01/04/2014

Margutti Trophy

The 25th edition of the legendary event saw Maranello drivers dominate in the most performing category: the KZ2. Zanchetta ruled the weekend and won on the fly over Camplese, making for a spectacular 1-2 finish. The feast was made complete by Bernardotto’s 6th place.

South Garda Karting – Lonato – 30 March 2014 A sizable fleet of Maranello karts rolled out on track in Lonato for the Margutti Trophy in the KZ2: the red chassis were 11% of the starting line-up, 7 out of the 63 on track. Numbers aside, the hard work carried forth by the Lonato-based company was fully rewarded by track performance. In the first qualifying group the best of the Maranello drivers is Lorenzo Lapina, the only one powered by Modena En-gines (Kartissimo Team), who places 3rd ahead of Nicola Gnudi (official driver for the Maranello – Sgrace Team). In group 2, Maranello takes the first 1-2 finish of the weekend with Marco Zanchetta and Lorenzo Camplese and also places well into the Top 10 (7th) with Enrico Bernardotto (on the Maranello - KCL Racing Team).The good takings also include the 13th time by Christoph Hold (Maranello – Kart Shop Hold, a private Austrain team) and 20th by Simone Palazzetti (supported by the official Maranello – Sgrace Team). In the heats Zanchetta again proves to be the best driver of the fleet: in the top spot at the penalties count, with a victory and 2 second places, while Bernardotto confirms his 7th place standing ahead of Camplese. Lorenzo is the only driver on field to take 2 heat victories, but a P16 in the third race ranks him 8th overall. The top end of the charts also includes Lapina: 12th after great performances, especially in the first two heats where he closed 5th and 3rd. Palazzetti and Gnudi don’t make the top 28, but it’s just a temporary phase because in the repechage race they both drive with confidence and determination, earning their right to the finals. In the prefinal, needless to say, it is again Zanchetta who wins: the experienced driver does an impeccable race, commanding the field and closing with nearly 2 seconds of advantage over his closest rival, Camplese. He too does a fantastic prefinal, driving the fastest lap of the race as he checks off one rival after the next on his climb from eighth to second place: he’s the only driver who does less than 41”,5. Bernardotto continues his steady run, closing 7th once more. Following the weekend trend, in the final it was inevitable that the battle for victory would be a duel between Zanchetta and Camplese. The two quickly carve a gap from their rivals, reaching the finish-line over 5 seconds ahead of the fastest follower. It is Zanchetta who wins the “made in Maranello” duel, giving the best possible ending to a perfect Margutti Trophy, where he proved to be the best from start to finish. Camplese closes less than 2 tenths behind him, adding his own signature to a super weekend. In the final Bernardotto moves up a spot and closes 6th. The top 20 also includes Palazzetti: 19th. This is how Maranello General Manager Luca Iannaccone comments the races: “A more than deserved victory, fruit of the high professional standards of our collaborators, Stefano Griggio and Tiziano Rizzi, on one hand, on the other, who work non-stop so we may be more competitive than ever in a category where the game is getting fiercer by the day”.