The Winter Trophy 2023 officially closed the year for Rotax Italia 2023. At the "7Laghi Kart" it was a Sunday full of good weather and very cool temperatures, in full style Winter Trophy, which gave us the opportunity to attend beautiful races in conditions of constant track, before charging the batteries for the winter break.
In the Rotax Mini, since the time trials it appeared that the victory issue would be discussed in the FooDrivers house with the apparent in the category David Davoli and the little Alex Baroni, who monopolize the first row of the line. In third position, Gabriele Giribaldi, while only in P6 Paolo De Grandi, who is testing the Birelart chassis in view of the participation in the Grand Final. In race-1 the protagonist of the departure is Alex Baroni, who takes the leadership, dragging behind a Paolo De Grandi lightning in the first round. The race is however characterized by the recovery of Davoli, which after a bad start, overtakes Giribaldi and De Grandi, and then jump into the final to the pursuit of team-mate Baroni. The last lap is from cardiopalm with Davoli passing Baroni and goes to win, while Giribaldi has the best on De Grandi for the P3. In race-2 everything appears a quieter wire, with Davoli that this time starts well and stretches immediately, with De Grandi passing through the Baroni street to put himself in second place. The young driver Foo Drivers is not there, and the fourth round takes the second position, hinting also a small recovery on Davoli, who wins the race on Baroni and De Grandi.
Pole position by Lorenzo Giaquinto (MKC Motorsport) in Rotax Junior, followed by Matteo Montrone and the new entry Dragos Avalsicutei. It should be noted that Giaquinto, for the occasion, leads a Prague-ipk chassis, in view of the Rotax Grand Final that will be very short. In race-1 escape from the start to Giaquinto, while a large group is formed in fight for the square of honor, formed by Avalsicutei, Sammartano and Badoni. Badoni always the most in the ball, and on the penultimate round passes Sammartano and climbs in P3. Giaquinto wins the race, and a penalty for off-site muse, brings Badoni to P2 and Sammartano to P3, while Avasilcutei is relegated from second to fifth. In race-2 he immediately departs to Giaquinto ball, which immediately digs a gap on the tracker group. However, Dragos Avasilcutei is holding all with the suspended breath: the Austrian, starting from the P5, reassembled to the second position, then setting a dazzling set that will bring him, in the final race, to close the gap of 2" separating him from Giaquinto. The experience of Giaquinto, however, prevails, allowing him to resist the attacks of the Austrian driver to go to take this victory too. To close the podium a consistent Matteo Montrone, who has the best on Matteo Natino.
Andrea Perduca (LKA Racing Team) is the author of the pole position, with record of the circuit, in the Rotax Max, in front of a surprising Giorgia Montrone (also for the record, under the track record) and the defending champion Elia Pappacena (MKC Motorsport). Race-1 is dominated by Andrea Perduca, who leads the whole race with a security margin on Pappacena. The greatest show offers it Giacomo Marchioro, who shot badly, surpasses both Thomas Graco, and Giorgia Montrone, taking the P3. On the finish line the victory is for Perduca, in front of Pappacena and Marchioro. In race-2 still great shooting of Perduca, who takes the leadership of the race on Pappacena and Marchioro. For 15 of the 18 laps the trio continues compact, then, Pappacena finally reaches Perduca and passes it to the curve-2. Marchioro also enters the fight and with two excellent surprises takes leadership, but at the last lap the struggle between the three lives in total uncertainty. A contact between Pappacena and Marchioro sends along the latter, and is therefore Pappacena to cross the finish line first, on Perduca and a consistent Giorgia Montrone. Pappacena, however, is penalized by 5" for contact at the last lap. The same penalty also affects Andrea Perduca for the incorrect position of the spoiler for events in pit lane of which this chronicle prefers to refrain. But without taking anything away from anyone, given its speed and consistency throughout the day of race, it is Giorgia Montrone to climb on the highest step of the podium for the first time in career.
In the DD2 it is the solo of Daniel Giliberti, who dominates the whole week, in front of Max Eigel, who, however, in both races, never manages to impress him. Infinity Racing wins both races with a margin of more than 5". The fight did not fail in the Master, with Alessandro Tosi fast in test to precede Federico Rossi. In race-1 the turn takes place in the first race laps, with Rossi passing Tosi at the start and controls it throughout the race. A different pair in race-2, with Tosi passing the Romagna driver to the third step and, with a great step, he will manage to stretch permanently. To close the podium the Birelart by Domenico Palumbo.
The Rotax Italia season can then be concluded: at a very short time the race schedule 2024 for a season that promises rich in emotions, also given the rich presence of international competitions on our territory.
Let's not forget, however, that in two weeks, the Italian team, composed by Paolo De Grandi, Lorenzo Giquinto, Kiko Fracassi, Elia Pappacena, Leonardo Baccaglini, Michael Rosina and Federico Rossi, will be engaged in Bahrain at the Rotax Grand Finale 2023.