Dmitry Matveev back to winning ways

Winner of the WSK Final Cup at the end of 2023, it didn't take long for Dmitry Matveev to win again in OK with the KR Motorsport team. Another KR-IAME was in a position to win the Final, but a collision at the start of the last third of the Final ruined the chances of Thibaut Ramaekers (VDK Racing-Cetilar). Delayed by a retirement in one heat, his team-mate Fionn MacLaughlin drove at a very high pace to come back to 4th position. Salim Hanna (Prema Racing), who finished 10th in the Final, Lorenzo Campos (AKM Motorsport), Lewis Francis and Leo Nilsson, both of KR Motorsport, also made their mark.

Niklas Schaufler remains leader in OK-Junior

The Austrian driver from the DPK Racing team was involved in a collision in the Final, when he was once again battling with the leading pack. But thanks to the points scored for his victory in Prefinal B, Niklas Schaufler is still in 1st place in the series. Winner of the other Prefinal and a brilliant 2nd in the Final, Dean Hoogendoorn (AKM Motorsport) confirmed his rise to prominence on his debut in OK-Junior. 2nd on Saturday evening and 5th in the Final, Bosco Arias (DPK Racing) scored the best result of his career in this category. KR Motorsport's Iskender Zulfikari, Iacopo Martinese and Daniel Kelleher, as well as Victory Lane's Rocco Coronel and Thomas Pradier, were among the event's leading lights.

Danilo Albanese competitive on his return to KZ

Forced to retire twice in the heats, Paolo Ippolito was unable to play the role he had hoped for on the official KR Motorsport team's return to the track in KZ. On the other hand, Danilo Albanese was able to demonstrate the enormous potential of the KR-IAME package in this gearbox category: P2 in Qualifying, P4 after the heats with a win, P1 in Prefinal B and P7 in the Final after a difficult start to the race by the Italian, as well as a set-up that could have been better.

KR win in Mini 60, 2nd place in OK-N Junior

Winner at Cremona in the Mini U10 class, Lucas Palacio was unable to start at Franciacorta due to an accident before the race. As a result, his chances of winning the title have diminished. However, the KR chassis won the Mini 60 'Group 3' thanks to Daniel Miron Lorente, who came 2nd overall before Sarno! In addition to this brilliant success, the Driver Racing Kart team was delighted with the performance of Valerio Viapana, who took 2nd place on the podium in OK-N Junior. He too is provisionally 2nd in the WSK Super Master Series.

Comments from Dino Chiesa, Head of KR Global Motorsport Company

"We didn't suffer the January cold of Lonato or the rain of Cremona. The conditions were much better, which allowed us to work on the equipment in an interesting way. As is often the case at Franciacorta, the characteristics of the track and the slipstream effect led to a few incidents in the races, but many KR chassis-equipped drivers continued to fight at the front, winning heats and Prefinals, as well as finishing on the podium. The performance was there. I should also point out that we had a total of 100 drivers equipped with KR chassis at the start in Franciacorta! I'd like to thank all the drivers and teams who have put their trust in us, not forgetting our partners who have contributed to our success."

About KR Global Motorsport Company

At the end of the 2017 season Dino Chiesa officially presented the new Kart Republic entity and its characteristic logo. The yellow, orange and red colours reflect the colours of the Serenissima Republic which, from 697 to 1797, marked the history of the Padua region, home of the KR brand. The wing refers to those of the lion of St. Mark, the symbol of Venice, the capital of the Venetian Republic.

On 1st January, the KR chassis received CIK-FIA homologation. The success was immediate! In the very first season, the German Hannes Janker became European OK Champion in 2018. A few weeks later, the Italian Lorenzo Travisanutto (KR-IAME) became FIA Karting World Champion. The KR chassis quickly became a reference in the most important international events, as well as in many countries around the world. The successes in FIA Karting followed one another. At the 2022 World Championship in Campillos, less than four years after its launch, KR was the most represented brand in the paddock.

Over the years, the Kart Republic factory has continued to develop, launching the Alonso Kart brand in 2020 and relaunching the famous DAP name in early 2023. The various activities of the Italian company are now grouped under the "KR Global Motorsport Company". The head of the company, Dino Chiesa, is one of the most influential figures in the world of karting. The Italian engineer is also one of the best talent scouts in the world of karting. He has helped the rise of drivers such as Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton and Nyck De Vries. Many Formula 1 team academies trust him, including those of Mercedes, Red Bull, Alpine and Sauber. The famous Prema Racing team has just announced its entry to the world of karting, in partnership with Kart Republic.