Faced with 59 competitors in KZ2, Birel ART made the most of changing weather conditions for this time of year (16°C, brief rain on Saturday) to fine-tune the development of its recently homologated equipment.

Bertuca imperial, Vasile in support

Winner of the 2024 KZ2 World Cup with his Birel ART chassis, Cristian Bertuca was solid throughout the weekend. He qualified 4th and moved up to 2nd place after the heats, winning on Saturday afternoon. After finishing second in the Prefinal, he started from the front row in the Final and took victory by a margin of four tenths.

His CL Racing team-mate, Daniel Vasile, also shone. Qualifying 3rd, he won a heat and his Prefinal before finishing 2nd in the Final, making it a one-two for Birel ART.

Leopardi on the comeback trail, Hiltbrand unlucky

Among the team's other drivers, Samuele Leopardi moved up 12 places to finish 11th in the final. Martti Ritonen won a heat, but was penalised for a loose spoiler. Pedro Hiltbrand had an eventful weekend, alternating between a retirement, two 3rd places in the heats and 7th place in the Prefinal, before being involved in an accident in the Final.

Fine performances in OK

In the OK category, Noah Wolfe (VAR by Birel) came close to the podium, while Vladimir Ivannikov, who performed well in Qualifying (9th) and the Prefinal (4th), was unlucky in the Final.

In the OK-Junior and Mini categories, the team's young hopefuls gained valuable experience with a view to the forthcoming races.

A promising start to the season

"We are delighted with Bertuca's victory and Vasile's 2nd place in KZ2 against the best KZ drivers and teams', said Jordon Lennox. 'This is an excellent indicator of the performance of our newly homologated equipment. Wolfe and Ivannikov have shown that they are capable of fighting at the front in OK and we know that victories and podiums are not far off."

Riccardo Longhi, for his part, emphasised the importance of the team's work in developing the equipment:

"This result is the fruit of a huge effort by the whole team. We put a lot of work into optimising every detail of our new package over the winter, and to see our drivers perform at this level from our first race is a great confirmation. We still have some areas for improvement, but this performance gives us the motivation to keep up the momentum."

The Birel ART team now turns its attention to the third round of the WSK Super Master Series, which takes place at Lonato from 19th-23rd February.

About Birel ART

Birel ART is an Italian manufacturer of kart chassis that combines long experience and a keen sense of innovation with a boundless passion for motor sport.

Founded in 1959 by Umberto Sala, whose precise nickname was Birel, the company has played a pioneering role in the development of karting around the world since its very beginnings. The demand for quality has always been part of the DNA of the Lissone-based brand through its quest for success in competition. Over more than 60 years, Birel ART has won 26 world titles, countless European titles and numerous national championships.

Birel has accompanied the careers of many great racing drivers, including Riccardo Patrese, Keke Rosberg, Stefano Modena and Emanuele Pirro, as well as the more recent Formula 1 stars Mika Hakkinen and Juan Pablo Montoya, Robert Kubica, Jenson Button and George Russell. Robert Kubica, Daniel Ricciardo and more recently Charles Leclerc have called on Birel ART's expertise to launch their own chassis ranges.

Three generations have succeeded one another at the helm of Birel. Today, Ronni Sala, the founder's grandson, presides over Birel's destiny. In 2014, he ushered in a new era by joining forces with ART Grand Prix, a famous team on the single-seater scene, thanks to its association with Nicolas Todt and his partners. Birel ART was born.

Ronni has contributed to the creation of an ambitious new project that will be at the forefront of the karting industry, thanks to original sporting, marketing and communication initiatives that will benefit the brand, the dealer network and, of course, Birel ART's customers.

Birel ART has built on its prestigious heritage to enter the 21st century and make full use of technology in terms of R&D, production, logistics and communication. Its area of expertise, based on high-level competition, has been extended to include production quality control for a large number of competitors around the world, as well as the leisure sector with its Rental range with both internal combustion and electric engines. The factory at its original site in Lissone, near Monza and within easy reach of Milan, has undergone constant modernisation.

Birel ART's high level of expertise, with its well-balanced blend of tradition and innovation, is reflected in the results it has achieved in racing, offering fans around the world the opportunity to become real drivers or to have fun and experience the thrill of adrenaline on the track.