Another intense race weekend for our drivers, competing in several international events across karting, endurance racing and formula categories. Between podiums, strong comeback drives, seasonal debuts and valuable experience gained on track, there were plenty of positive signs throughout the weekend.

Another important step forward in the development journey of all our drivers, already looking ahead to the next events on track.

Julia Angelard – P85 – FIA Karting European Championship, Round 2, Valencia – OKJ Category
A difficult weekend for Julia at the Valencia circuit, where changing weather conditions made things particularly challenging. The young Polish driver faced an uphill battle from qualifying, which she finished in P21.
Throughout the heats, she encountered several difficulties fighting in the middle of the pack, making it hard to fully showcase her potential. Despite the commitment and determination she showed on track, Julia was unable to secure a place in the final.
Beyond the result, however, the weekend highlighted encouraging signs of progress. Julia showed improvement in several areas, handling the adversity of the weekend with increasing maturity. A performance that goes beyond the final classification and confirms a development path that continues to move in the right direction.

Benjamin Westwood – P33 – FIA Karting European Championship, Round 2, Valencia – OKJ Category
A positive weekend for Benjamin Westwood, who started strongly with a solid P6 in qualifying, immediately confirming both good pace and a competitive approach. During the heats he stood out thanks to an impressive comeback drive, highlighted by an excellent third-place finish on Saturday.
Starting the final from P21, contact during the race caused him to lose several positions, eventually finishing P33. An unfortunate ending that does not take away from all the positives shown throughout the weekend.
Benjamin once again proved capable of fighting through the field and recovering positions during most sessions, demonstrating a great fighting spirit. A disappointing final result, but still a weekend full of encouraging signs and further growth.

Zack Zhu – P29 – FIA Karting European Championship, Round 2, Valencia – OKJ Category
A great weekend for Zack, who immediately impressed in qualifying with a brilliant P2 that confirmed his excellent pace. During the heats he also secured a victory, along with two second-place finishes, demonstrating consistency and competitiveness across the entire event.
In the final, however, after starting from P18, Zack finished P29 due to a series of unfortunate circumstances that compromised what had been an almost perfect weekend up to that point.
Overall, Zack executed nearly everything perfectly from a performance and pace perspective, but he will need to work on optimizing the decisive phases of the weekend in order to turn his potential into concrete results. The speed is clearly there — now it is about converting it into the results he deserves.

Maxime Noeppel – P60 – FIA Karting European Championship, Round 2, Valencia – OKJ Category
A positive weekend for Maxime, who made another important step forward in his development. The young driver successfully qualified for the Super Heat, a result that confirms the progress shown in recent events.
Starting from the back, Maxime delivered a determined and consistent race, recovering several positions to finish P21. A comeback built on grit, consistency and increasingly mature management of every phase of the weekend.
Maxime continues to make huge improvements, growing race after race while gaining more experience and confidence. His development on track is becoming increasingly evident and suggests very promising potential for the future.

Matteo Gallo – P74 – FIA Karting European Championship, Round 2, Valencia – OK Category
Matteo Gallo returned to the track at Valencia for the FIA European Championship. The young French driver narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Super Heat by only two positions, in a weekend where he nevertheless showed strong competitiveness and continued improvement.
Throughout the sessions Matteo demonstrated speed and great determination, confirming the progress made in recent races.
Although the final result did not allow him to continue further into the weekend, his performances clearly reflected a driver evolving rapidly. Matteo is developing in the right direction and continues to gain valuable experience. A few details still need refining in order to make the final step toward consistently fighting for the top positions, but the f signs are definitely promising.

Nefeli Kosmopoulou – P80 – FIA Karting European Championship, Round 2, Valencia – OK Category
A difficult weekend for Nefeli, who started from P27 in qualifying and was immediately forced into a recovery race. The young driver tried to climb back through the field during the heats, but several challenges prevented her from fully expressing the potential she has already shown in previous occasions.
Despite a complicated weekend, Nefeli never stopped fighting, showing determination and commitment throughout every session. In the final heat she managed to recover several positions, highlighting strong race pace and a positive reaction, although it was not enough to change the overall outcome of the weekend.

Eduardo Salamonde – P73 – FIA Karting European Championship, Round 2, Valencia – OK Category
An unlucky and particularly demanding weekend for Eduardo Salamonde, who after a difficult start was involved in a significant accident. Fortunately, the Brazilian driver escaped unharmed, suffering only minor pain, and was still able to continue the weekend with great determination.
Despite the difficulties encountered, Eduardo showed strong character and fighting spirit, missing out on the Super Heat by only one position. During the weekend he recovered around twenty-five positions overall, a clear sign of the speed and growth he demonstrated on track.
Salamonde continues to prove that he is working extremely well and developing rapidly. The goal now will be to confirm the positives shown during this event at the next race in Germany, where he can continue his growth journey with even greater confidence.

Jason Kosmopolos – P27 – FIA Karting European Championship, Round 2, Valencia – OK Category
A complicated weekend for Jason, who started with a P26 in qualifying that immediately made things difficult. Despite the early struggles, he never gave up and managed to produce an impressive comeback of around fifty-two positions across the various sessions.
In the final he once again showed great determination and fighting spirit, delivering an exemplary performance all the way to the checkered flag and finishing P27.
A very important job by Jason, who despite a difficult start and a far-from-easy weekend demonstrated character, resilience and the ability to react. A weekend worth much more than the final result suggests, confirming his constant development.

Vladimir Ivannikov – P11 – FIA Karting European Championship, Round 2, Valencia – OK Category
Another positive weekend for Vladimir, who continues to confirm himself as one of the most consistent and competitive drivers on track. After qualifying in P12, he completed a very solid weekend, constantly remaining within the top ten without making mistakes.
Clean performances, competitive pace and excellent consistency allowed him to remain among the frontrunners throughout the event, although this time he could not quite make the final step toward fighting for the podium.
Vladimir once again proved himself to be an extremely fast and reliable driver, with all the qualities needed to compete for podium finishes every weekend. The feeling is that the next big result is only a matter of time.

Vanesa Silkunaite – P8 – Academy Senior Trophy
Young Lithuanian driver Vanesa took part in the Academy Senior Trophy, representing her country after being selected as Lithuania’s official representative in the competition. An important experience that confirms the quality of the path she is building.
Starting from P11, Vanesa delivered a very solid final race, climbing through the field to secure P8 thanks to a consistent and well-managed performance in every aspect.
An excellent weekend for her, as she continues to show growth and maturity. Two rounds of the trophy still remain, and it will be interesting to see her back in action as she continues improving and aiming for the best possible results.

Mia Zanki – P1 – ROK Austria, Styriakarting (Austria) – Junior Category
A strong weekend for Mia Zanki, competing in ROK Austria and immediately among the frontrunners from qualifying, where she secured a brilliant pole position that once again confirmed her speed and excellent form.
In the first race, Mia successfully converted that potential into an excellent second-place finish thanks to a solid and mature performance. The second race, however, was cancelled due to adverse weather conditions that forced race control to stop the session.
Overall, it remains a very positive weekend for Mia, who once again demonstrated her ability to be a leading contender. Even though the competition was largely within her reach, the young driver approached the weekend with the right mindset, confirming her growth, speed and consistency.

Rivaan Dev Preetham – P1 – Meco Meritus Cup, Kartopia (India) – OKJ Category
An excellent start to the season for Rivaan in the opening round of the Indian National Championship. The young driver immediately impressed in qualifying, securing a brilliant P2 that highlighted both speed and competitiveness from the very first sessions of the weekend.
Those positive signs continued in both the Super Heat and the final race, where Rivaan claimed victory in both sessions. An authoritative performance built on consistency, pace and great determination.
Rivaan established himself as one of the standout performers of the weekend in the national championship, beginning his season in the best possible way and immediately proving he can be one of the benchmark drivers in the category.

Matteo Bergonzini – DNF – Italian GT Endurance Championship, Round 1, Misano (Italy) – AM Category
Matteo Bergonzini returned to the track for his seasonal debut at Misano. The weekend had started in the best possible way, with positive feelings already during free practice, later confirmed by an excellent P3 in qualifying.
Unfortunately, bad luck completely changed the course of the weekend during the race: due to contact that occurred while Matteo was not driving, he and the team were forced to retire, losing what looked like a result that was well within reach.
A huge disappointment for Matteo and the entire team, especially considering the potential shown throughout the weekend. Nevertheless, the positive signs from the first sessions remain extremely encouraging heading into the next events.

Mattia Bucci – P2 – Italian GT Endurance Championship, Round 1, Misano (Italy) – Pro-AM Category
A completely different story for Mattia, who enjoyed an extremely positive weekend from the very first sessions. After qualifying in an excellent P2, he confirmed his value in the race as well, maintaining competitive pace and managing every phase of the event perfectly.
An important result that allows him to begin the endurance season in the best possible way, immediately securing a podium finish in his first appearance of the year.

Miguel Garcia – P11 – Italian GT Endurance Championship, Round 1, Misano (Italy) – Pro-AM Category
The final driver on track at Misano was Miguel Garcia. Together with his team, he started the weekend positively already in free practice, consistently running around twelfth position and showing strong pace from the outset.
In qualifying he secured P14 in class, later converted into a solid P11 finish in the race thanks to a concrete and well-managed performance.
Another strong start to the season for Miguel, who delivered an intelligent and highly effective race. Great driving, excellent management and many positions gained — all very encouraging signs for the continuation of the season.

Milla Sjörstrand – P5 – Formula 4 Nordic, FDM Jyllandsringen, Round 2
Second round of Formula 4 Nordic and Milla was once again one of the stars of the weekend. The young driver started strongly already in qualifying, securing a brilliant P2 that immediately confirmed the competitiveness shown from the very first sessions.
Throughout the heats she continued to impress with consistency, remaining close to the podium positions while demonstrating maturity, pace and excellent race management.
In the main race she secured a category podium as well as P2 Rookie, results that earned her two trophies at the end of an almost perfect weekend.
A fantastic weekend for Milla, who continues to grow and establish herself among the leading names in the category.

Author: Gabriele Bovio

Kimi Antonelli claims his third consecutive victory, confirming the excellent form already shown with pole position on Saturday. A result that further strengthens his place among the championship’s leading contenders.
Positive signs also for McLaren, which returns to competitiveness by placing both cars on the podium. Second place for Lando Norris—who also won Saturday’s sprint race—and third for his teammate Oscar Piastri.
A more difficult weekend, however, for Scuderia Ferrari. After an excellent qualifying performance, the race turned out negatively, especially for Charles Leclerc, who received a 20-second penalty for repeatedly exceeding track limits.
Also worth noting is the strong performance from Alpine F1 Team, finishing in the points thanks to Franco Colapinto, who delivered a solid and composed race.

DAG’S DRIVER RATINGS
A more eventful race than usual, with a closer gap between the top teams and weather uncertainty adding excitement from the very start. The possibility of rain played a key role, leading to a race full of overtakes—even if not always fully representative of true pace.
The most spectacular moment of the Grand Prix was undoubtedly the spin at the start by Max Verstappen, which immediately shook up the early stages, along with the intense battle among the top three for much of the race. Another major positive note was Antonelli: his potential remains clear, and if he improves his race starts, he could become a serious title contender. His speed has never been in doubt—one of his most distinctive qualities.

MERCEDES – 8
Antonelli delivered an outstanding weekend, earning a 9 thanks to a dominant performance capped by victory and his third consecutive pole position, with the only blemish being the Sprint, where a penalty prevented a better result.
George Russell, on the other hand, had a more subdued outing, scoring a 6 after once again finishing behind his teammate without fully expressing his potential.

MCLAREN – 9
The “papaya” team was among those bringing the most updates to Miami and managed to exploit them effectively, as demonstrated by their results in both the Sprint and the main race.
Norris impressed with an 8.5, securing victory in the Sprint and confirming his competitiveness with a strong second-place finish, while Piastri earned an 8 by reaching the podium and remaining in contention until the end, contributing to a highly positive weekend for the team.

FERRARI – 8
Ferrari showed encouraging signs overall, with Leclerc consistently just behind the McLarens for much of the weekend, delivering a solid and competitive performance that was ultimately compromised by a late-race mistake resulting in a 20-second penalty, leaving him with a rating of 8.
Lewis Hamilton was less prominent, receiving a 7 after a rather anonymous race spent in the midfield without notable highlights, and expectations remain higher for the upcoming rounds.

RED BULL – 8
Red Bull Racing introduced significant upgrades that brought positive signs, allowing the team to reduce the gap to Mercedes and rejoin the fight at the front.
Verstappen once again demonstrated his class with an 8, managing race situations effectively and avoiding potential incidents, while Isack Hadjar endured a difficult weekend, earning a 5 after struggling to make an impact.

ALPINE – 8
It was the first truly convincing weekend for both drivers, with Pierre Gasly standing out in the Sprint and Colapinto excelling in the main race, marking his best performance of the season and providing a strong boost of confidence for the team.

WILLIAMS – 7
Williams Racing enjoyed an important weekend by returning to the points after a difficult period, confirming a clear improvement in overall competitiveness.
Both Alexander Albon and Carlos Sainz Jr. earned a 7 thanks to solid, error-free performances that could mark a turning point in their season.

HAAS – 7
Haas F1 Team delivered a generally positive, if not perfect, weekend, continuing to show encouraging progress.
Oliver Bearman impressed with a consistent drive near the points (7), while Esteban Ocon scored a 6.5, showing room for improvement.

CADILLAC – 6
The Cadillac Formula One Team showed its first positive signs of the season by completing the race and avoiding last place, marking a step forward in reliability and race management.
Valtteri Bottas struggled to find pace, while Sergio Pérez appeared more competitive and determined than in previous weekends.

RACING BULLS – 5
It was a difficult weekend overall, with few positives for the team, although Arvid Lindblad showed promise with a solid recovery drive, while Liam Lawson struggled in the lower positions.

AUDI – 5
Audi F1 Team endured another tough weekend, confirming its struggles.
Gabriel Bortoleto showed commitment (6), while Nico Hülkenberg had a disappointing race.

ASTON MARTIN – 5
Aston Martin F1 Team continues to face difficulties, although both cars reached the finish line.
Fernando Alonso fought hard for a 6.5 despite an uncompetitive car, while Lance Stroll earned a 6 in a race mainly useful for gathering mileage, with the team already appearing focused on next season in search of improvement.

Author: Gabriele Bovio

Brazilian driver faces challenges in Spain, shows strong recovery pace and remains motivated for the next round of the European Karting Championship

The Valencia circuit in Spain hosted the second round of the 2026 Champions of the Future, bringing together some of the top names in world karting on one of the most technical layouts of the calendar. Representing Brazil, São Paulo’s Dudu Salamonde (Minardi Management powered by DAG / EXA Tecnologia / Vero Coco / DKR / RL Eng. Design / Casa Barô / SOMA Blindados / Team: Parolin Racing / Coach: Gianluca Beggio) took on the challenge at the Kartódromo Lucas Guerrero, competing in the OK category.

Throughout the weekend, Dudu shared the track with 87 other drivers in his category, all fighting for a spot in the event’s final phase. In an extremely competitive and balanced grid, every detail proved crucial, demanding not only technical performance but also strong mental control and the ability to adapt to adverse situations.

Even before the racing action began, Salamonde showed confidence following his practice sessions at the Spanish circuit. Comfortable with the layout and pleased with his initial pace, the driver highlighted the positive atmosphere within the team. “I’m coming in with really good expectations. The practice sessions were great, I felt comfortable on track, so I think we can fight well throughout the weekend,” he said.

In qualifying, the Brazilian clocked a time of 53.575 seconds, securing his position in Group E of the OK category. The lap demonstrated consistency against a large and competitive field, keeping him in contention for solid positions in the qualifying heats.

The first qualifying heat brought encouraging signs. In an 11-lap race around the Lucas Guerrero circuit, Dudu showed aggression and strong racecraft, gaining four positions over the course of the heat. The performance reinforced his potential to move forward throughout the event.

However, the second heat brought a decisive and unexpected setback. While recovering positions, Salamonde was caught out by a rival spinning ahead of him. With no room or time to react, the Brazilian was involved in the incident and was forced to retire, compromising his chances for the remainder of the weekend.

Following the impact of that result, the team had to react quickly. In the next two qualifying heats, Dudu returned to the track with a revised kart setup, aiming to regain balance and competitiveness. Despite the efforts, both races proved challenging, and he finished towards the back of the field.

Despite the difficulties, Salamonde refused to give up. In the final heat, he delivered one of the standout recovery drives of the weekend. With determination and consistent pace, he executed ten overtakes, crossing the finish line in 16th place — an impressive result, although not enough to secure a spot in the qualifying positions for the final phase.

After the races, the driver reflected on his performance and highlighted the lessons learned. “It was a shame about the crash in the second heat. From that point on, we had to change quite a lot on the kart and it became more difficult. I only really managed to recover in the last heat, but it was a very important learning experience for the European Championship,” Salamonde evaluated.

Although he did not secure a place in the final phase, the overall outcome of the weekend is seen positively by the team. The experience gained under challenging conditions contributes to Dudu Salamonde’s development, as he continues to evolve in one of the most competitive environments in international karting.

Dudu remains in Valencia, where he has already begun preparations for the second round of the European Karting Championship. On-track activities at the Kartódromo Lucas Guerrero begin next Thursday (7), and the Brazilian arrives even more motivated to turn recent challenges into stronger performances as the season progresses.

 

Press Office:  Kako Marques / KMCom