Duel at the top in KZ2

The KZ2 category was the scene of an intense battle for supremacy between the Birelart drivers. Pedro Hiltbrand won the Final in style, crossing the line 0.316s clear after finishing 2nd in the Prefinal, won by Vasile in the colours of CL Racing. Birelart dominated Qualifying, taking pole position in all three groups, with Pedro Hiltbrand leading Group 1, Cristian Bertuca on pole in Group 2 and Daniel Vasile leading Group 3. This meant three Birelart drivers in the top three timed Qualifying positions out of 89 entries.

Daniel Vasile, the only driver to overtake Hiltbrand in the Final by briefly taking the lead on lap 5, finished 4th after qualifying in 3rd position and winning two heats as well as two 2nd places. In the overall championship standings, Vasile is now in 3th place ahead of the final round, while Hiltbrand, despite missing the first race, has moved up to 5th.

In the CL Racing clan, Genis Civico Espona made a fine comeback, moving up six places to finish 8th in the final, while Samuele Leopardi finished 12th after taking 6th place in the Prefinal. Cristian Bertuca encountered problems in two heats, forcing him to start much further back than his speed should have allowed. Corentin Rousseau also gained positions despite a penalty, while brothers Samuel and Jean Luyet were unfortunately unable to reach the finish of the Final.

Ivannikov impresses in OK

In the OK category, Vladimir Ivannikov set an impressive pace in the Final, setting the fastest times on track. A penalty dropped him back to 16th place, just ahead of Noah Wolfe (VAR by Birelart), who distinguished himself by moving up 16 positions after retiring in the Qualifying Heat. Skye Parker, despite a difficult weekend in the heats, never gave up.

In OK-Junior, Ludovico Mazzola and Pietro Bagutti unfortunately failed to qualify for the Final against a field of 80 drivers. In Mini Gr3, Achille Rea made fine progress, moving up 14 places to finish 10th in the Final.

More confidence ahead of the rest of the season

"We are delighted with the results in KZ2 at Franciacorta, which will be the venue for the World Championship and World Cup later in the year," said Riccardo Longhi, KZ2 Team Manager. "This weekend, almost 90 drivers took to the track, and we were delighted to see how effectively our new equipment has been developed."

Jordon Lennox added: "Vladimir Ivannikov and Noah Wolfe are making progress every weekend. Now we turn our attention to Viterbo, a key stage in our preparations for the OK and OK-Junior European Championships in June."

At Viterbo, a number of drivers will be competing in the KZ and Mini classes, while the OK and OK-Junior categories will be testing in preparation for the European Championship.

About Birel ART

Birelart 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, Birelart 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 Birelart'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. Birelart 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, Birelart's customers.

Birelart 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.

Birelart'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.