Three drivers were smiling broadly from the podium in Sarno at the end of the Mondokart.com FIA Karting European Championship. Pedro Hiltbrand, who had already won the opening race in Spain, is in an excellent position in the overall KZ standings ahead of the final competition in Germany in July. In KZ2, Maksim Orlov is in exactly the same situation, after his comprehensive domination in the Final at the foot of Vesuvius. In KZ2 Masters, the Mondokart.com FIA Karting European Championship was held over a single competition. Antonio Piccioni emerged victorious after a last lap with many twists and turns.
Pedro Hiltbrand on top in KZ
The expected duel between Mattéo Spirgel (FRA), on pole position on the starting grid for the Final, and Pedro Hiltbrand (ESP) only lasted a few dozen metres! From turn 2, Hiltbrand slid to the line under braking and took the lead of the race, taking Giuseppe Palomba (ITA) in his wake. Spirgel had to wait two laps before regaining second place and attacking the leader, but he was already a long way off. Hiltbrand then put in a string of fastest laps and visibly widened the gap. Further back in the field, one driver created a sensation by making spectacular progress through the pack... Starting 15th, Jean Nomblot (FRA) passed the halfway mark in 8th position. He then passed Viktor Gustafsson (SWE), Tom Leuillet (FRA), Danilo Albanese (ITA) and Giuseppe Palomba (ITA) to move up to 4th position.
The door to the podium was definitely open to him when Cristian Bertuca (ITA) was forced to retire due to a technical problem. Emilien Denner, fourth on the grid, was also forced to retire. Daniel Vasile also moved up nine places to fourth behind Hiltbrand, Spirgel and Nomblot. Palomba followed in fifth place ahead of Danilo Albanese (ITA), Tom Leuillet (FRA) and Francesco Celenta (ITA).
2025 Mondokart.com FIA Karting European Championship - KZ standings* after Competition 2:
1- Hiltbrand, Pedro (ESP - Birelart / TM Kart / Dunlop)
2- Spirgel, Matteo (FRA - Sodi / TM Kart / Dunlop)
3- Palomba, Giuseppe (ITA - Maranello / TM Kart / Dunlop)
4- Bertuca, Cristian (ITA - Birelart / TM Kart / Dunlop)
5- Trefilov, David (GER - IPK / TM Kart / Dunlop)
6- Nomblot, Jean (FRA - Sodi / TM Kart / Dunlop)
7- Vasile, Daniel (ROU - Birelart / TM Kart / Dunlop)
8- Leuillet, Tom (FRA - Tony Kart / Vortex / Dunlop)
9- Gustafsson, Viktor (SWE - CRG / TM Kart / Dunlop)
10- Albanese, Danilo (ITA - KR / IAME / Dunlop)
KZ team rankings* after Sarno:
1- CPB Sport (FRA) 347 pts
2- Formula K SRP Factory Team (GER) 208 pts
3- Birelart Racing (ITA) 184 pts
4- CL Racing Team (ITA) 115 pts
5- TBKart Racing Team srl (ITA) 78 pts
6- IPK Factory Team (CZE) 48 pts
*The competition standings remain suspended due to the appeal lodged by the competitor of driver Trefilov in Valencia (Competition 1 of the Championship)
KZ2: Who can stop Maksim Orlov?
The almost unbelievable gap of 12 seconds, in a discipline used to producing wheel-to-wheel finishes, testified to Maksim Orlov's superiority at Sarno. Although he was disappointed to have only set the fourth fastest time in Qualifying, he went on to sweep all before him. On Sunday morning, Orlov didn't hesitate in the Super Heat, nor at the start of the Final a few hours later. Over the next 18 laps, he steadily increased his lead from lap to lap. With a 75-point lead in the overall standings, he will be able to manage his advantage on the Mülsen circuit in July!
The suspense shifted to the duel for the second step of the podium. Initially, under pressure from Samuele Leopardi (ITA), Markus Kajak (EST) then had to keep an eye on the progress of Corentin Rousseau (FRA). The final twist came with less than three laps to go, when Rousseau retired. At the same time, a tangle between Samuel Luyet (SUI) and Elie Goldstein (BEL) eliminated the two drivers, who were running in fifth and sixth positions respectively. Kasper Schormans (NED) and Dion Van Werven (NED) had already retired from the race. Kajak was able to secure second place, while Leopardi took third. Just behind, three drivers made brilliant comebacks: +6 places for Dominik Simek (CZE), +10 for Genis Civico Espona (ESP), +11 for Timo Jüngling (GBR) and +9 for Jean Luyet (SUI).
2025 Mondokart.com FIA Karting European Championship - KZ2 standings after Competition 2:
1- Orlov, Maksim (Sodi / TM Racing / Dunlop) 201 pts
2- Kajak, Markus (EST - IPK / TM Kart / Dunlop) 126 pts
3- Schormans, Kasper (NED - Sodi / TM Kart / Dunlop) 105 pts
4- Bunatyan, Tigran (IPK / TM Kart / Dunlop) 82 pts
5- Rousseau, Corentin (FRA - Birelart / TM Kart / Dunlop) 78 pts
6- Schleimer, Maximilian (GER - Sodi / TM Kart / Dunlop) 73 pts
7- Leopardi, Samuele (ITA - Birelart / TM Kart / Dunlop) 72 pts
8- Goldstein, Elie (BEL - TB Kart / TM Kart / Dunlop) 72 pts
9- Valtanen, Juho (FIN - Birelart / TM Kart / Dunlop) 57 pts
10- Simek Dominik (CZE - Sodi / TM Kart / Dunlop) 49 pts
KZ2 Team standings after Sarno:
1- CPB Sport (FRA) 347 pts
2- Formula K SRP Factory Team (GER) 208 pts
3- Birelart Racing (ITA) 184 pts
4- CL Racing Team (ITA) 115 pts
5- TBKart Racing Team srl (ITA) 78 pts
6- IPK Factory Team (CZE) 48 pts
KZ2 Masters: Antonio Piccioni pulls it out of the hat!
The competition brought together many drivers who had experienced great karting moments in their careers, and several of them found themselves in a position to win the Mondokart.com FIA Karting European Championship in 2025. There was only one place at the top of the podium, and it was Antonio Piccioni (ITA) who skilfully manoeuvred to emerge in the lead of a completely mad final lap. Several of his compatriots did not emerge unscathed from a succession of thrilling battles. Right up until the start of the last lap, however, the Final was a crystal clear win for Angelo Lombardo (ITA), who had managed to overtake poleman Davide Fore (ITA) just after the starting lights went out.
The minutes ticked away, but Fore never found a way through. With the finish so close, the multiple World Champion tried his luck, but the karts of the two protagonists touched. As the laps went by, Piccioni had moved back into their wake and skilfully took advantage of the situation to get out in front. Other drivers in ambush tried to do the same, but further contact led to several upsets and penalties for incorrect front fairing positions.
A former top-level KZ driver, Antonio Piccioni clinched his first FIA Karting European Championship title by just a few hundredths from Kristijan Habulin (CRO), who came back on the pace late in the race. Fabio Bifulco (ITA) created a surprise by completing the podium after gaining 11 places. Andre Nicastro (BRA) gained eight places to finish fourth ahead of Manuel Cozzaglio (ITA). The fastest lap of the race went to Alessio La Martina (ITA).
Final standings of the Mondokart.com FIA Karting European Championship - KZ2 Masters:
1- Antonio Piccioni (ITA - TK / TM Kart / Dunlop)
2- Kristijan Habulin (CRO - TB Kart / TM Kart / Dunlop)
3- Fabio Bifulco (ITA - Birelart / TM Kart / Dunlop)
4- Andre Nicastro (BRA - Tony Kart / Vortex / Dunlop)
5- Manuel Cozzaglio (ITA - Birelart / TM Kart / Dunlop)
6- Samuel Gafner (SUI - Birelart / TM Kart / Dunlop)
7- Angelo Lombardo (ITA - Maranello / TM Kart / Dunlop)
8- Alessio La Martina (ITA - KR / TM Kart / Dunlop)
Full results from Sarno can be found on fiakarting.com.
Follow the evolution of the International Karting Ranking (IKR) after the Sarno competition.