A spectacular weekend at the opener of the Italian ACI Karting Championship in Castelletto

Victories to Cunati and Irlando in KZ2's finals, Macintyre and Powell victorious in Mini, Bertuca and Pulito in X30 Junior, a double win for Villa in X30 Senior and for Rangone in Rok Junior, Rok Senior's wins to Molinari and Locatelli.

The first round of the Italian ACI Karting Championship in Castelletto di Branduzzo (Pavia) has kept all the promises awaited in the opener of the 2019 campaign. An excellent event was held at the Circuit 7 Laghi Kart with 208 drivers present out of the 220 entered in the categories KZ2, 60 Mini, and Iame Trophies X30 and Rok Junior and Senior.

The first of the two finals had a series of duels in KZ2 and Simone Cunati (CRG-Tm) had the upper hand despite being followed all the way to the flag by William Lanzeni (Vemmekart-Tm), while the third place went to another great protagonist of the event, Francesco Iacovacci on Maranello-Tm, who inherited Alex Irlando’s position (BirelArt-Tm) as the latter was handed a 5s time penalty after a great comeback for jumping the start.

In race-2 the spectators enjoyed a great spectacle with a lot of overtaking moves by Alex Irlando, who started from P9 but managed to clinch the win fair and square. Irlando posted also the pole position in qualifying and has been unquestionably the quickest driver of the weekend, together with Iacovacci who managed to get again on the podium in Race-2 taking P2 and Cunati that pulled a great third. The other protagonist of the weekend Lanzeni was far from the podium ending 12th due also to a penalty. The multiple world champion Davide Forè (TK-Tm) came fifth in Race-1 and fourth in Race-2 after leading the race early on. Among the main protagonists, Giuseppe Palomba (Croc-Tm) could not secure a strong result and ended Race-1 in 11th place after a good comeback following a double retirement in qualifying heats. He completed another good comeback in Race-2 and closed his effort in P6.

In 60 Mini a surprising victory went to the British driver William Macintyre (Parolin-Tm) in Race-1 as he managed to get the most of a racing contact on the last lap between Ean Eyckmans (Parolin-Tm) and another driver. Macintyre managed to clinch the victory leading Manuel Scognamiglio (Tony Kart-Tm) and Nikola Tsolov (Parolin-Tm). The Jamaican Alex Powell (Energy-Tm) got the lead of Race-2 early on and dominated the scene completing a good growth in this weekend. He led Andrea Filaferro (Tony Kart-Tm) who had been shining in qualifying and heats, while Scognamiglio got another podium in P3.

Cristian Bertuca (BirelArt-Iame) won the X30 Junior race leading Michael Barbaro Paparo (KR-Iame), while the third place went to Francesco Pulito (KR-Iame) after a penalty for the dropped front fairing hit Enzo Trulli (CRG-Iame), that completed a good comeback race, and Anderson Crew Brent (KR-Iame). In Race-2, reigning champion Pulito put in a good performance taking the win from Paolo Gallo (Righetti Ridolfi-Iame) to Bertuca. The fourth place went to Enzo Trulli and Michael Barbaro Paparo (KR-Iame) was fifth.

The first final of X30 Senior has been hard fought and uncertain until the end. Edoardo Ludovico Villa (TB Kart-Iame) took the win leading Leonardo Caglioni (KR-Iame) and Valentino Baracco (Croc-Iame). Despite the top 8 grid inversion, Villa managed to recover well and clinch another victory, while Baracco was second and Danny Carenini (CRG-Tm) third. Caglioni was fourth leading Cristian Comanducci (Tony Kart-Iame).

The victory in Race-1 of Rok Junior went to Pietro Ragone (Tony Kart-Vortex), who proceeded Matteo De Palo (FA-Vortex) and Matteo Zaffarano (Tony Kart-Vortex). Ragone repeated the victory in Race-2 leading De Palo again, while Lorenzo Simion (Tony Kart-Vortex) was third.
In Rok Senior Giorgio Molinari (Exprit-Vortex) dominated Race-1 leading David Locatelli (Kosmic-Vortex) and Emanuele Moncini (Tony Kart-Vortex). Molinari tried to come back early in Race-2 due to the grid inversion, but he had to retire due to an incident. In this second final, the victory went to Locatelli, while the other two podium positions went to Davide Cordera (FA-Vortex) and Giuseppe Gaglianò (Energy-Vortex).

The next round will take place at the Circuit of Siena on June 9th with KZ2, 60 Mini, KZN Under and Over, X30 Junior and Senior on track.

Complete results are available at www.acisportitalia.it.