With the free practice which began few days ago, the paddock and the track of Lonato are in ferment. The 16th edition of the Winter Cup on the South Garda Karting Circuit is about to start and, with the last entrants, the participants in the event – which opens the 2011 international racing season – have gone past the threshold of 260 drivers. The three categories of the event - KF3, KF2, KZ2 - can now boast the presence of the best drivers. But it is the top category, the KZ2, the focus of everybody’s attention thanks to the presence of all the top rate drivers at world level in a challenge which is going to be really gripping.

This year, in the KZ2, apart from the great specialists such as the world champions Jonathan Thonon (CRG) and the “veteran” of the category Alessandro Piccini (Tony Kart), there will be also other talented drivers such as the champions Marco Ardigò (Tony Kart), Sauro Cesetti (Birel) or the other couple – always driving for CRG - Arnaud Kozlinski and Davide Forè. Other interesting drivers are some excellent first-timers such as the Dutch Nyck De Vries (Zanardi-Parilla), new CIK FIA world champion for the KF category (direct drive category) and who has been in the  “Young Driver Programme” by McLaren F1 for one year.

So De Vries takes part in the Winter Cup for the first time, driving a kart with gear-shift; it will be interesting to see how this talented kid will perform in this new – for him - and powerful category. It is even more interesting if we think of how fast was De Vries’s progress up to the top levels of karting: from KF3 in 2008 (WSK champion) and 2009 (CIK FIA and WSK European champion), directly to the Super KF in 2010 (CIK FIA world champion).

He is now launched in this new experience: “I’ve just turned 16 (on 6th February – editor’s note) – said De Vries in a break during the tests of Lonato – and by the end of the year I’m going to start to drive in car-racing. I’m really keen on this Winter Cup race: KF2 is a totally new category for me, but I do like it. At the moment I’m having some troubles in the traction control, but I hope to be at my best for the race. KZ is the most important category this year, thanks to the presence of many champions, and I’m really looking forward to competing against such skilful drivers. Then I will continue this season in KF1, taking part in the CIK FIA world championship, the WSK Euro Series and the other WSK international meetings where I hope to get some good successes.”

 
 
 

The Programme of the 16th Winter Cup 11th-12th-13th February 2011

South Garda Karting - Lonato (Brescia - Italy)

 

Thursday 10th February

H 08:00am – 01:20pm       Free Practice

H 09:00am – 12:00pm       KF3 Scrutineering

H 12:30am – 03:30pm       KF2 Scrutineering

H 01:20am – 05:20pm       Free Practice

H 03:30pm – 05:00pm       KZ2 Scrutineering

Friday 11th February

H 08:00am – 10:35am        Official Free Practice

H 10:40am – 12:35pm       Qualifying Practice

Lunch Break

H 01:15pm – 05:30pm       Qualifying Heats (15 laps)

Saturday 12th February

H 08:00am – 09:55am        Warm-up

H 10:00am – 05:35pm       Qualifying Heats (15 laps)

Sunday 13th February

H 08:00am – 10:25am        Warm-up

H 10:40am – 11:35am        Second Chance heats (15 laps)

Lunch Break

H 12:30am                             Drivers presentation

H 01:30pm                             KZ2 Pre-final (20 laps)

H 02:00pm                             KF3 Pre-final (20 laps)

H 02:30pm                             KF2 Pre-final (20 laps)

H 03:00pm                             KZ2 Final (25 laps)

H 03:30pm                             KF3 Final (20 laps)

H 04:00pm                             KF2 Final (25 laps)