At La Conca, when it rains, it truly pours. The 183 drivers competing in this weekend’s opening round of the Champions of the Future season experienced exactly that today, as heavy rain created extremely challenging conditions throughout. From the very first laps, drivers were faced with a constantly evolving track, where grip was inconsistent, and mistakes were heavily punished. With limited running prior to qualifying, many competitors were still adapting to the circuit in wet conditions, placing even greater emphasis on precision and control. The opening day quickly became a test of composure as much as outright speed, setting the tone for what promises to be an unpredictable weekend.
Ianni leads qualifying before heats shake up Junior order
In OK Junior, with drivers aged between 12 and 15, a field of 93 competitors took to a soaked circuit for qualifying. The conditions demanded exceptional kart control, often resembling the precision required in sailing or rowing. Antonio Ianni, representing Tony Kart, set the benchmark in the first qualifying group to secure the fastest overall, ahead of Priam Bruno, while Vsevolod Osadchyi-Suslovskyi completed the top three across the groups.
Despite the strong pace shown by the leading trio in qualifying, the heat races told a different story. Changing conditions and difficult starting positions reshaped the order. Roland Nagy, Maxim Bobreshov, and Julian Frasnelli each secured victories in the opening heats. Both Priam Bruno and Antonio Ianni faced challenging starts, which pushed them down the order and allowed the wet conditions to further complicate their recovery.
Bobreshov’s victory came unexpectedly. Alexandre Point initially crossed the line in first position but received a five-second post-race penalty for failing to respect race flags, meaning he finished first on track but dropped behind Bobreshov after the penalty was applied.
Pesl sets the reference as the Senior field adapts to conditions
Pre-race running in the OK category was also heavily limited due to the persistent rain at La Conca. As a result, many drivers entered qualifying with minimal track familiarity in such conditions. One driver who appeared unaffected by this was Jindrich Pesl. He delivered a dominant performance by qualifying more than four tenths faster than any other driver, and eight tenths quicker than anyone else in his group. The next fastest drivers across the groups included Francois Kerdal and Andrea Manni.
The early heat races in OK were won by Ilie Crisan, Andrea Manni, and Jindrich Pesl. Pesl converted his pole position into victory in commanding fashion, finishing with a ten-second advantage over Francois Kerdal. Andrea Manni’s win came under notable circumstances. He had originally crossed the line in second place behind Zac Drummond of Scotland, but a five-second penalty for Drummond due to causing an incident promoted Manni to the win.
With the first six qualifying heats of the season now complete, the remainder of the weekend remains wide open. There is significant potential for changes in the order, particularly from drivers starting further back. In the senior category, well-known competitors such as Noah Baglin and Filippo Sala are expected to push forward strongly, especially with drier conditions anticipated.
Looking Ahead to Friday’s Qualifying Heats
With qualifying complete and the first heat races setting the tone, attention now turns to Friday, where the full programme of qualifying heats will further define the order. With conditions expected to evolve, consistency across multiple races will be key for drivers aiming to position themselves strongly for the weekend’s decisive stages.
Follow all the action live on YouTube as the Champions of the Future season continues, with Friday set to deliver uninterrupted racing throughout the day.