Wet qualifying practice produced some surprising results at the start of the third and closing round of the WSK Final Cup.
After the first few days dedicated to free practice, characterized by good weather, rain arrived at Lonato, immediately making the third and final round of the WSK Final Cup trickier on the first official day of this important international event. The weather, however, promises the return sunny for the two concluding days, Saturday and Sunday, when the champions of the seven categories—KZ2, OK, OKJ, OK-N, OK-N Junior, MINI Gr.3, and MINI Gr.3 U10—of the 2025 WSK Final Cup are to be crowned.
Out of the 405 registered drivers, 365 took to the track for this grand finale, coming from all over the world. Following the 357 drivers registered at Franciacorta and the 336 drivers at Cremona, the large participation in the third round at Lonato confirms the success of the WSK Promotion organization in its 20th year of activity.
The day's program saw the running of qualifying practice and the first qualifying heats. Saturday is scheduled to feature the conclusion of the heats and the first Prefinals for each category. On Sunday, November 23rd, after the final Prefinals in the morning, the highly anticipated Finals will take place starting at 12:40, concluding the 2025 season.
Qualifying practice.
OK-N – Rossi is the best on the wet.
The Italian driver Federico Rossi (AKM Motorsport-Parolin/TM Kart/Vega) left his mark on the wet asphalt of Lonato in the OK-N class, setting the best time in 1:06.513s. The other Italian, Nicolas Marchesi (Team Driver-KR/Iame), the championship leader and Franciacorta winner, achieved the fourth fastest time, preceded by the two M2 Racing drivers, Riccardo Rossi at 0.364s and Michael Rosina at 1.098s.
KZ2 – Denner is faster than the leader Bertuca.
In Session 1 of KZ2 qualifying, championship leader Cristian Bertuca (Birelart Racing-TM Kart/LeCont) immediately secured the best performance in 1:05.971s, with the Italian driver just 12 thousandths of a second ahead of his compatriot Danilo Albanese (DORR Motorsport-KR/Iame). However, the fastest overall was the Frenchman Emilien Denner (Formula K SRP-IPK/TM Kart) in Session 2, setting a time of 1:05.552s. He finished ahead of the two CPB Sport drivers on Sodikart: the Dutchman Dion Van Werven at 0.195s back and the Czech Marek Skrivan at 0.350s.
OK-NJ – A surprising Jercan.
A surprising pole position in Session 1 and overall went to the Romanian Tudor Jercan (Gulstar Racing-KR/Modena Engines/Vega) with a time of 1:06.567s, just 0.018s ahead of the championship leader, the American Lucas Palacio (KR Motorsport-KR/Iame). In Session 2, the Lithuanian Nojus Stasionis (Modena Kart-Parolin/TM Kart) prevailed with a time of 1:06.699s, a result placing him second in the championship standings, only one point behind Palacio. Second fastest in Session 2 was the Swiss driver Orlando Rovelli (Team Driver-KR/Iame) at 0.200s.
OK – Kornder sets the fastest time.
The French driver Luka Scelles (Victorylane-KR/Iame/LeCont) took the spotlight in the OK class with the best time of 1:06.820s, achieved in Session 1, ahead of one of the category’s major protagonists, the Scottish driver Zac Drummond (Fusion Motorsport-KR/Iame) at 0.362s. In Session 2, the German driver Luke Kornder (Ricky Flynn-LN Kart/TM Kart) secured the overall best performance in 1:06.838s, with the Swedish driver Oliver Kinnmark (Koski Motorsport-KR/Iame) at 0.916s. The championship leader from Czech Republic Jindrich Pesl (Tony Kart Racing Team-Tony Kart/Vortex) posted the fifth fastest time, being 1.585s off the pace.
OKJ – Green is the fastest, as the leader Arias is sixth.
The overall best performance in the OKJ class went to the Englishman Will Green (Prema Racing-KR/Iame/Vega) after he set a time of 1:06.060s in Session 2, ahead of the Spaniard Daniel Miron Lorente (Fusion Motorsport-KR/Iame) by 0.059s. In Session 1, the best time was secured by the Australian William Calleja (Forza Racing-Exprit/TM Kart) in 1:06.223s, with the Slovakian Alex Molota (Hagemann Racing-Gillard/TM Kart) behind by 0.181s. The championship leader, the Spaniard Bosco Arias (Ricky Flynn-LN Kart/TM Kart), clocked the sixth fastest time, 0.636s off the pace.
MINI GR.3 – Perico sets the pace.
The Italian Niccolò Perico (Team Driver-KR/Iame/Vega), who sits second in the championship, took the absolute best time in Session 2, finishing ahead of his compatriot Filippo Frigerio (BabyRace-Parolin/Iame) by 0.214s, while the championship leader, the American Victor Thomas Gorun (Tony Kart Racing Team-Tony Kart/Vortex), was 12th fastest at 2.229s. In Session 1, the best time belonged to the Romanian Radu Basescu Pricop (Real Racing-Tony Kart/Vortex) in 1:12.078s, with the Italian Alessandro Vano (Rossini-Parolin/TM Kart) at 0.434s.
MINI U10 – Papageorgiou clocks the fastest time.
The fastest driver of MINI U10 was the Cypriot Andreas Papageorgiou (CRG Racing Team-T-Group/TM Kart/Vega) with the absolute best time in Session 2 of 1:12.786s, holding a 0.385s advantage over his teammate, the Pole David Aagten. The winner of the two previous rounds at Franciacorta and Cremona, the American Wynn Godschalk (Kidix-KR/Iame), posted the fifth fastest time, 0.925s off the pace. In Session 1, the best performance was set by the Estonian Joonas Tamm (Monster K Factory-Monster K/TM Kart) in 1:12.808s, ahead of the Thai driver Phawin Warakitsupachok (BabyRace-Parolin/Iame) by 57 thousandths.
The program in Lonato.
Friday, November 21st: Free practice, Qualifying practice, Qualifying heats.
Saturday, November 22nd: Warm up, Qualifying heats, Prefinals.
Sunday, November 23rd: Warm up, Prefinals, Finals.
Info: www.wskarting.it/index.asp