ART Grand Prix on-track at Lonato for the Margutti Trophy

The arrival of ART Grand Prix as a Constructor in the challenging karting scene required an intense preparation, but now the on-track results are rewarding the team with its first wins. In the Trophée Vincent Sanchez et Julie Tonelli, disputed at the Lavelanet track in France, ART Grand Prix France official driver Charles Machado cruised to a classic win in the X30 category.
Positive news also came from Great Britain as Alfie Brown, driving for ART Grand Prix official team ZipKart, won the Mini-Max (Rotax) category at Shenington as he cruised to win in the final and also clocked the fastest lap of the race.
The Aucklander Ryan Grant scored his second win of the season in New Zealand after his sensational debut victory at Wellington. The official driver of Paffoni NZ (ART Grand Prix exclusive official dealer) also won the second round of his nation’s CIK Trophy, held at Rotorua.
The ART Grand Prix racing program also made its first steps in Brazil. The TS-01 chassis, homologated for the categories represented in the Brazilian go-kart panorama, has made its first and successful on-track outing thanks to a wide partnership with Aethra - Sistemas Automotivos.

Next weekend, the official drivers of ART Grand Prix will try to increase their score so far by taking part in the Trofeo Margutti. Three Factory Team drivers will be partnered by five members of the Manufacturer-supported Finnish Team. Among others, ART Grand Prix Finland will be represented by rookie Pukema Pasi, a 14-year-old from Tornio who won the 2011 Finnish KF3 Series. A new addition was welcomed in the Factory Team too, as 13-year-old Swiss racer Felix Hirsiger will join Armando Filini and his squad. Hirsiger won the 2011 Swiss Rotax Max Challenge Mini.
The line-up will be completed by Valentino Orlandi, set to be fielded in KZ2 by ART’s official dealer for Lazio NKC Racing, directed by Nicola Marcucci. In addition to the Trophy Andrea Margutti, Orlandi will line-up in all the five rounds of the Italian ACI-CSAI Championship schedule.

>> ENTRY LIST TROFEO ANDREA MARGUTTI:
ART Grand Prix - Factory Team
CHARLES LECLERC (KF2)
FELIX HIRSIGER (KF3)
TAKUYA OKADA (KF3)
ART Grand Prix - Official Team Finland
NIKLAS NYLUND (KF2)
SIMO LAAKSONEN (KF3)
OLLI PELTOLA (KF3)
PASI PUKEMA (KF3)
TOUMAS HAAPALAINEN (KF3)

ARMANDO FILINI:
“We’re back at Lonato just a few weeks after the running of the Winter Cup, our debut race. Unfortunately though, we won’t be able to profit from the feedback we collected last February due to the drastically different weather conditions. We are moving from being almost under the zero to the 20°C we expect this weekend. The Trofeo Andrea Margutti will be a valuable chance to meet two new drivers, Pukema and Hirsiger, and to continue in our development. We will be bringing on-track some new parts and every lap will be key for us.”