Tony Kart: two pole positions and one victory at the round 1 of the “COTF”
At the Muro Leccese circuit in Italy, the Tony Kart Racer 401 T dominates the OKJ final of the Champions of the Future Euro Series, gaining the fastest time in the qualifying heats. Our team also wins the first place in the OK class qualifying session.
The Champions of the Future Euro Series begins at best for the Tony Kart Racing Team. At the World Circuit La Conca (Muro Leccese, Italy), the venue for the championship’s opening round, the Tony Kart Racer 401 T secures pole position and victory in the OKJ class, powered by the unit of the Vortex Engines. The “Racer” chassis also stands out in OK class, obtaining the first place in the qualifyings, once more with the engine designed by the OTK Kart Group’s “engine division”.
In OKJ, Julian Frasnelli conquers his first victory in the category, following a weekend spent consistently at the top of the standings. The Italian driver records the third-fastest time in his group during the qualifyings and continues with an extremely solid performance in the subsequent stages: four wins and four fastest laps in the qualifying heats, as well as victory in Super Heat 1. Starting from the pole position in the final, Frasnelli keeps the lead from the very start and, having a good gap over his rivals in the opening laps, manages the race without difficulty right up to the chequered flag. With the results from the first round and a total of 100 points, our driver is the championship’s leader.
In the qualifying heats, Antonio Ianni sets the fastest time of 1:03.873, despite the difficult wet track conditions. The Italian’s best result is the third place obtained in the qualifying heats, but a retirement in the final qualifying heat forces him to drop several places in the standings. This result also has a negative impact on his position on the final starting grid and on the outcome of the race itself.
Oiva Vettenranta finishes the final in the top 10, gaining four places from his starting position and setting the third-fastest lap time of the race. Furthermore, over the course of the race weekend, the Finnish driver finishes the Super Heat 2 in the top five and sets the fastest time in Heat B-C. Jean Poujol also stands out in the eliminatory heats, recording the fastest single lap in Heat D-F, whille in the final he is our third-placed driver, with the fourth-fastest lap time of the race.
Emerson MacAndrew-Uren, at his debut with our Racing Team, qualifies for the final, while Augustin Feligioni makes his debut in the ‘Junior’ class, having raced the first part of the season in OKJ-N. Yubo Wen gains valuable track time ahead of the first round of the FIA Karting European Championship, still at the Muro Leccese circuit.
In the OK class, Jindřich Pešl is consistently one of the main protagonists of the championship’s opening round. The Czech driver secures the pole position in the qualifying heats with a best time of 1:02.939, and continues with three wins, a second place and four fastest laps in the subsequent qualifying heats, as well as victory in Super Heat 1 on Saturday morning. Pešl starts at the front of the grid in the final, is involved in the battle for the top positions and finishes in the top five at the end of the 24 scheduled laps. In the standings, our driver is third with 80 points, just 8 points off the top.
Thomas Pradier is author of the best comeback in the final, gaining a total of eighteen places to finish in the top ten. Ilie Tristan Crisan opens the weekend with the second-fastest time in Group 2 of the qualifyings, before signing two wins, a second place in the qualifying heats and a third place in Super Heat 2. The Canadian driver finishes the final behind Pesl and Pradier, ahead of his team-mate Endo Arata.
Valerio Viapiana and Gabin Adam have their debut with our official colours at Muro Leccese. Gabriel Canal and Gilles Herman go on working with our team, gaining further experience in view of the upcoming scheduled events.
The Tony Kart Racing Team will remain in Muro Leccese to compete in the first round of the FIA Karting European Championship for the OK and OKJ categories (April 9–12).
