World Championship for KR chassis with Kutskov and DPK Racing

Four KR chassis in the top five in OK with the world title for Kirill Kutskov and three KR Motorsport team drivers in the top six in OK-Junior. The Franciacorta meeting was a dazzling demonstration of the expertise of the KR Global Motorsport Company factory, which can also be associated with the competitiveness of IAME engines. Whether with its official team or its satellite teams, Kart Republic brought its FIA Karting season to a brilliant conclusion. And after the team title in KZ, KR Motorsport was crowned in OK-Junior and Prema Racing in OK. The success was rounded off by victories for the KR chassis in both the OK-N and OKJ-N categories in the Road to the World Cup event.

After Europe, the World once again

Kart Republic’s record of success in FIA Karting events grew once again at Franciacorta. Danilo Albanese won the European KZ Championship, Oleksandr Bondarev the European OK-Junior Championship and Paolo Ippolito the World KZ Championship.

OK: DPK Racing World Champion for the second year running

No fewer than 21 heats were on the OK programme, and six different drivers won all of them at the wheel of their KR-IAME package: four for Kean Nakamura Berta (Prema Racing), three for Fionn Mac Laughlin (VDK Racing), two for Arthur Poulain (AKM Motorsport), one for Alex Powell (Prema Racing), Enzo Tarnvanichkul (Prema Racing) and Kirill Kutskov (DPK Racing). It was then Joe Turney’s turn to win the Super Heat ahead of two other KRs, Nakamura-Berta and Mac Laughlin.

The Final saw many twists and turns, but the title always remained within reach for the Kart Republic factory. Nakamura-Berta took the lead on the first lap, followed by Joe Turney. Powell was extremely fast before colliding, although he was ahead of Kutskov at that point in the race. The incident involving the Briton paved the way for Kirill Kutskov to win in style. After setting the second fastest lap time (two thousandths off the fastest!), Kutskov remained solid right to the end and won brilliantly in the Alonso Kart colours. The young driver achieved a breathtaking Final, a year after the success of Matheus Morgatto with the DPK Racing team. Kean Nakamura Berta joined Kutskov on the podium in 3rd place, just ahead of Enzo Tarnvanichkul (P4), who went from strength to strength, and Arthur Poulain (P5), who put in his finest performance at this level. Dmitry Matveev finished 9th after moving up seven places, Marcus Saeter (DPK Racing) 9th and Enea Frey (VDK Racing) 14th.

OK-Junior: KR Motorsport continues to highlight new drivers

Many drivers were able to show their potential in the OK-Junior World Championship thanks to the extreme performance of the KR-IAME packages. And it wasn’t just those who shone in the European Championship. Noah Monteiro set the fastest time in his group and won a heat. Christopher El Feghali and Lewis Francis did the same, while Taym Saleh won twice. In their Cetilar Racing colours, Thibaut Ramaekers and Iacopo Martinese were also competitive enough to aim for victory.

But not everyone was as successful and the world title suddenly slipped away for Kart Republic at the start of the Final. In the end, it was three other drivers who confirmed the Italian brand’s overall level of performance. Constantly at the front, David Cosma Cristofor was rewarded for his efforts with a remarkable comeback in 4th place ahead of two of his team-mates: Stepan Antonov, once again at the top of his game at a major event, and Augustus Toniolo, who was able to climb back up the field after his 20th time. Congratulations also to Arjen Kräling, who finished just outside the top 10, and to Oleksandr Bondarev, who climbed from 67th in the Timed Qualifying to 14th in the Final behind El Feghali.

2023 FIA Karting Team Championship: three titles out of four!
OK Champion: Prema Racing
OK-Junior Champion: KR Motorsport
KZ Champion: KR Motorsport

Comments from Dino Chiesa, Head of KR Global Motorsport Company

“Kart Republic is a big family and I’m delighted that a driver who has chosen one of our satellite teams and a KR-IAME package can become FIA Karting World Champion in OK. Congratulations to Kirill Kutskov. This can only be a dream for young drivers, who have to believe that it is possible. The DPK Racing team has my full confidence and has demonstrated its ability to win at the highest world level. VDK Racing with Fionn Mac Laughlin also proved this. Our chassis was just as competitive in the colours of Prema Racing, Sauber Academy, AKM Motorsport and Cetilar Racing. I think that’s the best message we could send to our drivers and future drivers for the events and seasons to come.

“I’m always happy when one of our drivers reaches the podium, but the new team title is extremely important to me, as it shows that we have been able to put together a string of excellent results and be consistent throughout the season. We won three of the four FIA Karting team titles in 2023. After the KZ title, we have been crowned champions in both the OK category, with Prema Racing, and the OK-Junior category, with KR Motorsport. I’d also like to congratulate Jesse Phillips (Kidix Driver Performance) and Antonio Apicella (Team Driver Racing Kart), who won the OKJ-N and OK-N Finals respectively with KR-IAMEs at the Road to the World Cup, the curtain-raiser to the World Championship. Finally, I would like to wish our driver Joe Turney, who was injured during the Final, a speedy recovery.”

Kart Republic – Press release / Photo © KSP

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