Born in 2007 and a contemporary of Kimi Antonelli—against whom he even raced in the Mini days—Manuel is a full-time karter. Invited to the 22nd Acisport Federal Supercorso directly from the Italian ASN, he sampled F4 single-seaters at Vallelunga late in 2025, but for now, he's sticking with karts. If and when he makes the jump to cars, it might be with covered wheels, but right now, the focus is entirely on the 2026 season—which has already put Manuel back on track at Lonato in the year's first days with his new team.
Tell us about your beginnings: the first kart, the first laps on the track.
I remember it like it was yesterday: I was 4 years old, it was my cousin's Top Comer 50cc, and Dad took me to the track here in our small town Torre del Greco (Naples), at a small kartodrome. I didn't want to get off the kart—it was love at first sight!
Tell us about your beginnings: the first kart, the first laps on the track.
I remember it like it was yesterday: I was 4 years old, it was my cousin's Top Comer 50cc, and Dad took me to the track here in our small town Torre del Greco (Naples), at a small kartodrome. I didn't want to get off the kart—it was love at first sight!
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Manuel Scognamiglio on his first day on track with a 50cc.
What's your family's racing heritage? Was there a mentor at home, or did you do it all on your own?
None of my family ever raced: sure, Dad's always been a fan, and with him owning a garage, I've always breathed in the smell of gasoline. But we started karting almost as a game. From 2013 to 2015, we raced in entry-level mini classes since there was no Mini U10 back then—we'd show up at the track with our little trailer and go. Then one day at Sarno, I met Gamoto, who supported me by giving me the chance to race with their backing and a few sponsors. They were great seasons in Mini, and get this—in 2019, I could have won the Italian title if I hadn't broken my collarbone in training. Such a shame. Staying in Mini until 12 helped me arrive in Junior well-prepared, and sure enough, in my first year, we won the Italian Championship, which was run on X30s back then. I moved to Senior—still X30—after just one year, in 2021, and faced some really strong drivers. I placed well but still had a lot to learn. I was racing in the Italian series and Iame Series at the same time: I even did some rounds of the European series, but only the ones in Italy, since our budget didn't allow for races abroad. That time in the Iame Series helped me build experience in that format, and I won the Senior category in 2023 and 2024. All those results, including 2025's Italian title and World Cup, came with Team Tellone, who I want to thank endlessly.
So in 2024, we should have seen you at the IWF Finals in Zuera...
Unfortunately, that year the IWF Finals in Valencia were canceled due to floods, and since our budget didn't allow us to tweak the program for Zuera, we headed home and skipped the race.
You pretty much saw the OK-N engine being born. What was your impression from the start, given your long experience in one-make series?
I'll tell you, at first that engine didn't blow me away, especially the low-end torque: the first ones I tested in 2023 didn't leave a great impression compared to what I'd raced before. Then I got back on the new engines this year, and the story changed a lot, especially down low. No doubt about it—I love the OK-N. It suits my driving style even better, the way I brake.
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After a long progression through the Monomarca series, Scognamiglio reached OK-N—and won right away—always with Team Tellone. In 2025, he won the Italian Championship and the World Cup
What do you mean precisely?
When you have a clutch, the kart holds higher revs through the mid-corner and on exit—you have to modulate the throttle a bit more, I don't know how to put it. I tend to brake very late and very hard, and with the OK-N, I felt right at home immediately. It's fantastic on corner exit—I think that's what made the difference for me this year.
Tell us a bit about Cremona, and since you won both in 2025: is it easier to win a multi-round championship like the Italian or a one-off event?
Cremona was a tough weekend, especially with the weather changing constantly—we'd often be in the pre-grid on a track that suddenly went wet or dry. It was really hard, especially on Saturday, but I won all the heats except one, where I chose to manage the tires best. In one-off races, you have to think about that too, but winning under those conditions felt even more rewarding. One key detail for me was, as poleman, asking to switch sides for the start. Third behind me was Marshall, who I'd seen as the strongest all weekend and my biggest threat for the final. If he'd slotted into second on the inside from the pole, it would have been way tougher. I held position at the start, and with our pace, we brought it home. Marshall got stuck further back, also thanks to the side switch, and it worked out. For multi-round championships, though, I'd say it's easier overall to manage setbacks across races: if you work consistently well throughout, you can win despite bad luck or occasional mechanical issues. In a one-off, it can feel like a lottery—if something goes wrong in a heat or you have a bad qualifying, recovery is tough. The stakes are too high, and time too short. Multi-round championships are definitely better.
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Following your Supercourse experience at Vallelunga, any chance we'll see you in cars soon? If so, would you keep racing karts?
I'm not thinking about cars right now—it's a program beyond my financial reach. Sure, I'd like to, like everyone who starts karting young like me, but I really love karting, and it'll be my sport for a while longer.
How much time do you dedicate weekly to karting? On track and in the gym.
Not a ton in the gym because I'm often at the track—as a driver and lately as a coach for some young kids. Karting is my life right now, and I'm basically full-time between track, training, and technical prep.
Obligatory question: plans for 2026? Will you ever move to KZ?
I've signed with a new Team, and in 2026 I'll race Pantano chassis from the ex-kart and F1 champion with Team Pantano by DAM : I'm thrilled about this opportunity. The plan is all the major OK-N races, some WSK events, and above all, if things go well, the FIA OK World Championship in Bahrain. I've already tested the kart at Lonato these past few days, and I'm eager to hit the track for the first races—I'm so happy to have taken on this new challenge. As for KZ, I haven't thought about it yet, but it could be a natural step in a karter's career down the line.
A question we often ask new-generation drivers: favorite track in Italy, and a past karting driver you'd have loved to race against.
For obvious reasons of proximity and because I did my first big races there, Sarno is my home track and my favorite, but I love Lonato too—and the Casaluce smaller track here in Campania has always been a favorite. As for past drivers I'd have loved to race, it has to be Giorgio Pantano—now that I'm getting to know him better as the manufacturer for my team—but also because he was a karting legend in an incredible era for our sport. I'd add Alessandro Manetti, whom I know personally and have seen race in KZ Masters—he's an incredible, super-strong driver.
