CHARACTER AND SUCCESS-FILLED WEEKEND FOR DAG MANAGEMENT WITH SEVEN TROPHIES

An intense race weekend for DAG Management, with several drivers competing across karting and formula racing categories. The Greek circuit of Thessaloniki hosted a new round of the Champions of the Future, where four agency drivers took to the track. Strong representation was also seen in the Formula 4 CEZ Championship and the Formula 4 Nordic Championship, with three drivers competing in their respective race weekends. Completing the programme was Maxime Noeppel, who starred in the French FFSA Academy Junior Championship. Overall, the weekend brought numerous trophies, several podium finishes, and highly valuable results, confirming the constant development of DAG Management drivers and their growing competitiveness across international categories.

Vanesa Silkunaite – Champions of the Future, Thessaloniki (Greece) – OK-N Senior
RACE 1: P9
RACE 2: P2
A fantastic weekend for Vanesa Silkunaite, who delivered a top-level performance in the latest Champions of the Future round. Her weekend started in the best possible way on Friday, despite the programme being partially affected by bad weather. On Saturday, after a difficult qualifying session, Vanesa responded with great determination, gaining between seven and eight positions during the heats and demonstrating excellent race pace. In Saturday’s final, she produced an extraordinary comeback that brought her right back into podium contention. However, an incident in the closing stages compromised her final result, forcing her to settle for ninth place despite a performance that deserved a much better outcome. The driver’s response came immediately on Sunday. Starting from P11 after qualifying, Vanesa once again showcased remarkable speed and determination, recovering numerous positions throughout the heats. In the decisive race, she delivered an exceptional performance, leading the field for most of the race and proving she had the pace to fight for victory. Only in the closing laps was she forced to relinquish the lead, ultimately securing a superb second-place finish.
This marks Vanesa’s second podium in the Champions of the Future, an important achievement that she dedicated to her friend and fellow driver Julia Angelard. It is another milestone that confirms her steady development and provides an additional boost of confidence ahead of the upcoming rounds of the season.

Julia Angelard – Champions of the Future, Thessaloniki (Greece) – OK-N Junior
RACE 1: P14
RACE 2: P4
An extraordinary weekend full of determination for Julia Angelard at the Champions of the Future event in Thessaloniki. The young driver’s weekend did not begin in the best way. During the violent tornado that hit the Greek circuit on Friday, Julia was struck by an object and suffered an injury that required hospital treatment. Following medical examinations and several stitches, she received clearance from doctors to return to the track and continue her race weekend.
Despite the incident, Julia immediately demonstrated her character by securing an impressive P2 in qualifying. She lost a few positions during the heats but still finished P4, confirming a highly competitive pace. In Saturday’s final, she delivered an excellent race, holding second position for most of the event and remaining firmly in contention for a podium finish. However, contact caused by another driver, who hit her heavily during the decisive stages of the race, compromised the result and dropped her down the order, leaving her to finish only P14.
The driver refused to be discouraged and returned among the front-runners on Sunday. Following another solid qualifying session and strong performances in the heats, Julia narrowly missed out on the podium in the final, finishing in an excellent fourth place just short of the top three. Thessaloniki was undoubtedly a heroic weekend for Julia. Despite physical difficulties and an incident that could have completely ended her participation, the young driver found the strength to return to the track, fight through the pain, and give her all in every session. An exemplary weekend that confirmed not only her talent but also her exceptional mental strength and determination.

Mia Zanki – Champions of the Future, Thessaloniki (Greece) – OK-N Junior
RACE 1: P11
RACE 2: P15
Also competing in Greece for the Champions of the Future event was Mia Zanki, who experienced a hard-fought and highly educational weekend. The weekend had started with very positive feelings and encouraging performances, but during the race days Mia had to deal with a kart that did not always meet expectations, limiting her potential to some extent. Nevertheless, the young driver continued to fight with determination, demonstrating competitiveness and a strong desire to succeed in a highly demanding environment. On Saturday, she produced solid performances in the qualifying heats, making up ground and consistently battling with the leading group. Thanks to a clean and consistent performance, she finished the final in eleventh place, narrowly missing out on the top ten.
Sunday began with a more challenging qualifying session, leaving her starting from P20. Once again, Mia responded in the best possible way, gaining several positions during the heats and confirming excellent race pace. In the final, she continued battling until the last lap, eventually finishing fifteenth after an intense and competitive race. The weekend in Greece was certainly an uphill battle, but also a very important step in her development. Despite technical challenges and some unfavourable circumstances, Mia consistently showed competitiveness, approaching every session with determination and commitment. It was a valuable experience that will undoubtedly contribute to her growth and represents another step forward in her sporting journey.

Rivaan Dev Preetham – Champions of the Future, Thessaloniki (Greece) – OK-N Junior
RACE 1: P7
RACE 2: P20
A return to action on a demanding European circuit for Rivaan Dev Preetham, who faced another important challenge in his development as a racing driver.
The young Indian driver showed promising signs from the very first sessions, adapting quickly to a highly competitive environment and a particularly technical circuit. Starting from P15, Rivaan delivered a series of very positive heats, displaying strong race pace and an impressive ability to battle within the pack.
In Saturday’s final, he produced a remarkable comeback, gaining eleven positions and crossing the finish line in seventh place. It was an outstanding result, perhaps even beyond expectations, rewarding the hard work carried out throughout the weekend and confirming the young driver’s potential. On Sunday, Rivaan started from P16 and once again faced a recovery race. He demonstrated speed and determination once more, gaining positions and consistently fighting within the group. Although he was unable to replicate Saturday’s result, he still completed another solid performance full of positive indications.
For Rivaan, this was an extremely important weekend, especially considering that he is still in the early stages of adapting to both the new category and the highly competitive European racing environment. The experience gained on such a challenging circuit represents a key element of his development and will certainly prove useful in the upcoming rounds. Another step forward in the growth of the young Indian driver, who continues to show consistent progress race after race.

Markas Silkunas – Formula 4 CEZ Championship, Round 2 – Salzburg, Austria
RACE 1: P5 Overall / P1 Rookie
RACE 2: P4 Overall / P2 Rookie
A return to Formula 4 action for Markas Silkunas, who enjoyed a highly successful weekend at the Salzburg circuit.
The young driver started the weekend in the best possible way, securing an excellent fourth place in qualifying, allowing him to start among the front-runners. In Race 1, Markas confirmed his potential with a solid and convincing performance, finishing fifth overall and taking victory in the Rookie classification. It was a historic achievement for the driver, who claimed his first Formula 4 victory and added another important milestone to his development.
In the second race of the weekend, he continued in the same fashion, once again establishing himself among the category’s leading competitors. Another strong performance earned him second place in the Rookie standings, further strengthening his points haul from the Austrian circuit.
Salzburg was undoubtedly one of the best weekends of the season for the young driver, who demonstrated speed, consistency, and maturity in a highly competitive category. The results also move him up to sixth place in the overall championship standings, a remarkable achievement considering this is his rookie Formula 4 season. A weekend that confirms Markas’ continued progress and provides excellent momentum heading into the next rounds.

Mio Olert – Formula 4 CEZ Championship, Round 2 – Salzburg, Austria
RACE 1: P13 Overall
RACE 2: P24 Overall
Also competing at Salzburg was Mio Olert, who enjoyed an encouraging weekend in only his second Formula 4 appearance.
Despite having completed very limited mileage this season, the Swedish driver approached the weekend with maturity, showing strong adaptation to both the car and the circuit from the very first sessions. Throughout the weekend, he consistently remained among the front-runners, frequently running inside the top ten and confirming his continuous progress. The positive pace translated into qualifying, where Mio secured an excellent eighth position, allowing him to start from the most competitive part of the grid. The races, however, did not fully reflect the performance shown, with the driver finishing Race 1 in thirteenth place and Race 2 in twenty-fourth.
Beyond the final results, the overall assessment of the weekend remains extremely positive. Mio made significant progress in every area, demonstrating greater confidence with the car, strong pace, and an increasing ability to compete in a complex and highly competitive category such as Formula 4. In only his second race in the category, the young Swede confirmed substantial progress and gained valuable experience that could prove crucial for the remainder of the season.

Maxime Noeppel – P4 – FFSA Academy Junior Championship, Round 3 – Muret (France), Junior Academy Category
Another excellent weekend came from Maxime, competing in the third round of the FFSA Academy Junior Championship and delivering a performance that highlighted both his talent and determination. The weekend began perfectly with an outstanding qualifying session that ended in fourth place, confirming the strong potential shown from the very first sessions. Unfortunately, a technical issue caused by an operational mistake within the team compromised the kart’s performance, dropping Maxime down to nineteenth position and making the rest of the weekend considerably more challenging.
Far from being discouraged, the young driver responded with great character in the final. Lap after lap, he built an extraordinary comeback, showing some of the strongest pace on track and gaining eleven positions through decisive overtakes and flawless race management. His race ended with a brilliant fourth-place finish, just one step away from what would have been a remarkable podium result. It was a result that rewarded the speed displayed throughout the weekend and his ability to react to adversity without losing focus.
Once again, Maxime demonstrated his resilience, combined with impressive speed and maturity in race management. The comeback delivered during the third round of the championship stands as one of the most positive highlights of his season and provides great confidence ahead of the next event, where he will certainly be aiming for even stronger results.

Milla Sjöstrand – Nordic 4 Championship, Round 3 – Gelleråsen Arena
RACE 1: P5
RACE 2: P2
RACE 3: P3 Overall, P2 Rookie
The final DAG Management driver in action over the weekend was Swedish racer Milla Sjöstrand, competing in the Formula 4 Nordic Championship and producing an outstanding performance that earned her no fewer than four trophies. The weekend did not begin entirely smoothly, with Race 1 ending in fifth place after minor difficulties that prevented her from fully expressing her potential. Despite this, Milla immediately showed she had the pace to fight at the front and establish herself as one of the leading contenders of the weekend.
From Race 2 onwards, the Swedish driver raised her level significantly, showcasing speed, consistency, and determination. Through increasingly convincing performances, she gained positions and secured podium finishes in both Race 2 and Race 3, confirming herself among the standout performers of the event.
Overall, Milla collected four trophies and a series of highly prestigious results, demonstrating strong competitiveness in every session while consistently maintaining a high level of performance. An extremely positive outcome that confirms the young driver’s growth and the excellent work carried out together with the team.

Author: Gabriele Bovio