Over 130 drivers braved the summer heat at the Circuito di Siena on Sunday, August 6, for the Mojo Trophy, which saw good participation in both the Rotax single-make categories and the national categories in preparation for the upcoming event on September 3 for the Italian ACI Karting Championship.
The largest number of drivers was concentrated in the national categories, with 73 participants testing technical material for the upcoming Italian Championship event in Siena, where champions in all categories will be crowned.
In KZ2, Maranello Kart achieved a significant result with all three of its drivers reaching the podium. Flavio Sani was the excellent winner of the Final, ahead of Marco Zanchetta, the provisional leader of the Championship, and another contender for the Italian title, Marco Pastacaldi, who finished third in the Final and secured pole position in qualifying. Natalia Balbo also had a great race with the NGM Motorsport team, finishing fourth after competing on equal terms with the race’s main players. The fifth position went to Luciano Medeghini on VRK-Tm, while Lorenzo Lapina (Italcorse-Tm) and Nicola Gnudi (VRK-Tm) were forced to retire.
The 60 Mini confirmed excellent competitiveness with several contenders for victory, but in the end, it was Gabriele Minì on Parolin-Tm, the current leader of the Italian Championship, who won. He also had to contend with his teammate Keanu Al Azhari, who set the pole position in qualifying and the fastest lap in the race. In the sprint finish, Minì prevailed over Al Azhari, with Raffaele Gulizia, another protagonist of the Italian Championship, in third place.
The ACI Kart and ACI Kart Junior raced together. The victory went to Matteo Massetani (Tony Kart-Iame, ACI Kart) over Alessio Selvaggio (Formula K-Iame, AK Junior) and Devid Di Matteo (Evokart-Iame, AK Junior).
In the Entry Level, Paolo Sacco (Evokart-Lke) prevailed over Gino Rocchio (Tony Kart-Lke) and Lorenzo Lanzara (Top Kart-Lke).
The KZ3 categories were highly contested. In KZ3 Junior, Alessio Mordini dominated on Energy-Tm with the best time in qualifying and victories in both the Prefinal and Final. In the concluding race, Roberto Cesari on Oberon-Tm took second place, and Mattia Giannini on Maranello-Tm took third, both protagonists in the Italian Championship. The championship leader Luca Bombardelli on Maranello-Tm had to settle for fourth position.
The KZ3 Under was resolved with victory awarded to Luigi Di Lorenzo on CRG-Tm after a 10-second penalty was imposed on Alessio Zanotti, who had crossed the finish line first following a race incident with Di Lorenzo. In the Italian Championship, Di Lorenzo occupies third position, Zanotti fifth. Riccardo Nalon on Formula K-Tm took second place, while Alessandro Cetraro on Maranello-Tm secured the third step of the podium.
In KZ3 Over, the success was claimed by the leader of the Italian Championship, Roberto Profico on Sodikart-Tm, winner of the Final after securing the best time in qualifying and victory in the Prefinal as well. In the Final, Profico finished ahead of Simone Torsellini on Zanardi-Iame and Riccardo Loddo on CRG-Tm. The other two protagonists of the Italian Championship, Cristian Griggio (Maranello-Tm) and Paolo Beltramini (CRG-Dea), were immediately forced to retire due to an incident.
In KZ4, Simone Sgheri on CRG-Iame, after crossing the finish line first, found himself third due to a 10-second penalty for delaying alignment at the start. The victory thus went to Maurizio Giberti (Maranello-Tm), with Cosimo Antoniello (Oberon-Tm) placed second.
ROTAX MOJO TROPHY
In the Rotax Italia single-make Mojo Trophy, there were 60 participants divided into the Mini, Junior, Max, and DD2 categories, in a race also valid for the rankings of the North Italy Zone (Valle d’Aosta, Piedmont, Liguria, Lombardy, Veneto, Trentino Alto Adige, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Emilia Romagna, Tuscany, Umbria, Marche) and Central-South Italy (Lazio, Abruzzo, Molise, Campania, Puglia, Basilicata, Calabria).
In Rotax Mini, the two main contenders were Gregorio Bertocco on CRG, who won the Final after setting the best time in qualifying, and Pietro Ragone on Maranello, winner of the Prefinal. In the Final, behind Bertocco and Ragone, was Mattia Lombardi on Birel.
In Rotax Junior, with 21 drivers at the start, Giuseppe Fusco on Tony Kart dominated the category, winning both the Prefinal and the Final. In the Final, Fusco finished ahead of Jacopo Sisti on Sodikart and Marco Bernardi on Tony Kart. Riccardo Di Persia (Biesse) and Elia Galvanin (Exprit) finished in fourth and fifth positions, respectively.
In Rotax Max, Giorgio Amati claimed victory in the Final after also winning the Prefinal. In the Final, Amati won over Filippo Laghi and Alessandro Bruni, all three on Tony Kart. Michele Candela on Birel finished fourth, and Christian Gobbi on Tony Kart finished fifth. In Max Over, Nicola Trovò (Tony Kart) won over Andrea Raiconi (LGK).
The Rotax DD2 was characterized by a great duel at the top, with Cosimo Francesco Durante on Parolin winning the Final over Armando Iannaccone (CRG), who climbed from fifth place in the Prefinal, and Claudio Pagliarani (Sodikart), who finished third. Luca Munaretto (Parolin) and Francesco Palladino (Birel) placed fourth and fifth. Nicola Trolese (Tony Kart), a protagonist in the Prefinal with third position, finished the Final in ninth place. In DD2 Over, Alessandro Tosi (GP) won over Gregorio Rago (Birel) and Emilio Furlan (Praga).
Upcoming events at the Circuito di Siena:
09/03/2017 – Italian Aci Karting Championship
11/04-05/2017 – 16th Trofeo Città di Siena – S.T.E. Cup – Winter Trophy Rok Cup
Press Office
Circuito di Siena
08/07/17
In the photos: 1) Gabriele Minì, leader of the Italian Championship in 60 Mini; 2) The start of Rotax DD2.
