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

INTERVIEW WITH NEFELI KOSMOPOULOS

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#PROFIL
Name: Nefeli Kosmopoulos
Birthday: 15.06.2011
Place of residence: Thessaloniki
Nationality: Greek
Hobbies: Sim Racing, Drawing, Music, Climing und Skiing

As previously announced, here is the interview with Nefeli Kosmopoulos. Nefeli is another young and talented driver at Minardi Management. Find out more about her here.

How did you get into motorsport?
I got into motorsport through my father, who was a karting and rally champion and a really strong personality in Greek motorsport. My father founded the Cosmosrally Kart
Academy karting team with the support of my mother. Even though I grew up in this environment, I didn‘t want to go karting at first because I thought it was only for boys.
But that changed one day when I was 4 years old and we traveled to Italy to meet other drivers from our team. I met a young female driver who inspired me a lot.

How long have you been involved in motorsport?
I‘ve been interested in motorsport since I was a child. I grew up in the Cosmosrally team and started driving my own kart at the age of 4. A few years later, at the age of 8, I took part in my first race in Greece. In the same year, I also drove my first World Championship race in Italy. I remember that day very well, because I was super excited before that race.

How satisfied are you with your 2024 season so far?
The 2024 season was my first season in the junior categories. I learned a lot from the races and gained a lot of experience, even if the results weren‘t the best. In the first half of the season I wasn‘t able to do many races because of school, but in general I‘m still very happy with the season as I gained a lot of knowledge and I was able to arrange a lot of things for my school to be able to do more in the future.

What are your best moments in motorsport so far?
In motorsport you can experience many highs and lows, emotions can change from one day to the next. That‘s why I don‘t just have good moments in motorsport, but generally the best moments are when you achieve a good result after hard work and failures and celebrate this with family and friends from the team.

Are there already plans for the 2025 season?
My plans for the 2025 season are to ride more races than in the 2024 season, as I have found a way to solve the problem with school, improve and get better results in the world championships. I feel really ready for the season and I‘m super excited because I‘ve been working a lot. Among other things, I am doing a lot of tests in Italy and in our home country Greece. In Greece, my family and friends of ours have started to build an international karting track.

What are your wishes for your future in motorsport?
My wish is that one day I will manage to get into a program for girls and get into the F1 academy. But if you ask me, my real dream is to be a female F1 driver. I don‘t know how I will try to realize my dream (the valuable support of the Minardi management helps a lot), but I am sure that I will give everything and work hard for it. In any case, all this is taking place in a really colorful, interesting, inspiring and dynamic world and I am here to enjoy it to the fullest; with my eyes on the forest around me and not just on a tree!

What else would you like to tell the readers of our magazine about yourself or motorsport?
I would like to say that I am very grateful to my family and the Cosmosrally Kart Academy for giving me the opportunity to lead this kind of life and that I wouldn‘t trade it for anything in the world. Finally, I applaud the efforts of the FIA programs to give us (girls) more opportunities to be active in motorsport. I feel a responsibility from my own experience to inspire younger girls to get involved in motorsport.

We will continue to follow the further development of Julia and Nefeli and will of course keep you up to date.

#MOTORSPORTCAREER
2019
First race in Greece (at the age of 8)
2021
Rotax Max Challenge in Greece
(Micro Max category first place)
2021
First races in Italy (WSK series category MINI GR3)
2022
WSK series and Italian championship races
2023
Promotion to the junior class and participation in international races
2023
Participation in races in international OKJ categories and races in Italy

Interview: Petra Röhrig
Photo: Sportinphoto

FINAL PUSH AT MONZA

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After several weeks of preparation since the last Euro 4 Championship weekend at Monza, where Luka Sammalisto secured valuable points, the focus now shifts to the final race weekend of the Italian Formula 4 Championship. The goal is clear: to build on past performances and finish in the points once again.

Monza, renowned for its high-speed straights and legendary status in motorsport, will once again present a unique challenge. The weather forecast predicts rain throughout the weekend, a familiar scenario for Luka, who has already gained experience in wet conditions at this track.

Reflecting on his preparations, Luka shared: “After the Euro F4 weekend, I did simulator work on October 15th and 16th. I haven’t had any tests on the track since then, but my target for Monza is to finish inside the top 10. We’ll be testing new things during the race, hoping to find something that improves our pace.”

This weekend marks the seventh and final round of the Italian Formula 4 season. Luka currently sits 21st in the overall standings and 15th in the Rookie standings with 36 points. After securing points earlier in the season at Imola, he now aims for a strong finish to the season.

Monza’s fast layout makes qualifying especially crucial, as drivers rely heavily on slipstreaming down the long straights. A strong result in qualifying will be key to achieving the goal of finishing in the points.

The team heads into the final race weekend with optimism, ready to close out the season on a high note, and with valuable lessons learned throughout the year.

DEVEN GRABKO IS THE MOST DECORATED JUNIOR DRIVER IN SWEDEN FOR 2024

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With two national Championship Series titles to his name, and the Winner of the Gothenburg Grand Prix, no other driver in the country has achieved the same level of success.

The Swedish American ace pilot only made his Junior category debut this season, but has made an immediate impact in every category he has competed in.

The young 12 year old talent took victory at the most prestigious race on the Swedish karting calendar in September, the Gothenburg Grand Prix, and simultaneously secured his first national title in dramatic fashion, completing an amazing comeback to take the Swedish Junior X30 Crown with a flawless victory in the final round and becoming the 2024 IAME Series Sweden Champion, Deven proved a worthy Champion.

Grabko then completed his remarkable first junior karting season the first week in October, by finishing on the second step of the podium in the 7th and final round of Sweden’s most hotly contested and distinguished national karting Series, the South Sweden Kart Champions Cup (SKCC).

The result secured the young racer’s 2nd national Championship triumph of the year with an over 30 point margin to his nearest rival in the Junior Open 125cc category. The ultra-competitive class pits the Rotax Max, Vortex ROK, and IAME X30 125cc engine packages against each other in a gruelling 7 round long battle for supremacy with entries from throughout Scandinavia fighting for the title.

Deven scored 2 race victories and 2 second place finishes whilst never finishing out of the top five, his consistency confirming his Championship pedigree.

The double national Championship winning performances, combined with the Gothenburg Grand Prix win, not only show Deven’s quality on any given race day at any given track, but also his consistent high level of performance, and have earned him every accolade.

Deven Grabko “What a year it has been! I never thought I would be able to achieve all of these championships and big race wins going into the season. I just listened to my coaches and mechanics, focused on trying to improve and put my best out there every time I got in the seat, and in the end it paid off huge! I’ve learned so much this year, I feel like a completely different driver now than I was at the start of the season. I have too many people to thank – everyone who has supported me, my sponsors, coaches, management team, my family, AD Motorsport of course, everyone who cheers for me and sends me messages of congratulations and support – it all means so much. I am thankful for you all every day!”

Giovanni Minardi “We are so proud of Deven’s remarkable achievements this season as a junior rookie. His development rate has been unbelievable, and he has been our standout driver this season. Big compliments to him, and to his team AD Motorsport, who have done a wonderful job with our driver. Deven has proven himself to be a true champion, and he deserves every accolade for his accomplishments. For us, easily the strongest junior driver in Sweden this year.”

Next up for the promising young driver are two trips to Valencia, Spain, in quick succession. Deven has been selected to the U.S. National Team, and will represent the USA at the FIA Motorsport Games on October 23-27 where he will be fighting for medals at motorsport’s own olympic games. Two weeks later he will be back again for the IAME Junior X30 World Finals, which he qualified for via his IAME Series Sweden Championship Victory.

MINARDI MANAGEMENT AND ACHILLE REA ARE SEPARATED

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Minardi Management reluctantly communicates that the collaboration between the Agency and the driver Achille Rea has come to an end.

They have been two intense years of collaboration, with ups and downs, where together we have won several poles, heats, races, championships and also several trophies that have made Achille one of the fastest drivers in his category.

Giovanni Minardi: “We are very sorry for Achille that the collaboration with him has ended early, but unfortunately we had reached a point of no return and it could only end this way. We send him a big good luck for the future and we hope he can achieve all the goals he has set for himself“.

MATTIA BUCCI LEAVES MONZA WITH A SECOND PLACE

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The ace from Abruzzo took second place in Race 1. An unfortunate accident forced him to retire in the final heat

The Italian GT Sprint Championship has officially ended in Monza. The “Temple of Speed” was the scene of numerous brawls and among these there was also the GT Cup, a class in which Mattia Bucci and his teammate Filippo Croccolino compete with the Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo of Best Lap racing team.

The weekend started off with excellent auspices thanks to the second and third positions achieved respectively in Free Practice 1 and 2. On Saturday the melody was the same with two third places at the end of Q1 and Q2, results achieved at the end of sessions that saw the Ferrari n.178 in full battle for Pole Position.

Race 1, in which Bucci started by virtue of his participation in the first of the two Qualifying, was the scene of the second podium of the season for him. Mattia took advantage of the restart from the Safety Car and overtook the competitor in front of him with a move on the outside of “Prima Variante”. Due to the poor visibility dictated by the time, the race was then suspended definitively, giving the second place to the youngster.

Sunday’s race was the other side of the coin. The Abruzzese driver was forced to retire following a heavy accident that involved him while he was virtually occupying the podium spot, confirming the leitmotif of the weekend with a top 3 race pace. Following the suspension of activities and the freezing of the ranking due to the red flag, the Ferrari n.178 still managed to classify in eighth position.

In the final standings, Mattia Bucci finished in eighth place with 35.5 total points: the bronze medal in Imola and the second place in Monza stand out.

Mattia Bucci: “It was a fantastic race weekend. We started off strong and were super competitive despite it being my debut in Monza. We narrowly missed out on Pole Position also due to obstacles during our laps. We confirmed our potential in Race 1, where I took advantage of every single moment to maximize the result. Unfortunately in Race 2 I was involved in a big accident after the Safety Car. We could have achieved a double podium which would have done a lot of good in the general standing and for our morale. Motorsport is also this and we have to accept it, now focus on 2025! I would especially like to thank Giovanni Minardi and Minardi Management, Filippo Croccolino who is more than a teammate, the Best Lap team for the work done and for being by my side after the accident, my sponsors, my family, my staff and my trainer Walter Marini together with his entire team.”

PHOTO CREDITS: Foto Speedy & Lorenzo Colangeli

Matteo Gaudieri
Mattia Bucci’s Press Office

NICHOLAS PUJATTI CHIUDE LA PRIMA STAGIONE IN PORSCHE CARRERA CUP ITALIA CON DUE GARE POSITIVE A MONZA

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Cala il sipario sulla stagione 2024, la prima di Nicholas Pujatti nella Porsche Carrera Cup Italia.

Sul circuito di Monza, nel fine settimana appena passato, la Porsche Carrera Cup Italia ha vissuto le sue ultime due gare stagionali, più che mai avvincenti e degne del gran finale.

Nicholas ha concluso la propria stagione dando continuità ai buoni risultati degli ultimi appuntamenti, segnando un importante step di crescita prestazionale nella categoria. Nonostante lo schieramento più numeroso e competitivo dell’anno con 33 partenti e nomi della Porsche Supercup, il numero #46 della Scuderia Villorba Corse ha soddisfatto il team con una qualifica di buon livello. P11 per Gara 1 e P17 per Gara 2 considerando la bandiera rossa che ha condizionato la sessione di attacco al tempo.

La prima gara di sabato ha visto Pujatti amministrare le prime fasi della gara e soprattutto la Prima Variante, come sempre caotica, restando fuori da possibili contatti fatali. Ottimi i tempi sul giro e soprattutto la gestione della bagarre nel finale. P11 sotto la bandiera a scacchi ad un passo dalla top ten e quarto nella classifica riservata ai rookies.

L’ultimo atto di domenica ha poi chiuso la stagione nel migliore dei modi. Partenza ancor più solida per Nicholas, in piena rimonta per tutta la durata della corsa, chiusa in P13 e ancora al quarto posto della classifica rookies.

Una lunga stagione che ha premiato tutti gli sforzi e la grande progressione del pilota italiano, quinto nella classifica generale dei debuttati nella categoria e tra i primi quindici della classifica assoluta Porsche Carrera Cup Italia.

N.Pujatti – Villorba Corse: “Cosa posso dire? Chiudere la prima avventura in Porsche a Monza è un sogno che si realizza, lo chiamano il Tempio della Velocità… finalmente posso dire che Monza, un tempio, lo è sul serio! Il weekend è partito in modo difficile ma è via via andato migliorando e questo, una volta di più, denota la grande professionalità da parte di tutto lo staff Villorba Corse che ringrazio per avermi sempre sostenuto e messo nelle migliori condizioni per tutta la durata della stagione. Spero che l’avventura di quest’anno sia solo l’inizio della mia carriera nelle ruote coperte. Ringrazio tutto lo staff della squadra, il mio management Minardi Management e gli sponsor per aver permesso tutto questo, la mia famiglia e ovviamente tutti gli amici e le persone che sono venute a trovarmi in pista! Pronti per il 2025”.

CLASSIFICHE COMPLETE

Ufficio Stampa Nicholas Pujatti
Petrolhead Communication
Foto: G.Benfenati

GIOVANNI MINARDI: “TALENT FIRST”

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