Cristian Bertuca takes his first success in KZ2 triumphing in the WSK Champions Cup of Lonato.
A weekend to frame and remember for the “Cannibal” who opens his WSK season in the best way. The victory in Lonato represents another milestone in the career of the Birel Art driver, that is his first success in the queen class of karting, arrived after a 2022 lived as a rookie with great satisfaction.
During the weekend Cristian showed that pace and consistency from the first positions, already shown during the Winter Cup but with a weather finally linear to be able to work in a single direction together with team and engine driver. The second overall time at the end of qualifying and the pole position in Group B were the key to the rest of the weekend. There were only two qualifying heats in the programme, handled excellently and with experience by Bertuca, twice in second place and in the running for pole position in pre-final A.
During the pre-final Cristian took the only risk of the weekend by spinning out during the first lap, after an excellent start to take the lead, caused by a contact with an opponent. The episode did not demoralise the driver who was able to restart from the last place and recover fourteen positions to the sound of record laps up to sixth position, enough to keep the third place on the starting grid of the KZ2 final.
In the last act of the Champions Cup 2023 weekend, a simply perfect start for Cristian who went from third to first place in a few metres. A splendid move that after the first settling laps allowed the Birel Art driver to focus on his race pace, digging a lead of over three seconds on the first pursuer. Absolute domination from the first to the last lap and victory by drifting across the finish line.
C.Bertuca: “I’m very happy for this victory, the first in KZ2. I have been working so hard for this and together with the team we started the season in the best way. This weekend everything was perfect and I tried to stay focused as much as possible. This is the first step towards what are the next goals. I want to thank Birel Art, Ronni Sala, Riccardo Longhi, my mechanic Luciano Memoli, Viti Racing and TM for all their work. I would also like to thank all my sponsors who are supporting me again this year and obviously my family and all my friends at the track!”
Cristian will be in Lonato again at the weekend for the first round of the WSK Super Master Series with the full KZ and KZ2 line-up, yet another important test bench starting from Friday’s free practice and qualifying sessions.
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Photo: M.Segato