RECAP WEEKEND

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The weekend has just come to an end, with five of our drivers hitting the track. Despite the challenges, they managed to showcase their full potential. It was an intense weekend, filled with challenges and great satisfaction, proving how these young drivers can turn every difficulty into an opportunity for growth.

Bagutti Pietro-NQ at WSK super master in Lonato, Cat. OKJ
The young Italian started his weekend with great satisfaction regarding the kart’s setup during Wednesday and Thursday. However, qualifying did not go as planned. During his flying lap, while setting excellent sector times, an issue in the third sector—of unknown nature—forced him to run wide in a corner, compromising his chances of starting from the front positions.

Despite an outstanding performance, recovering as many as ten positions, Bagutti finished the race in 20th place. Unfortunately, this result was not enough to secure a spot in the finals.

Although disappointed at not reaching his goal, Bagutti showed great consistency in the race. Now, the priority will be refining his qualifying performance, given the strong race pace he displayed.

Vladimir Ivannikov – P22 at WSK Super Master in Lonato, OK Category
It was a solid weekend for Vladimir Ivannikov, who finished his race in 22nd position. The OK category driver put in a strong performance throughout the weekend but was hindered by Sunday’s uncertain weather conditions, with intermittent rain proving less than ideal for him.

In the final, a collision with other drivers forced him to restart from the back of the pack. Despite the setback, he staged an impressive comeback, finishing in 22nd place.

Although he faced some difficulties in qualifying, Ivannikov managed to recover ten positions in the race, showcasing exceptional determination and strength. His potential is clear. With improvements in qualifying and greater consistency in the heats, we are confident that even better results will come soon.

Zack Zhu – DNF at WSK Super Master in Lonato, OKNJ Category
Zack Zhu delivered a strong performance, showing speed throughout the weekend and establishing himself as one of the main contenders for the podium. In the final, the team opted not to fit new tires—a decision that, in hindsight, did not pay off.

Despite this, Zhu managed to climb to sixth place but saw his result slip away in the final laps due to a chain failure.

Zack stood out as a podium contender due to his speed and continuous improvement. While a less-than-optimal technical choice and an unexpected mechanical issue affected his result, his overall performance remained outstanding. He has proven to have everything it takes to keep fighting at the top.

Julia Angelard – P12 at WSK Super Master Series, OKNJ Category
A stellar weekend for Julia Angelard, who made an impressive WSK debut by finishing in 12th place. Starting from P19 in qualifying, she secured a spot in the pre-final, where a well-executed strategy allowed her to climb through the field and finish fourth, earning her a place in the final.

In the last race, she lined up at the back of the grid with no expectations but one clear goal: to enjoy herself and achieve the best possible result. The outcome was a spectacular performance, as she gained an incredible 21 positions to cross the line in 12th place.

Julia’s debut was nothing short of explosive. From P19 in qualifying to a remarkable recovery in the final, the young Polish driver showcased exceptional race craft, intelligence, and determination. Her brilliant performance sets the stage for even greater achievements, especially with the upcoming Champions of the Future Academy Program in Portimão on the horizon.

Tariq Soofi – P1 at Rotax Max Challenge Bahrain, Micro Max Category
Tariq clinched victory at the Rotax Max Challenge in Bahrain, securing both the race win and the championship title. What began as a challenging day ended in a spectacular triumph for the young driver.

He wrapped up the weekend in style, overcoming early difficulties with determination and hard work to claim a well-deserved success. With the ROK Cup Italy on the horizon in Cremona and Franciacorta this summer, expectations for this rising champion are higher than ever.

Author: Gabriele Bovio

JULIA ANGELARD WITH A GREAT PERFORMANCE IN THE FINAL OF THE THIRD ROUND OF THE WSK SUPER MASTER SERIES

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  • After difficult qualifying sessions, Julia Angelard successfully qualified for Prefinal B and then for the final race of the WSK Super Master Series in Lonato.
  • The 13-year-old JSTR by Jastrzębski Racing competitor advanced from 22nd position to a high, fourth position in the rainy, demanding semi-final, which opened her way to participate in the final competition.
  • The Polish competitor’s final race saw her advance by 21 positions – thanks to the highest progress in the entire OKNJ Julia Angelard advanced from 33rd position to 12th, losing only 0.039 seconds to the highest classified competitor on the track.

 

Last weekend at the South Garda Karting track in Lonato was a real rollercoaster for Julia Angelard. After the qualifying runs, the Pole was optimistic about the upcoming heats. Unfortunately, in two of them, the problem was not the competitor’s equipment or disposition, but the other drivers on the track. Despite this, the Minardi Management protégé showed in the semi-final and final that she has no shortage of talent and pace, significantly advancing in the ranking.

Bad beginnings of a good one
In the first of three heats, Julia Angelard was involved in a collision with two other competitors, which meant that she was only able to complete half of the qualifying race distance. In the second heat, Julia finished in 17th position, just ahead of Iron Dames representative Angelina Simons Torres, with whom she had been fighting for position on the track for a long time. Finally, the third heat, which took place on Saturday, the day of Julia’s 13th birthday, celebrated on the track – was a chance for the best possible result. Julia, who was gaining position and confidence behind the wheel, was deprived of the chance for a sensational result after one of the drivers used a divebomb on her from a long distance, sweeping a total of 3 competitors off the track. And although the competitor was disqualified from the race for the dangerous maneuver and causing a collision, from Julia’s perspective this situation meant dropping out of the heat.

Sunday brought an opportunity for a kind of redemption. In the Pre-Final B, Julia Angelared, starting from 22nd position, thanks to the use of the right strategy regarding tire selection and effective driving on the track, avoiding rivals on slick tires, reached the finish line in a sensational, fourth position. This result paved the way for the 13-year-old JSTR by Jastrzębski Racing competitor to drive in the final round in Lonato. Starting from a distant 33rd position, the teenage Pole once again proved that she is a force to be reckoned with on the track, ultimately finishing 12th in the race, losing just 0.039 seconds to Iron Dames’ Victoria Farfus, making her the second highest-ranked competitor in the OK-N Junior category.

Proud, but hungry for more
“Qualifying didn’t go so well – I didn’t manage to get a clean, good lap. I was doing very well in the first elimination race, but unfortunately I crashed. The second race was average, mainly due to the constant battle with Angelina Simons Torres. The third race started very promisingly, but I was eliminated by a failed overtaking attempt by another driver, which ruined my chances for a good result. Before the semi-final, there was uncertainty about the choice of tyres. Initially, everyone decided to go for slicks, but just before the start, when we were already in the pits, it started to rain. This caused a mass change to rain tyres. The situation reversed again when the rain stopped and the teams with two frames started changing to slicks again. We, not having such an option, stayed on rain tyres, as did several other riders – and this decision turned out to be a good choice. During the final race, the weather played tricks again. At first the track was wet, then it started to dry out, and at the end it started to rain again. Throughout the race I had to fight for positions, breaking through the field in these difficult, changing conditions. Despite this, I advanced from 33rd to 12th position, which I am very proud of”, emphasizes Julia Angelard, sharing her impressions after the WSK Super Master Series round in Lonato.

Time for Portimão!
After a short break after the race weekend, Julia Angelard heads to Portugal. There, at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, she will start the competition as part of the Champions of the Future Academy. The thirteen-year-old Minardi Management protégé has six rounds ahead of her. Four of them will take place in Europe – the aforementioned Portimão, Valencia (Kartodromo Internacional Lucas Guerrero), Jesolo (Pista Azzurra) and Ostffyasszonyfa (Pannónia-Ring Kart Center). The remaining two rounds will be held at the end of the year in the Middle East in Doha (Lusail International Karting Circuit) and Al Forsan (Al Forsan International Sports Resort).

JULIA ANGELARD, 13-year-old karting competitor, a protégé of Minardi Management, a member of the PZM junior national karting team in the 2025 season. Representing the colors of JSTR by Jastrzębski Racing, in the 2025 season she will compete in the Polish Karting Championships, in the Italian ROK Cup Italia series and in the international Champions of the Future Academy program, supported by F1 Academy – a series accompanying Formula 1. In July 2024, she was the only Polish woman to be among the 20 competitors who appeared in the Iron Dames Young Talents shootout finals.

She began competing in karting at the age of 4. She began her professional starts in the Rotax Max Challenge Poland series in the years 2017-2022 in the MicroMax and Minimax categories. In 2023, at the age of 11, she started in the ROK Cup Poland in the Junior category. In September 2023, she made her international debut as part of the ROK Superfinal and ROK Cup Italia, where she also appeared in 2024, becoming the fastest and highest ranked competitor and advancing 17 positions in one of the races.

RACE WEEK #7 – EXCITING RACING AT THE IAME IN VALENCIA FOR VANESA, BENJAMIN, NILAS E MARKAS. ZACK DELIVERS IN SALBRIS

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The IAME Winter Cup in Valencia was the scene of exciting races for four of our talents, Vanesa, Benjamin, Nilas and Markas. Meanwhile, Zack continues his growth path in the Open KartMag in Salbris.

Zack Zhu – P7 in the KartMag Championship in Salbris, Cat. Rotax Junior
Zack confirmed the excellent impressions of his debut with another very competitive weekend, where he set excellent times in practice. In the heats he showed all his consistency by crossing the line always in the top 10. In the final he showed excellent pace, but an unfortunate penalty prevented him from getting on the podium. Despite this, he is establishing himself as one of the protagonists of the category in his debut year.

Vanesa Silkunaite – P24 in the IAME Winter Cup in Valencia, Cat. X30 Junior
Vanesa hit the ground running, constantly being in top ten in free practice. Qualifying didn’t give the expected results, but her overtaking skill allowed her to make incredible comebacks in the first two heats and in the Super Heat, where she achieved a strong P10. Unfortunately he had a technical problem in the last heat, which compromised her starting position in the final. A further problem prevented her from making another comeback, but the speed and grit shown bode well for the rest of the season.

Benjamin Westwood – DNQ in the IAME Winter Cup in Valencia, Cat. X30 Junior
Benjamin had to adapt to a new team and a new environment, coming from the ROK, but he was fast right from the first tests. The inexperience in qualifying costed him a few positions, which he could not recover in the heats due to some technical problems. Unfortunately, these problems prevented him from qualifying for the final, but he still showed excellent speed and above all great resilience. We are sure that he will soon be able to fight for the first positions.

Nilas Malik – P14 in the IAME Winter Cup in Valencia, Cat. X30 Junior
Nilas has just joined the agency, but he’s already shown tremendous speed, grit and perfectionism. He achieved an excellent pole position in his group, which he converted into a good P3 in the first heat. The other heats were marred by an electrical problem and a bumper penalty, so he started the final from P19, instead of the top 5. But he showed great resilience, making an extraordinary comeback and crossing the finish line in P3, which unfortunately became P14 after a bumper penalty, due to the many battles fought to recover the many positions. This result doesn’t reflect the enormous potential of our Danish talent, who will certainly be one of the protagonists of the category.

Markas Silkunas – DNQ in the IAME Winter Cup in Valencia, Cat. X30 Senior
Markas started the weekend with an amazing pace, always among the top five in free practice. Unfortunately, the qualification didn’t go according to plan, and the difficult starting position made it almost impossible to achieve good results in the heats. But he showed all his talent in the Super Heat, overtaking 12 karts and crossing the line just outside the top 10. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to qualify for the final, but he will store the lessons learned in Valencia to compete again for the top positions already from the next race.

Author: Jacopo Rava

JULIA ANGELARD RETURNS TO LONATO FOR A ROUND OF THE WSK SUPER MASTER SERIES

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  • After a rainy visit to the South Garda Karting track as part of the ROK Cup Winter Trophy 2025, Julia Angelard returns to Lonato.
  • The JSTR by Jastrzębski Racing competitor will appear in Lonato as part of the third round of the WSK Super Master Series.
  • The renewed start on Lake Garda will allow Julia Angelard to prepare as best as possible for the Champions of the Future Academy series that is about to begin.

Although only two weeks have passed since her previous visit to the South Garda Karting track in Lonato, the Minardi Management protégé is once again returning to Italian soil. The third round of the WSK Super Master Series coming up next weekend will allow Julia Angelard to prepare thoroughly for the challenge ahead of her, the first round of the Champions of the Future Academy scheduled for 28.02.-02.03. in Portimão, Portugal.

Testing herself among the best
The WSK Super Master Series round gives Julia Angelard an additional chance to test herself on a racetrack she knows very well, among the best competitors from around the world. This time, the Polish woman competing in the OKN Junior category will compete in a go-kart, with a different engine, more powerful than in the ROK series. Thanks to her fondness for the track and her excellent orientation in its thread, the teenage competitor will spend her 13th birthday, which falls next Saturday, on the racetrack. There, she will be able to test herself against over 400 registered competitors from the world’s top, before she starts the competition in the 2025 season, competing not only in the Champions of the Future Academy and ROK Italia series, but also in the Polish Karting Championships.

Training above all
“I treat the upcoming competition primarily as additional training before leaving for Portimão. I know that during the WSK round there will certainly be a large representation of strong competitors, so I want to test myself among the best. I don’t have high expectations for myself though – I’ll be happy if I make it to the finals like last time. And I really hope the weather will be much better than last time” – admits the JSTR by Jastrzębski Racing competitor.

JULIA ANGELARD, a nearly 13-year-old karting competitor, a protégé of Minardi Management, a member of the PZM junior national karting team in the 2025 season. Representing the colors of JSTR by Jastrzębski Racing, in the 2025 season she will compete in the Polish Karting Championships, in the Italian ROK Cup Italia series and in the international Champions of the Future Academy program, supported by F1 Academy – a series accompanying Formula 1. In July 2024, she was the only Polish woman to be among the 20 competitors who appeared in the Iron Dames Young Talents shootout finals.

She began competing in karting at the age of 4. She began her professional starts in the Rotax Max Challenge Poland series in the years 2017-2022 in the MicroMax and Minimax categories. In 2023, at the age of 11, she started in the ROK Cup Poland in the Junior category. In September 2023, she made her international debut as part of the ROK Superfinal and ROK Cup Italia, where she also appeared in 2024, becoming the fastest and highest ranked competitor and advancing 17 positions in one of the races.

Author: Przemysław Garczyński

THOMAS BALDASSARRI: «THERE’S NO DRIVER WHO INSPIRED ME, I AM MY OWN BENCHMARK»

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Thomas Baldassarri, born in 2008 in Lugo di Romagna, comes from a good season in the MINI Challenge championship. Let’s find out more about him ahead of his second season in the category, where he will fight again for the Italian championship.

You began racing at the age of 4. How did your encounter with the go-kart happen?
«My encounter with karting was initially born from my father’s passion, then from a request I made for my fourth birthday. That’s why he gave me a go-kart for that birthday, and from there my journey began. »

When did you understand the dream of becoming a driver could become reality?
«I understood the dream of becoming a driver could become reality when I realized the ever-growing passion, I had for this and, above all, for the first results I achieved».

Who were your benchmark drivers during your career?
«Honestly, there has never really been a driver who inspired me, because I believe every driver has an individual way of thinking and acting, so we can certainly say that my true benchmark driver is me».

You’ve been racing MINIs since 2024. What are the driving characteristics developed by this race car?
«The car I raced this year, the MINI John Cooper Works, is a very versatile car that has excellent speed both on the straights and in the corners. It’s also one of the few race cars to have front-wheel drive, which is a game-changer. Last but not least, the H gearbox, or the road gearbox, which is undoubtedly the most difficult to use».

What trophy are you most proud of?
«For now, the trophy I look at with greatest pride is the victory of the Italian go-kart championship race at Siena».

How do you feel racing in the same circuits as Formula 1?
«It’s very exciting to drive on the same tracks as Formula 1 drivers, because while you’re racing there, you think about some of the best drivers in the world have raced on that circuit».

What car, from the past or present, would you choose for a day of testing in Imola?
«If I really could choose a car for a day of testing, I would undoubtedly choose the Ferrari 488 GT3».

What are your interests outside the track?
«Outside the track, I do my duty as a young science high school student, but in my free time I love to approach the world of video games, and also collecting some rare pieces».

What’s your next dream to fulfil?
«The next dream to fulfil is obviously to win the championship that I will contest this year».

Author: Jacopo Rava

JASON KOSMOPOULOS MAKES HIS OKNJ DEBUT WITH COSMOSRALLY AND IS SET FOR AN INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM

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The Greek talent born in 2013 together with the family team, the Cosmosrally team, after a good season in the Mini category, will debut in the OKNJ category and will aim at the Greek Championship, some WSK races and the Italian ACI Karting Championship. In addition, he will challenge international level drivers in the prestigious Champions of the Future Academy Program.

Giovanni Minardi: “This will be a very important year for Jason, because he will step from the Mini to the OKNJ category. Most importantly, he will begin an international journey to race all around Europe and beyond. I’m sure Jason has the driving skills and the speed to achieve excellent results right from his first year, also thanks to the dedication and expertise of his family team, Cosmosrally”.

Jason Kosmopoulos: “This season I will be racing with my team, Cosmosrally, in the OKNJ category with Energy Corse material. I’ll take part in the Champions of the Future Academy Program, WSK, Greek Championship and Italian Championship. I’m really excited for the season to start and I’ll always give my best”.

George Kosmopoulos: “The Cosmosrally Kart Academy is pleased to announce that Jason Kosmopoulos will join the team for the 2025 race season. Jason will participate in OKNJ and OKJ categories with the support of Alumil, Circuit 27 and Minardi Management. His program consists of the Champions Of The Future Academy, WSK, Italian Championship and Greek Championship. Jason is a very fast and talented driver and he knows how to work with the team in order to improve his equipment.  We’re looking forward to working together this year, we are really happy to have you in our team”.

Author: Jacopo Rava

RAINY WINTER TROPHY FINAL IN LONATO FOR JULIA ANGELARD

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  • The first cup in the 2025 season is a good opportunity to warm up for the upcoming season for Julia Angelard, driving for JSTR by Jastrzębski Racing.
  • The Polish driver qualified for the final race in the OK Junior class in 19th place, but unfavourable weather conditions, leading to minor mistakes on the track, resulted in finishing the final race in 26th place.

Although most of the competitors gathered at the South Garda Karting track in Lonato were not lacking in optimism, the weather accompanying the ROK Cup Winter Trophy 2025 made it clear that the first competition of the season would not be the easiest. Rainfall with variable intensity posed a real challenge for mechanics and drivers in the next qualifying races, in which Julia Angelard began this year’s competition on the international stage.

The JSTR by Jastrzębski Racing competitor, who is under the care of Minardi Management, did indeed make it to the final round of competition in her Junior ROK category, but it was not without difficulties and struggles with both other competitors and equipment.

Plans for a solid start to the season thwarted
“The time trial went quite well for me, although not entirely as I had planned. Problems with starting the engine meant that I did not go out on the track as we had planned. As a result, it was difficult for me to complete that perfect qualifying lap. It was wonderful to get to the final despite the difficulties. Unfortunately, in difficult weather conditions I fell off at the first corner. My pace was very good and I managed to regain a dozen or so positions, after which I had a collision with another competitor while overtaking and with the damaged front of my kart I was not able to make up for the loss,” emphasizes Julia Angelard.

There was no shortage of difficulties
“All in all, it was a good first race weekend for Julia at the ROK Winter Trophy. All test days went perfectly, and she achieved a very positive eighth place in her qualifying group and 15th overall. On Saturday, she showcased her quality with a fabulous sixth place in the first manche. Unfortunately, during the second manche, she encountered some technical difficulties and faced intense battles on track, which prevented her from finishing.

On Sunday, the weather conditions changed significantly, with rain and a lot of water and dust on the track. This made it quite challenging for her, but she managed to maintain her position and finished ninth in the first manche. It was a great job and a clear demonstration of her determination!

In the final, however, she had to start from the back due to her missing result in the second manche. This was particularly penalizing under such conditions, and the final result did not accurately reflect her true performance, improvement, and resilience throughout the weekend. We are continually convinced that Julia’s will, talent, and intelligence make her one of the promising female talents to watch in the near future!” – commented Giovanni Minardi, the racer’s manager.

Showing her true face
The Minardi Management protégé will soon have another opportunity to compete on the South Garda Karting track. Julia Angelard will certainly try to settle scores with Lonato, and the opportunity for this will be the third round of the WSK Super Master Series. Right after it, the Polish racer will move directly to Portimão, where she will start in the first round of the prestigious Champions of the Future Academy series, supported by the F1 Academy.

JULIA ANGELARD, a nearly 13-year-old karting competitor, a protégé of Minardi Management, a member of the PZM junior national karting team in the 2025 season. Representing the colors of JSTR by Jastrzębski Racing, in the 2025 season she will compete in the Polish Karting Championships, in the Italian ROK Cup Italia series and in the international Champions of the Future Academy program, supported by F1 Academy – a series accompanying Formula 1. In July 2024, she was the only Polish woman to be among the 20 competitors who appeared in the Iron Dames Young Talents shootout finals.

She began competing in karting at the age of 4. She began her professional starts in the Rotax Max Challenge Poland series in the years 2017-2022 in the MicroMax and Minimax categories. In 2023, at the age of 11, she started in the ROK Cup Poland in the Junior category. In September 2023, she made her international debut as part of the ROK Superfinal and ROK Cup Italia, where she also appeared in 2024, becoming the fastest and highest ranked competitor and advancing 17 positions in one of the races.

PRESS OFFICE:
Przemysław Garczyński
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RACE WEEK #6 – GOOD START OF 2025 IN WSK AND ROK. SOOFI E ZHU SHINE IN ROTAX

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Five Minardi Management drivers hit the track last weekend on karting tracks from Europe to the Middle East. Tariq made another step towards the Rotax Bahrain title, while Zack made a great debut in the Rotax France. Julia showed promising speed in the ROK at Lonato, while in WSK at Sarno, Pietro is growing and Vladimir instead had a great first weekend in OK.

Tariq Soofi – P2 in the Rotax Bahrein at Sakhir, cat. Micro
Our youngest talent had another excellent weekend in the Rotax Bahrain, held on the kart track near the F1 circuit. He was the fastest, or second fastest, in every session, and fought for the victory in the final. Wisely, he avoided unnecessary risks and finished P2, maintaining the championship lead with one round to go.

Zack Zhu – P10 in the Rotax France at Salbris, cat. Junior
Zack made his debut in the Rotax France showing impressive speed. His first sessions promised a successful weekend, but he had a contact in the last heat, so his starting slot for the Super Heat was compromised. Due to a technical problem in the Super Heat, he didn’t even make the start, so he had to start the final from the back of the grid. Zack didn’t give up and overtook 21 opponents to finish the race in P8. A great performance, which shows once again his great speed and fighting spirit.

Julia Angelard – P26 in the ROK Winter Trophy at Lonato, cat. Junior
Julia is getting used to being the fastest girl on track. In qualifying she achieved a good P8 in her group, while the first two heats went also very well. Unfortunately, she had an accident in the third heat and went off track, so she started the final from P19. Keen to make up positions, she began to climb the order, but she was hit and had to start again from scratch. She didn’t give up, and overtook many opponents, before being hit again and finishing P26 at the finish line. Despite her bad luck in the final, Julia showed great speed, fighting spirit and determination.

Pietro Bagutti – DNQ in the WSK Super Master Series at Sarno, cat. OKJ
Pietro’s 2025 season could have started better, but it’s never easy to shine in changing conditions. His weekend started uphill, but he worked hard to turn the situation around and, in the last heats, he improved considerably. He kept this momentum in the Super heat, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough to earn a spot in the final, missing out by just two positions. Now the goal is to maintain the upward momentum to Lonato, the next round of the WSK Super Master Series, where there will be a lot of work to do both on his driving and on the part of the team.

Vladimir Ivannikov – P18 in the WSK Super Master Series at Sarno, cat. OK
Vladimir made a very good debut in the OK category. He achieved a good P5 in his qualifying group and continued to impress in the heats, being always in the top 10 and finishing a great P3 in the first heat. His great feeling with the kart made the difference in the prefinal too, as he climbed from P9 to P4 at the flag. The final was the hardest race, as he fought hard to defend P9. At the end he crossed the finish line P13 (became 18th after a 5 second penalty for the bumper), but he showed that he has excellent bases to hope for a great result in the next round at Lonato.

Author: Jacopo Rava

MAYA WEUG JOINS MP MOTORSPORT TO CONTINUE IN F1 ACADEMY

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After a beautiful win in the last race of last season in Abu Dhabi, our Ferrari Driver Academy talent will be back for more in the 2025 F1 Academy championship. Racing with MP Motorsport, she has a very good chance of winning the title and establishing herself as the fastest girl in the world.

Giovanni Minardi: “We are extremely pleased to have found a seat for Maya with MP Motorsport, and we thank Scuderia Ferrari for helping us closing the deal: we will defend the colors of the Maranello team again in the 2025 season of the F1 Academy championship.

We are certain, the Maya/MP Motorsport combination is the right choice to fight for the win in every race, and, most importantly, to win the championship.

Our agency is looking forward to begin this new adventure with Maya in this championship, because it’s the first time one of our girls participates.

One of the best qualities of this championship is the calendar: each of the seven rounds will be held alongside Formula 1 weekends on the most important and glamorous circuits on the calendar. Moreover, we will be part of the most important marketing show in the world of motorsport”.

Maya Weug: “Can’t wait to get started with MP Motorsport for my second season in F1 Academy! MP is a team with a lot of experience and I’m sure we’ll be working hard all year to fight for more wins! And proud to be racing in Ferrari colors again in 2025”.

Wouter Blokhuis: “We are very pleased that Maya has joined us for our F1 Academy season in 2025. With her speed and experience she will be among the leading drivers in a very talented field of young female drivers, so we look forward to seeing her at the sharp end of the grid, as we continue to support our sport’s inclusive journey towards more diversity.”

Author: Jacopo Rava

SAMMALISTO STARTS 2025 WITH A BANG IN FWS PORTIMÃO. WESTWOOD DOMINATES IN MALTA

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Luka kicked off his 2025 season with a great performance in the Formula Winter Series in Portugal. He worked very hard during the winter; therefore, he was perfectly fit when he approached his first race of the year.

His first qualifying with the new team brought a very good result, as he claimed P6 with a 1’45’’999 just a few tenths shy of the front row. Nonetheless, he managed to out-qualify his more experienced teammates.

He made a good start in Race 1 and kept P6. He defended remarkably well against the drivers behind, but he exceeded track limits too many times. That costed him a 5-second penalty. Luka was keen to make up for it and increased the pace. It’s always risky to overtake on the undulating Portimão circuit, but he managed to execute every overtake with calm and precision, until he was running P3. His 5-second penalty meant he was fighting for P4, maybe even for the podium. Unfortunately, the Safety Car came out with just a few laps to go with the entire field behind him. Inevitably, when he crossed the finish line, the penalty relegated him to an undeserved eleventh position.

Starting again from P6, he lost a place at the start of Race 2, but was able to regain the place by the end of lap 1. The first half of the race was freezer by the Safety Car, so tyres management was no longer a factor, and drivers could push to the flag. Luka just had to fend off the threat of Thomas Bearman, which he did superbly, and bring home a good P4 finish.

Race 3 started on a wet track. US Racing still opted for dry tyres, while the more conservative ones opted to immediately mount wet tyres. The race went underway after three lights went out, so it had to be red flagged. This gave the team the chance to switch to wet tyres, as the track wasn’t drying as quickly as expected. When lining up behind the Safety Car for the restart, Luka found himself in P8 behind the slick-tyres VAR of Popov. Having to wait until the finish line to overtake, he lost precious seconds behind the VAR on the final corner. By the time he was able to overtake him on turn one, the gap to the leading group had become enormous, so he had no choice but to capitalize on the mistakes of others and take home a fifth place.

He now turns his focus to Barcelona, a circuit he knows very well, and therefore one where he can fight for the win.

In karting, Benjamin Westwood dominated the first round of the Maltese Championship. Despite being a debutant in the OKNJ category, he dominated all the sessions, and then took the win with fastest lap in all the races.