In karting, there are events that withstand the test of time, technical evolutions, and changes to the international calendar—the Andrea Margutti Trophy is one of them. The race organized by Parma Motorsport has represented one of the season's most prestigious classics for decades, an event that continues to draw renowned drivers and teams from around the world. A charm that dates back a long way and which, even today, is confirmed by the numbers and the quality of the grids.
To understand the weight of the Andrea Margutti Trophy in the karting landscape, one must go back to the 1990s and early 2000s. During that period, at the Parma San Pancrazio Kartodromo circuit, a genuine season-opening "little World Championship" took place. The 100cc Formula A, ICA, and Junior categories gathered the best drivers on the international scene, with grids of the highest technical level.
.jpg)
The chequered flag of the 1998 Margutti – Cat100 Junior: Stefano Fabi finishes ahead of a very young Ardigò, a future karting legend, and Alessandro Pierguidi — winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Ferrari in 2023
For many teams, it was the first major test of the year, a race capable of providing key insights before the titled European and World Championship events. It wasn't uncommon to see drivers destined for international karting stardom battling wheel-to-wheel at Parma in the season's early races.
.jpg)
Among the winners of the Trofeo Andrea Margutti are several names who later went on to major careers in motorsport. Just think of Giancarlo Fisichella, who won four times between 1990 and 1994 in the 100 FA and ICA categories (here pictured with Jarno Trulli, another great protagonist of those years and later a Formula 1 driver), or Robert Kubica, who won in 1999
Among the Andrea Margutti Trophy winners are several names who went on to have significant careers in motorsport. Just think of Giancarlo Fisichella, who won four times between 1990 and 1994 in the 100 FA and ICA categories, or Robert Kubica, winner in 1999.
Over the years, karting has undergone various technical and regulatory revolutions, and the Margutti has adapted by following the evolution of international categories. After the end of the 100 cc era, the event in memory of Andrea Margutti hosted the KF and KFJ classes, then entered the one-make phase with X30 Senior and Junior. From 2024, a new chapter opened with the introduction of the OK-N and OK-N Junior categories, which are among today's most exciting classes on the international scene thanks to a technical philosophy that combines high performance with more contained costs. A choice that has proven winning in terms of participation and, more than anything else, has delivered stunning numbers in the one-make categories. In 2025, there were 51 entries in OK-N and 37 in OK-N Junior—already impressive for a single race—but the 2026 edition marked a further leap in quality.
This year, in fact, the Margutti Trophy recorded a record entry list: 90 drivers in OK-N and 66 in OK-N Junior, numbers that even surpass those of the World Cup held in Cremona at the end of 2025, confirming how this race continues to be a benchmark event for international karting.
Among the most anticipated protagonists is Manuel Scognamiglio, winner of that World Cup in Cremona last October and already a triumpher in OK-N at last year's Margutti. The Italian driver—fresh off winning the 2025 Vroom Awards—arrives at Lonato with an important novelty for this season: the switch to the Pantano by DAM team. A new technical combination that will see him at the wheel of a Pantano/Iame machine.
.jpg)
Manuel Scognamiglio, the reigning OK‑N World Cup champion, is among the favourites in a category featuring as many as 90 drivers on the grid — reviving the glory days of the premier national direct-drive class
Manuel himself told us: “This is the first year of the OK-N boom, even though there were already plenty of participants last year. It feels just like the 100cc era of the '90s, as it returns to being a major event in preparation for the World Cup for our category in particular.”
The presence of drivers of this caliber, combined with ever larger and more competitive grids, once again confirms the central role of the Margutti Trophy in the karting calendar, and much of the credit goes to Parma Motorsport, which over the years has preserved the spirit of the event while ensuring high organizational standards. In a landscape increasingly crowded with championships and international events, it's not easy to maintain the prestige of a single race, but the Margutti Trophy continues to succeed.
As Manuel said in our recent interview: “Compared to other competitions based on multiple rounds, the Margutti Trophy remains one of the classics. Being a single-race event, it's very tough to win, and it still remains an honor to take the victory today.”
