Vortex hits a double win at the WSK Final Cup in Franciacorta

On the occasion of the first round of the championship, the OTK Kart Group engine division dominates the OK category final with Jindrich Pesl and finishes in first place in the MINI Gr.3 category with Victor Thomas Gorun.

OK – Vortex VTS's championship campaign gets off to a flying start. Already in qualifying, the OTK Kart Group's engine division scores a hat-trick in Group 1 with Jindřich Pešl (Tony Kart Racing Team), Oliver Rasmussen (Tony Kart Racing Team), and Thomas Pradier (Tony Kart Racing Team). In the qualifying heats, on the other hand, there are three wins and a second place, followed by another first place in pre-final A.

The final sees Pešl jumping perfectly from the pole position and easily holding off his rivals in the first few corners. Thanks to an excellent race, the Tony Kart Racing Team driver celebrates the victory under the checkered flag.

Rasmussen is also in contention for a top finish in the last race of the weekend and ends the race with a positive top-5 finish. Pradier, penalized by a stop in the heats and a collision during the first lap of the pre-final, starts from the back of the grid but is able to recover not less than eight positions. Iskender Zulfikari (Tony Kart Racing Team) finishes behind the French driver.

MINI Gr.3 – The VTM unit gains the victory in Sunday afternoon's final, allowing Vortex Engines to celebrate another success at the end of the first round of the championship. The qualifyings initially see Lingham Li (Tony Kart Racing Team) in second place in group 2, after which Victor Thomas Gorun (Tony Kart Racing Team) emerges at the top of the standings, with one victory and two third places in the qualifying heats and a first place in pre-final A. Zane Pace (Tony Kart Racing Team) contributes to the overall haul with a second place in the first heat.

Gorun starts at the front of the grid in the final and leads the race in the early laps. After temporarily losing the lead in the middle stages, the Romanian driver remains close to the leading group and, with a decisive overtaking move on the last lap, regains the lead. The move allows him to deservedly win the race.

Also involved in the battle for the top positions, Li narrowly misses the podium. Andrea Iannone (Tony Kart Racing Team) finishes in the top 10, while Miguel Enrique Manzano Suarez (Tony Kart Racing Team) makes a remarkable comeback, climbing 17 positions.

OKJ – The Vortex VTJ immediately proves to be able to compete for victory among the “Juniors.” On Friday, Ilie Tristan Crisan (Tony Kart Racing Team) sets the fastest time in the second qualifying group, while his teammate Oliveri Sini (Tony Kart Racing Team) is third in group 1. In the qualifying heats, the VTJ scores a victory and a third place, plus a win, a top-3 finish, and a fastest lap in the two pre-finals. In the final, Sini jumps with an excellent start from the outside line and, after a few laps, is involved in the battle for the top positions. Driving a cautious and flawless race, the Indonesian comes very close to securing a podium finish.

Originally running the pole position, Crisan is forced to start from the back of the grid after hitting another competitor during the warm-up lap. However, the Canadian driver manages to recover 21 positions, finishing just behind Julian Frasnelli (Tony Kart Racing Team). Henri Constant Kumpen (Tony Kart Racing Team) and Antonio Reginaldo Pizzonia Neto (Tony Kart Racing Team) also qualifiy for the final.

KZ2 – The Vortex VTZ engine is at the starting grid of the shifter category with Marcus Armstrong (Tony Kart Racing Team), a driver active in the IndyCar Series. The New Zealander, who competed in the 2015 and 2016 seasons with the Tony Kart Racing Team and powered by Vortex Engines, is getting familiar with the Franciacorta circuit, preparing himself as best as he can for the upcoming events on the calendar.

MINI Gr.3 U10 – The VTM also plays a leading role in the Under 10 class with Blake Hsueh (Tony Kart Racing Team) and Nahil Padovani Amador (Tony Kart Racing Team). In the final race of the weekend, the American driver finishes in the top ten, while the French driver gains not less than seven positions during the race.