The Brazilian driver stood out during the FIA Karting European Championship preparations and returns home stronger and more experienced for the remainder of the season.
Published: 15 June 2026
Columns: Races
Mülsen (GER), June 15, 2026
Dudu Salamonde's (Minardi Management powered by DAG / EXA Tecnologia / Vero Coco / DKR / RL Eng. Design / Casa Barô / SOMA Blindados / Team: Parolin Racing / Coach: Gianluca Beggio) potential in his rookie season in European karting became even more evident during Round 3 of the FIA Karting European Championship.
The Brazilian driver faced the challenging Motorsportarena circuit in Mülsen, Germany, during a weekend marked by constantly changing weather conditions and situations that demanded quick adaptation from all competitors. Despite the obstacles encountered, Salamonde demonstrated impressive progress, speed, and maturity throughout the event.
The German track presented highly demanding conditions throughout the meeting. Drivers had to cope with wet surfaces, dry patches, and rapidly changing weather from one session to another. For the Minardi Management powered by DAG driver, adaptability proved to be one of the key factors of the weekend, highlighting the technical development he has achieved throughout his European campaign.
The high point of the event for the Brazilian came during the official preparation tests. Competing in the highly competitive OK category, Salamonde turned heads by setting the fastest lap in one of the sessions. On a wet and extremely tricky circuit, he posted a benchmark time of 1:02.590, topping the timesheets and displaying remarkable confidence in the challenging conditions.
His standout performance left the entire Parolin Racing team extremely pleased. The result underlined not only the Brazilian driver's natural speed but also his rapid progression in one of the toughest environments in world karting. Leading the test sessions confirmed that the work carried out throughout the season is paying off and placing Dudu among the drivers capable of challenging the category's front-runners.
"The test days this week were incredible. We managed to put together a really strong session and ended up being the fastest. In the others, we were always inside the Top 8, and in qualifying I made a mistake, which was entirely my fault. There's no excuse for it. That compromised the weekend, but these things happen, especially after what happened in the first two heats," Salamonde reflected, honestly assessing the events of the weekend.
The difficulties emerged during the opening qualifying heats. In the first race, an accident involving drivers ahead of him left no room to avoid the incident, forcing the Brazilian into retirement. Shortly afterward, an engine failure prevented Dudu from finishing the second qualifying heat, significantly impacting his overall points tally for the event.
Despite the setbacks, Salamonde continued to display determination and resilience. In the remaining heats, he produced strong recovery drives, gaining several positions and demonstrating competitive pace throughout the field. However, the difficulties encountered in the opening races ultimately proved decisive for the final outcome.
"Every experience teaches us something. We had the speed and it was shaping up to be a very promising weekend. I'm very satisfied with the progress we've made and with my improvement. Of course, I wanted a much better week, and even though we didn't achieve the results we were aiming for, I learned a lot. That's why I leave with my head held high and a positive mindset, knowing that I've significantly improved my pace," the Brazilian driver said, looking confidently toward the challenges ahead.
Following another valuable experience on the international stage, Dudu Salamonde returns to Brazil stronger and better prepared for the remainder of the season. His weekend in Mülsen marked another important step in his development within European karting.
The focus now shifts to the next official challenge: Round 4 of the FIA Karting European Championship for the OK and Junior categories, scheduled to take place from July 30 to August 2 in Kristianstad, Sweden, where the Brazilian will aim to convert his continued progress into even stronger results.
Text by Kako Marques / KMCom Press Office
@eduardosalamonde
Dudu Salamonde's (Minardi Management powered by DAG / EXA Tecnologia / Vero Coco / DKR / RL Eng. Design / Casa Barô / SOMA Blindados / Team: Parolin Racing / Coach: Gianluca Beggio) potential in his rookie season in European karting became even more evident during Round 3 of the FIA Karting European Championship.
The Brazilian driver faced the challenging Motorsportarena circuit in Mülsen, Germany, during a weekend marked by constantly changing weather conditions and situations that demanded quick adaptation from all competitors. Despite the obstacles encountered, Salamonde demonstrated impressive progress, speed, and maturity throughout the event.
The German track presented highly demanding conditions throughout the meeting. Drivers had to cope with wet surfaces, dry patches, and rapidly changing weather from one session to another. For the Minardi Management powered by DAG driver, adaptability proved to be one of the key factors of the weekend, highlighting the technical development he has achieved throughout his European campaign.
The high point of the event for the Brazilian came during the official preparation tests. Competing in the highly competitive OK category, Salamonde turned heads by setting the fastest lap in one of the sessions. On a wet and extremely tricky circuit, he posted a benchmark time of 1:02.590, topping the timesheets and displaying remarkable confidence in the challenging conditions.
His standout performance left the entire Parolin Racing team extremely pleased. The result underlined not only the Brazilian driver's natural speed but also his rapid progression in one of the toughest environments in world karting. Leading the test sessions confirmed that the work carried out throughout the season is paying off and placing Dudu among the drivers capable of challenging the category's front-runners.
"The test days this week were incredible. We managed to put together a really strong session and ended up being the fastest. In the others, we were always inside the Top 8, and in qualifying I made a mistake, which was entirely my fault. There's no excuse for it. That compromised the weekend, but these things happen, especially after what happened in the first two heats," Salamonde reflected, honestly assessing the events of the weekend.
The difficulties emerged during the opening qualifying heats. In the first race, an accident involving drivers ahead of him left no room to avoid the incident, forcing the Brazilian into retirement. Shortly afterward, an engine failure prevented Dudu from finishing the second qualifying heat, significantly impacting his overall points tally for the event.
Despite the setbacks, Salamonde continued to display determination and resilience. In the remaining heats, he produced strong recovery drives, gaining several positions and demonstrating competitive pace throughout the field. However, the difficulties encountered in the opening races ultimately proved decisive for the final outcome.
"Every experience teaches us something. We had the speed and it was shaping up to be a very promising weekend. I'm very satisfied with the progress we've made and with my improvement. Of course, I wanted a much better week, and even though we didn't achieve the results we were aiming for, I learned a lot. That's why I leave with my head held high and a positive mindset, knowing that I've significantly improved my pace," the Brazilian driver said, looking confidently toward the challenges ahead.
Following another valuable experience on the international stage, Dudu Salamonde returns to Brazil stronger and better prepared for the remainder of the season. His weekend in Mülsen marked another important step in his development within European karting.
The focus now shifts to the next official challenge: Round 4 of the FIA Karting European Championship for the OK and Junior categories, scheduled to take place from July 30 to August 2 in Kristianstad, Sweden, where the Brazilian will aim to convert his continued progress into even stronger results.
Text by Kako Marques / KMCom Press Office
@eduardosalamonde
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