace – he unfortunately crashed in the rain during the Final.
The race was also eventful for Ruzgar Evci (TUR), who was running in the top 10 before retiring, as well as for Daniel Ferguson (GBR) and Danila Verba (RUS). Verba, however, had started the competition with the fastest lap in his group during free practice and a 6th-place finish in a Qualifying Heat. Evci’s fastest lap in one heat is also worth noting. As for Ferguson, he had climbed from P63 to P30 in two days and was hoping to continue his progress in the Final.
A magnificent comeback for Dzhalilov
Nikita Dzhalilov (UAE) went from strength to strength at Val Vibrata. His pace in dry conditions had already been demonstrated in the Qualifying Heats with a top-eight finish, then in the rain during the Final with a comeback from P29 to P15! On his debut with Modena Kart Racing Team, Vladimir Skorobagach (UKR) put in a consistent performance, and only a spoiler penalty denied him a place in the Final by a single point. Luigi d’Ascoli (ITA) started by finishing 7th in his first heat with the fastest lap of the race before his luck ran out. After two impressive comebacks early in the event, Tommaso Corsi (ITA) lost his chance of securing a place in the Final due to a retirement in the Super Heat.
The team congratulates all the drivers who competed under the Modena Kart banner, such as Ates Birinci (ITA), who finished 15th in the Final, and Kaan Ballik (TUR) in OK-N, Alessio Piccini (ITA), who finished 5th in the Final, and Sarp Kayol (TUR) in KZ2.
Analysis by Gabriele Finocchi, Modena Kart Team Principal
“The OK-Junior category was once again very competitive on the Adriatic coast and we had a significant number of drivers in the Final: seven in total, with two drivers in the top four and a victory for Ioannis Kolovos. It’s certainly a positive result! We were delighted to welcome new drivers to the team, and they showed great promise. Work is also continuing in OK-N, with a superb Final for Ates Birinci. The Parolin-TM Karts certainly shone at Val Vibrata, as they did in KZ2 with a top-five finish for Alessio Piccini.”
Comment from Alessandro Palloni, Team Manager at Modena Kart
“Every new event presents a fresh challenge for the Modena Kart Racing Team. The desire to win is always one of our top priorities, and we spare no effort to see one of our drivers on the top step of the podium. At Val Vibrata, Ioannis Kolovos rose to the occasion, and it was very satisfying to see him dominate the Final. We can really count on top-performing equipment, first-class engines and a fantastic team. This lifts all our drivers to new heights.”