MINARDI MANAGEMENT AND GIACOMO PEDRINI PART WAYS

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It’s with great regret that Minardi Management announces driver Giacomo Pedrini will no longer be part of the Agency from January 1, 2025.
Giacomo has been a Minardi Management member since January 2019, and since then he has grown a lot, both as a driver and as a person.
Starting from the world of karting, he managed to climb the motorsport ladder to the world of GT, where he will try to become a leading driver.

GIOVANNI MINARDI: «I took Giacomo when he was a child, now he is almost a man. It’s been 6 intense years, but also very fun. It was nice working with him, because he always listened to all the advice I gave him and always tried to put it into practice».
«Together we decided that it was time for each of us to go their own way. There will always be a bond between us, because many years of collaboration cannot be canceled just because we no longer work together. He knows he can always count on me and on the Minardi Management at any time».
«I wish Giacomo and his whole family great luck for the continuation of his career, and wish him to go as far as possible».

GIACOMO PEDRINI: «I was just 10 years old when Giovanni Minardi welcomed me into his organizational structure. I was a kid racing in the 60 mini kart and now I drive highly powerful Supercars».
«These years we spent together have been an incredible experience, full of challenges, growth and, above all, unforgettable moments. I learned a lot, both professionally and personally, and this was possible thanks to the support, competence and irreplaceable experience of my friend Giovanni and all his employees at Minardi Management which I will never stop thanking».
«Even if it is time to take on new paths, I will always carry with me the memories of this experience and the value of the relationships built».
«For me, more than a goodbye is a see you later».

Author: Jacopo Rava

MARKAS AND VANESA SILKUNAI STAR IN AL FORSAN. SCHILLACI RETURNS FROM INJURY AT SARNO

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Last Tuesday at Al Forsan, Markas Silkunas and Vanesa Silkunaite scored excellent results in the Champions of the Future Academy Program finals.
In the weekend at Sarno, Daniele Schillaci returned to racing after months of injury, showing a great performance in the Ayrton Senna Kart Trophy.

Vanesa Silkunaite (P5 in the OK-N Junior category at Al Forsan)
The thirteen-year-old Lithuanian has always been one of the fastest girls on track across the weekend. In Final 1, she crossed the finish line in P14, but was later disqualified due to an incident. She made up for it in Final 2, where she earned an excellent P5, the best classified girl. Vanesa has been competitive in every session, so she can be satisfied with her season finale.

Markas Silkunas (Winner in the OK-N category at Al Forsan)
The fifteen-year-old Lithuanian has always been a protagonist across the weekend. He was very fast right from the Heats, where he always raced in the leading pack. After a good P4 in Final 1, Markas managed to get a great victory in Final 2. For once, luck turned on his side after a difficult season, and he finally got what he had often came close to. The result meant he earned second place in the championship, an excellent boost of confidence towards the 2025 season.

Daniele Schillaci (P7 in the OK-N category at Sarno)
The fifteen-year-old from Ragusa returned to racing after a months-long injury. To ensure a great comeback, he switched from the Lenzokart to the Parolin equipment.
He started from P17 in Final 1, but with a great start he managed to grab P8 at the flag. Starting P8 in a full wet Final 2, Daniele lapped with extreme consistency and crossed the finish line in seventh position. Daniele classified P7 in the overall standings, a great sign towards a promising 2025 season.

Author: Jacopo Rava

THICK FOG RUINS ZUERA’S AND FRANCIACORTA’S KARTING WEEKENDS. PEDRINI MAKES AN EXCELLENT DEBUT IN PORTUGAL

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Five of our drivers hit the track last weekend. Deven Lewis Grabko, Vanesa Silkunaite and MarkasSilkunas participated in the IAME Warrior Final at the Zuera karting track in Spain, marred by thickfog, while Julia Angelard starred in the ROK Cup Festival in Franciacorta.

With regard to car racing, Giacomo Pedrini made his debut in the Supercars Endurance Series onthe Estoril circuit in Portugal.

Deven Lewis Grabko
The twelve-year-old Swede had a very unfortunate weekend in Zuera. His great qualifying speed was hidden by a technical problem. Despite starting from behind, he made good comebacks in the heats. Subsequently, the cancellation of the Super Heat prevented him from qualifying for the final.

Vanesa Silkunaite
The thirteen-year-old Lithuanian had a difficult start to the weekend, as she was pushed off the track in qualifying. After showing good pace in the warm up, a penalty for the dented bumper prevented her from obtaining important results in the heats. Unfortunately, the cancellation of various races did not allow her to bounce back.

Markas Silkunas
The fifteen-year-old Lithuanian made up for a difficult qualifying with a great comeback in the qualifying heats. Like Deven and Vanesa, his weekend was ruined by the cancellation of some races, so he couldn’t qualify for the final.

Julia Angelard
The twelve-year-old Pole was the fastest girl on the track in the ROK Cup Festival in Franciacorta. She qualified in an excellent P10, but a technical problem before the start prevented her from lining up on the grid. She managed to start from the pits thanks to the help of her mechanic and climbed back to P15, but she was excluded from the final ranking for the help received. Despite this, Julia has shown that she has the pace to fight in the top 10.

Giacomo Pedrini
The sixteen-year-old from Cesena debuted with a great performance in the Supercars Endurance Series at Estoril, where he shared the Mercedes AMG GT4 of the Lema Racing team with Mark Kastelic.
In Race 1 he managed to climb to P2 (P1 in his class) before the driver change, but a timing problem in the pits costed the duo an easy podium.
In Race 2 the difficult starting position, due to traffic in qualifying, made it impossible to come back higher than P5.
The excellent pace shown by Giacomo (who raced in the Mitjet championship) cannot leave the best teams in the league indifferent.

Author: Jacopo Rava

INTRODUCE MYSELF, MY NAME IS LUKA SAMMALISTO

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You were born in Tampere, Finland in 2007. How did you become interested in racing?
«I became interested in racing because my father had a small kart for my big brother, but he didn’t want to drive it, so I went driving with the kart and everything started».

When did you start racing in go-karts?
«I started racing go karts when I was seven years old».

What are the biggest difficulties switching from a kart to a F4?
«The biggest issue switching from karting to F4 is that you need to focus a lot on many corners, because the track is twice as long as a kart track. Then, in formula a small mistake will cost you a lot more time than in karting. In addition, you have front and rear brakes, which it’s even harder if you didn’t drive in the KZ category in karting».

You made your debut in Italian F4 in 2024. How was the impact in the most competitive F4 championship?
«The impact was just like I was thinking before. The level is really high. Also, I didn’t have such big expectations for my first year».

What did you learn in the championship?
«I learnt a lot of new things, like a new driving style. I also learned a lot on how to race hard in F4».

How valuable is the support of Minardi Management in your career?
«For me Minardi is important because he has many connections that can help me go forward and he helps me a lot too».

Do you already know if you will be racing for US Racing in Italian F4 in 2025?
«At the moment I’m just testing. I hope to continue with them in 2025».

Where do you see yourself in 3 years time?
«In 3 years time I see myself in F2».

What is your best quality as a driver?
«My best quality is that I am unyielding».

What is the aspect you are working on the most?
«I‘m working the most on different muscles. I’m also doing a lot of running, so I can keep my basic condition in good shape».

What’s the best racing series outside of F1?
«I have to say F2!»

Author: Jacopo Rava

LUKA SAMMALISTO’S 2024 SEASON ENDS WITH THE F4 TESTING IN MISANO

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Luka Sammalisto concluded his 2024 season in Misano testing the US Racing F4 car. The seventeen-year-old has driven 638 km (151 laps), with a consistent pace and a best time of 1:35.284.

The weather of the two days was partly cloudy, with temperatures around 15ºC.

Day 1
The morning started with a good pace of 1:37. He then improved consistently, until he was lapping in 1:35. The first half of the day ended with 58 laps and a personal best of 1:35.864, not far from the top of the chart.

In the afternoon session, he continued to work on race pace. In the 19 laps he completed, tyre degradation was low. Therefore, he managed to set the second best time of 1:36.213 towards the end.

Day 2
The day of his seventeenth birthday began with an encouraging race pace. Of the 41 laps, the fastest was an excellent 1:35.284, just nine thousandths away from “pole”. Unfortunately he struggled to keep consistency.

After the birthday celebrations, Luka started the afternoon setting the pace in 1:35.641. Moreover, consistency improved noticeably: in the last two sessions, he lapped with great precision in the 1:36s, showing good confidence with the car.

Preparation for the next season will continue in January 2025.

Luka Sammalisto: «For me the tests went really well. It was nice to be here in Misano and Imola, we tested many things. I think we found good pace in Imola already, and it was really good in Misano too».

«We managed to take “pole position” a couple of times and we were almost every time in top 5, or even top 3, so the pace was there. I’m really proud of the team, they’ve been pushing a lot for me».

«Now I’m really happy to go on the Christmas break. We’ll see at the start of next year what we can do, now we are pushing to the highest limits. Hopefully we can win!»

Author: Jacopo Rava

GOOD PROGRESS SHOWN IN THE WSK WEEKEND IN CREMONA

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The 2024 karting season ended last weekend with the WSK Final Cup in Cremona. The five Minardi Management drivers left the track with mixed feelings: some experienced mechanical misfortunes, others made sensational comebacks.

Jason Kosmopoulou (P35 in the Mini GR3 category)
The young Greek ended 2024 on a high note. He scored two beautiful victories in the three heats, but he couldn’t do the same in the pre-final due to an inevitable accident. Bad luck stroke in the final too, as a mechanical failure halted a great comeback to P4.

Nefeli Kosmopoulou (P26 in the OKNJ category)
The thirteen-year-old Greek could not run a smooth qualifying due to a technical problem. Despite this, she made lots of overtakes in each of the three heats. Unfortunately, some mechanical struggles in the pre-final and in the final prevented her from showing her true potential.

Pietro Peter Bagutti (DNQ in the OKJ category final)
The twelve-year-old Italian experienced an unfortunate weekend, as the difficult grid position did not allow him to shine in the heats. Starting from the back in the pre-final, he made an extraordinary start, eventually finishing in an excellent P20.

Vladimir Ivannikov (P16º in the OKJ category)
The fourteen-year-old Russian experienced a difficult qualifying, but showed all his overtaking prowess during the heats. His excellent weekend continued with two great comebacks in the pre-final and in the final. Unfortunately, his bumper dented after an unavoidable crash, and the resulting penalty costed him six positions.

François Kerdal (DNQ in the OK category final)
The thirteen-year-old Italian-Swiss started the weekend with some accidents and mechanical problems. Despite not qualifying for the final, his driving style improved considerably. His great speed foreshadows a very successful 2025.

2025
Considering the excellent progress shown by the drivers, the 2025 season promises to be a successful one for the Minardi Management.

Author: Jacopo Rava

LUKA SAMMALISTO COMPLETES TWO DAYS OF F4 TESTING IN IMOLA WITH US RACING

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Luka Sammalisto completed two days of testing in Imola with the US Racing F4 team. The Finn covered a distance of 515 km (105 laps), setting the overall fastest time of Day 1 in 1:46.162.
The days were marked by fog and temperatures around 10°C.

Day 1
The first day of testing in Imola began with a slippery surface, caused by low temperatures and little rubbering. Many drivers went off the track in these conditions, but Luka managed to run the program smoothly. He completed 28 laps with a fastest time of 1:46.608.
In the afternoon he completed another 25 laps, showing consistent improvement. After a good race pace simulation, he recorded the fastest lap of the day in 1:46.162.

Day 2
The next day he picked up where he left off. He covered 32 laps in the morning and lowered his limit to 1:45.880.
Rain began to fall while engines were shut, so the afternoon activity started with a time of 2:07.182. Luka struggled to find pace in the wet, but in the last session the track began to dry and
his laptime improved to 2:02.312.
Unfortunately, Luka’s day ended earlier than expected, as an unlucky spin meant he was stuck in the gravel at Tosa.

Next week he will be in Misano to continue the preparation for the 2025 season.

Luka Sammalisto: «For me the tests went really well, but just in the rain the pace was not there. I need to work on the driving in the rain conditions. Maybe the car setup in the rain was not the best for me, but in the dry the pace was really good and consistent».

Author: Jacopo Rava

STEERING WHEEL AWARD 2025

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The contest organized by Wolf Racing Cars features 20 young talents (Italian and international) ready to test themselves on the powerful Wolf GB08 Raiden powered by Aprilia.

Time doesn’t matter: The drivers will be evaluated on professionalism, approach to the test, consistency and potential. In a few days the winner will be known, that is, the driver who will participate for free in the Italian Sport Prototype Championship 2025. Federico Sbardellati (who turns 14 in December) participated in this contest from Minardi Management, the youngest driver ever. Here are a few words from Federico and Giovanni, after the event just at the beginning of the week at the Autodromo di Magione.

Federico: “The Contest was a wonderful experience, my first in a car that mostly performs like this, the Wolf GB08 Raiden, two intense days full of emotions that are difficult to describe, supported by an excellent team. I thank all those who allowed my participation in this wonderful and constructive event for a driver who, like me, dreams of becoming a professional.”

Giovanni: “I knew Federico was a fast driver, but he still surprised me even more positively. He had an impressive ease in driving without smudges, despite it being his first time in a car like the Wolf. I am sure that the path we have decided to take for 2025 will bear fruit when the time comes to demonstrate it.“

LUKA SAMMALISTO CONCLUDES THE ITALIAN F4 SEASON WITH A STRONG PERFORMANCE AT MONZA

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The Italian F4 season finale at Monza presented young Finnish driver Luka Sammalisto with one of his biggest challenges yet. On the legendary high-speed Monza circuit and in unpredictable weather, Luka once again demonstrated his resilience, fighting through three intense races.

Luka summarizes the weekend as follows: “Overall, it was a tough weekend. In my opinion, there are a few things that could have gone better and there is still space for improvements”

Strong Qualifying Efforts and Race Progression

Despite the fluctuating conditions, Luka managed solid qualifying results. Although he qualified in P14 for the first race, he had to start from P18 due to a grid penalty that was handed during the race weekend in Barcelona. He improved to 10th in the second qualifying. The highlight was securing P2 in the last qualifying session, marking Luka’s best starting position of the season.

Race Recap: Consistency and Determination

In the first race, the field started behind the safety car due to poor weather, which shortened the race to just 20 minutes. Two additional safety car phases throughout the race cost Luka valuable time for overtaking, yet he fought his way up the field to finish 10th, securing his first point of the weekend. In the second race, he climbed to 8th place, once again showcasing his race craft and good pace. In the third race, Luka started from P2 but dropped to P4 after a less-than-perfect start. The tricky weather conditions in Monza led to four safety car phases, which unfortunately caused Luka to lose multiple positions at a restart, eventually finishing in 12th place.

While Luka was able to collect points again this weekend, he also demonstrated his adaptability and determination to learn from each race.

Looking Ahead

With the season finale at Monza behind him, Luka takes valuable insights into the off-season, preparing for the future with a clear focus on refining his skills. The weekend in Monza provided crucial lessons, and he heads into the break with a clear focus on improving further.

For more information on Luka Sammalisto and his racing career, visit www.lukasammalistoracing.com.

INTERVIEW WITH JULIA ANGELARD

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#PROFIL
Name: Julia Angelard
Birthday: 12.02.2012
Place of residence: Piaseczno
Nationality: polish
Hobbies: Acrobatics

We already presented Minardi Management and two of its female drivers in this year‘s April issue of our magazine. The motorsport agency Minardi Management focuses on promoting young talent. Giovanni Minardi and Dorothea Schulz are very keen to make motorsport accessible to all drivers.

In this issue, we introduce you to Julia Angelard and Nefeli Kosmopoulos in an interview. First we spoke to Julia Angelard.

How did you get into motorsport?
I have an older brother, Maks, who started karting before me. I spent a lot of time watching him test and race. When I was about 4 years old, I wanted to try it myself. I really enjoyed it, so I wanted to get my own kart.

How long have you been active in motorsport?
I‘ve been active in karting for 7 years. But in the early years, it was just an occasional race when my older brother raced. Initially, I raced in the Rotax series Micromax and Minimax. In 2023, when I was 11 years old, I switched to the junior category of the ROK series. I changed series because I decided that it was what I loved and that I wanted to take it seriously. The ROK series is more similar to the main karting championships, which I want to compete in from 2025. But at the age of 11, I could only race in Poland in the Junior class due to age restrictions.

How satisfied are you with your 2024 season so far?
I drove on tracks in Italy for almost the entire 2024 season. I like the kart tracks in Lonato and Franciacorta. Those are the tracks where I feel most comfortable. I‘m happy with some races, not so much with others. I generally have a good pace in the races and on the test days. However, I still need to work a little on my qualifying pace. Because when you start in the middle of the field, there are often incidents. I‘m one of the youngest drivers and compete against other drivers who have a lot more experience. My goals for the 2024 season were therefore from the outset to focus mainly on racing and gaining experience and not just on results.

What are your best moments in motorsport so far?
One of the most exciting things that happened to me this year was being invited to the IRON DAMES Young Talent Selection Program, which I took part in at the end of July. I was one of 20 girls from all over the world and had the chance to meet a lot of great female drivers and make some new friends. It was a great experience working with the Prema team and Kart Republic, meeting IRON DAMES drivers and getting to know the general concept of the program.I also finished 4th out of 50 drivers in the 3rd round of the ROK CUP Italia in May, which was my best result so far.

Are there already plans for the 2025 season?
We are still working on that. Originally, we had planned to switch to the OK Junior Series and take part in the Champions of the Future and the FIA European Series. But as I‘m only 12 years old, I still have time. I enjoyed the ROK CUP Italia this year and had my own little personal successes. That‘s why I might stay in the ROK CUP Italia next year. The Champions of the Future Academy also seems to be a very interesting option. In general, we plan to do as many races as possible, as far as our budget allows. I will definitely take part in some WSK races as well. Nevertheless, I will continue to focus on my development in motorsport and on gaining as much experience as possible in karting. I also train my physical strength 3 times a week in the gym. Concentration and precision on the racing simulator are also part of my daily training.

What are your wishes for your future in motorsport?
My biggest wish in motorsport is to get into Formula 1. But that is a dream that is almost impossible. There aren‘t many in Formula 1 and there are currently no women in Formula 1, so the more realistic dream is to get into the F1 academy for women. Who knows what my performance would be like then. Otherwise, I would probably try to switch to racing cars like GT3 and hypercars – like the IRON DAMES do.

What else would you like to tell the readers of our magazine about yourself or motorsport?
It‘s really hard to take part in a sport that is dominated by boys and there aren‘t many girls in karting. But I want to show that a girl can do well on the track. Like many other sports, motorsport requires a lot of humility, but it also teaches precision and endurance. Driving at more than 130 km/h just two centimeters above the track gives you a lot of thrills. We have to be focused and concentrated to be safe.

#MOTORSPORTCAREER
2021
Rotax MicroMax Poland 11th Place overall
2022
Rotax MicroMax Poland 28th Place overall
2023
ROK CUP Poland 17th Place overall ROK Superfinal
2024
ROK CUP Italy 21th Place overall (best Result race 3 place 4) ROK Superfinal

Interview: Petra Röhrig
Photo: Elena Bars Instagram: Elenabarsphotographer