The initial heats highlighted a lot of protagonists. The closing qualifying heats will continue on Friday, and the final stages will follow on Saturday.
Following the early morning rain, a bit of sun appeared at the Leopard Circuit Viterbo just in time to improve track conditions for the initial heats of this WSK Euro Series season opener. The MINI Under 10, MINI Gr.3, OK-N Junior, OK-N, OK-Junior, OK, and KZ2 categories hit the track to face their first heats of the event following the morning's qualifying practice.
KZ2 – Orlov is the main protagonist.
After claiming pole position ahead of his teammates—Britain’s Jenson Graham, the Netherlands’ Dion Van Werven, and Bulgaria’s Kaloyan Varbitzaliev— the Russian driver Max Orlov (Sodikart – Sodikart/TM Kart/LeCont) also triumphed in the first heat. He crossed the line ahead of Van Werven, with Graham in third, securing a dominant Sodikart top-four alongside Varbitzaliev. China’s Jiang Houzai (LA Motorsport – Parolin/TM Kart) finished in fifth place.
OK – Firhand wins the first heat.
While Germany’s Luke Kornder (Ricky Flynn Motorsport – LN Kart/TM Kart/LeCont) secured pole position by a very small margin of just 0.423 seconds over Qarrar Firhand (Ward Racing – Parolin/TM Kart), it was the Indonesian driver who took the lead during the early laps of the first heat. Firhand took the win with a comfortable gap over Kornder’s teammate, Spain’s Bosco Arias Chavarri, while Kornder settled for third. Estonia’s Aron Kivilo (Liqui-Moly Roli – KR/TM Kart) finished fourth, followed by Germany’s Osman Amin Kara (Haupt Racing Team – KR/Iame) in fifth.
OKJ – Gorski and Babicek claim the first two heats.
The Italian DR driver Michele Orlando (DR/Modena Engines) managed to stand out in qualifying by setting the overall fastest time. However, in Heat A-B, Poland's Leo Gorski (Ricky Flynn – LN Kart/TM Kart) completed a solid comeback to win ahead of Spain’s Daniel Miron Lorente (Fusion Motorsport – KR/Iame), while Orlando finished fifth. In Heat C-D, the Czech Republic’s Zdenek Babicek (Tepz Racing Team – Tony Kart/Iame) confirmed his speed by winning over the American Mark Pilipenko (Ward Racing – Parolin/TM Kart) and China’s Zhaoqi Zhu Zack (DPK Racing – KR/Iame).
MINI U10 – Burgess recovers to the win.
Two of the standout performers from the start of the season, who already shone in the first two rounds of the WSK Super Master Series, are prevailing in this opening Euro Series round as well. In qualifying, Canada’s Jayden Francisco (BabyRace – Parolin/Iame/Vega) made his mark by setting the fastest time. However, in the first heat, the American driver Zayne Burgess executed a brilliant comeback to secure a victory in a sprint finish over Spain’s Oliver Weytjens (Team Driver – KR/Iame), while Francisco finished third. Other top performers included Canada’s Leo Simone (Pantano by DAM – Pantano/Iame) and Spain’s Sasha Miras Y Munoz (BabyRace – Parolin/Iame).
MINI GR.3 – Klinkers and Mair are the first two early protagonists.
The MINI Gr.3 category was defined by contrasting conditions, with one heat on slick tyres and the second on rains. Following the pole position set by Britain’s Daniel Ferguson (Team Driver – KR/Iame/Vega), the Netherlands’ Mik Klinkers (Energy Corse – Energy/Iame) triumphed in Heat A-B ahead of Ferguson and Brazil’s Alvaro Medeiros (Tony Kart Racing Team – Tony Kart/Vortex). In Heat C-D, another Tony Kart Racing Team driver, Britain’s Alfie Mair, took the win over Norway’s Theo Steindal (MP Academy Gamoto – Henza/TM Kart) and fellow Briton Alfie Garret (Sodikart – Sodikart/TM Kart). Further protagonists are expected to come to the fore in Friday’s scheduled heats.
OK-N Junior – The two heats go to Schniegenberg and Kolovos.
The American Colton Schniegenberg (Ward Racing – Parolin/TM Kart/Vega) secured pole position in qualifying and followed it up with a victory in Heat A-B. Estonia’s Mark Loomets (Lenovo Kalì Kart Team – Kalì Kart/TM Kart) took second, with Russia’s Vsevolod Boronin (Hagemann Racing – Exprit/TM Kart) in third. Also among the frontrunners were the two Modena Kart drivers, Sweden’s Elton Hedfors and Luigi D’Ascoli. In Heat C-D, Greece’s Ioannis Kolovos (Modena Kart – Parolin/TM Kart) claimed victory ahead of Germany’s Henri Moehring (Doerr Motorsport – KR/Iame) and John Han (Zanchi Motorsport – KR/TM Kart).
OK-N – Saa and Mizzoni share the success.
Italy’s Andrea Giudice (Marra61 – KR/Iame/Vega) set the fastest time in qualifying, but after winning the first heat, he received a penalty that dropped him to second. Consequently, the win passed to Argentina’s Martin Saa (Zanchi Motorsport – Tony Kart/TM Kart), with fellow Zanchi Motorsport driver Andrea Barbieri finishing third. Colombia’s Amador Martinez Saenz (MP Academy Gamoto – Henza/TM Kart) took fourth, followed by Lamberto Ferrari (Monster K Factory – Monster K/TM Kart) in fifth. In Heat C-D, the win went to Italy’s Davide Mizzoni (Italcorse – Italcorse/TM Kart) ahead of American Max Cristea (Gulstar Racing – KR/Iame).
The fastest times in qualifying:
KZ2: Max Orlov (//) (Sodikart – Sodikart/TM Kart/LeCont) 1:04.556s
OK: Luke Kornder (GER) (Ricky Flynn – LN Kart/TM Kart/LeCont) 1:07.351s
OKJ Session-1: Michele Orlando (ITA) (DR – DR/Modena Engines/Vega) 1:06.304s
OKJ Session-2: Daniel Miron Lorente (NED) (Fusion Motorsport – KR/Iame/Vega) 1:07.668s
MINI U10: Jayden Francisco (CAN) (BabyRace – Parolin/Iame/Vega) 1:13.429s
MINI Gr.3 Session-1: Alvaro Medeiros (BRA) (Tony Kart R.T. – Tony Kart/Vortex/Vega) 1:13.284s
MINI Gr.3 Session-2: Daniel Ferguson (GBR) (Team Driver – KR/Iame/Vega) 1:12.843s
OK-NJ Session-1: Vsevolod Boronin (//) (Hagemann Racing – Exprit/TM kart/Vega) 1:06.398s
OK-NJ Session-2: Colton Schniegenberg (USA) (Ward Racing – Parolin/TM Kart/Vega) 1:05.988s
OK-N Session-1: Martin Saa (ARG) (Zanchi Motorsport – Tony Kart/TM kart/Vega) 1:05.630s
OK-N Session-2: Andrea Giudice (ITA) (Marra61 – KR/Iame/Vega) 1:05.433s
The program.
Qualifying heats will continue throughout the day on Friday. The final phase will take place on Saturday, featuring the Prefinals and Finals, which will be broadcast via Live TV Streaming.
Friday, February 13th: Qualifying heats.
Saturday, February 14th: Prefinals, Finals.