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

It was another busy race weekend for four DAG Management drivers. The GT cars took to the track at Vallelunga for Round 2 of the ACI Italian GT Sprint Championship, while the karting action unfolded at Lonato in the ROK Italy Series and at Kartopia in the Meco Meritus Cup.

Mia Zanki – P24 – ROK Italy Series Round 4 – Lonato
The first DAG Management driver on track in the ROK Italy Series was Mia Zanki, competing at the Lonato circuit during a weekend that delivered mixed emotions. The weekend began positively, with encouraging performances in the early sessions that suggested strong potential. However, a number of technical issues gradually affected the kart’s performance, making each stage of the event increasingly difficult to manage. Despite the setbacks, Mia continued to work tirelessly, doing everything possible to maximise every opportunity and never giving up, even when circumstances prevented her from showing her full potential.
She eventually finished P24 in the Final — a result that does not fully reflect the pace she demonstrated during parts of the weekend, but nevertheless provides a solid foundation to build upon. The focus now shifts to recharging and preparing for the next round of the season, with the aim of returning stronger and once again fighting at the front.

Mattia Bucci – ACI Italian GT Sprint Championship Round 2 – Vallelunga – GT Cup
Race 1: P32 Overall / P12 Class
Race 2: P15 Overall / P8 Class
Mattia Bucci returned to action at Vallelunga for the second round of the Italian GT Cup Championship, facing a challenging weekend that also highlighted his determination and fighting spirit. The young driver and his team had to deal with several issues throughout the weekend, often forcing them to start from the back of the grid. Nevertheless, Race 2 saw Bucci produce a remarkable comeback drive: starting from P36, he gained 21 positions, delivering one of the standout performances of the weekend.
Mattia and the team once again demonstrated impressive speed, resilience and racecraft, showing highly competitive pace and exceptional recovery ability during the races. There remains some disappointment over a less-than-ideal qualifying session, which could have allowed the Italian driver to fight much closer to the podium positions.

Miguel Garcia – ACI Italian GT Sprint Championship Round 2 – Vallelunga – GT3
Race 1: P26 Overall / P6 Class
Race 2: P24 Overall / P6 Class
Miguel Garcia was also in action in the Italian GT Championship, enjoying a very positive weekend at Vallelunga. After securing P8 in class during qualifying, Miguel significantly improved his performance across both races, achieving two strong P6 finishes that further confirm the steady progress being made by both the young driver and the team. The result came thanks to consistent race pace, strong management of on-track situations and increasingly effective teamwork throughout the weekend.
Garcia showed notable maturity and competitiveness, maintaining a strong rhythm and edging ever closer to the front-running positions in the category. The encouraging signs from Vallelunga represent another important step forward in a development path that is becoming increasingly evident race after race. A podium finish now stands as the clear objective for the remainder of the season. Given the continuous improvements and competitiveness shown in recent outings, Miguel and the team appear to have all the ingredients needed to challenge for the top positions very soon.

Rivaan Dev Preetham – P1 – Meco Meritus Cup Round 2 – Kartopia, Bangalore – OKJ Category
Round 2 of the Meco Meritus Cup at Kartopia saw Rivaan Dev Preetham deliver another outstanding weekend, further confirming his exceptional form this season. The young driver dominated virtually every session, displaying impressive speed, consistency and flawless race management throughout the event. The only minor setback came in qualifying, where he narrowly missed out on pole position, but that did little to stop him from producing a top-class performance over the remainder of the weekend.
With an authoritative drive, Rivaan secured his second victory of the season, strengthening his lead in the championship standings. Round after round, Rivaan and the team are putting together a championship campaign of the highest level, maintaining excellent consistency and results. The ultimate objective remains the championship title, a target that looks increasingly realistic considering the performances delivered so far this season.

Author: Gabriele Bovio

The Abruzzo driver will take part this weekend in the second round of the Sprint series of the Italian Grand Touring Championship

From May 22nd to 24th, we’ll see young Mattia Bucci return to the track at Vallelunga. After the events at Imola, the Bucci-Agoglia duo is ready to tackle this weekend, capitalizing on their experience with the #163 Lamborghini, which they’ve already raced for two weekends.

“I can’t wait to get back on track. The Misano weekend helped us a lot to better understand the car, our potential, and the right strategies, especially after Imola, which didn’t go as we’d hoped. But now we have the chance to make up for it at Vallelunga. So, heads up and focused on the goal,” said Mattia.

The two free practice sessions will be held on Friday at 10:30 a.m. and 3:40 p.m. Qualifying sessions will take place on Saturday at 9:00 a.m. and 9:25 a.m along with Race 1 at 2:00 p.m.. Race 2 will take place on Sunday at 10:10 a.m. The events will be available to follow on the official Aci Sport channel (http://www.youtube.com/@ACISportTVofficial ), on Sky channel 228, and on Tivùsat channel 52.

Mattia invites you to stay connected and follow him in this new chapter through his, Minardi Management, team, and championship social media pages:
• Instagram: @mattiabucci_official; Facebook: Mattia Bucci – Racing Driver
• Instagram: @minardi_management; Facebook: Minardi Management
• Instagram: @mattiabucci_fanclub
• Instagram: @dlracing.official
• Instagram: @cigranturismo; Facebook: Campionato Italiano Gran Turismo

The press officer, Federica Moccia

Weekend dal potenziale importante ma concluso anzitempo per Matteo Bergonzini e il suo equipaggio composto da Dimitris DeVerikos e Max Abbati nel Campionato Italiano GT Endurance.

Fin dalle prove libere, il trio ha mostrato un ottimo passo, chiudendo le sessioni con una terza posizione in FP1, la prima posizione in FP2 e nuovamente la terza posizione in FP3, confermando subito una  competitività concreta nella categoria GT Cup AM.

Il weekend di gara ha iniziato però a complicarsi durante le qualifiche del sabato. Nella Q1, Dimitris DeVerikos non è riuscito a completare il proprio giro lanciato a causa di un’incomprensione con un’altra vettura, situazione che ha compromesso pesantemente la sessione. In Q2, Max Abbati ha invece effettuato un ottimo lavoro riportando la vettura in seconda posizione di categoria, mentre nella Q3 Matteo Bergonzini è riuscito a segnare un tempo competitivo poi cancellato per un track limits.

La somma delle problematiche e la mancata registrazione di un tempo utile nella prima sessione hanno costretto l’equipaggio a partire dall’ultima posizione assoluta su 53 vetture, oltre che dal fondo della categoria AM.

La gara di domenica è scattata sotto una pioggia intensa, arrivata puntualmente pochi minuti prima del via delle tre ore endurance. Lo start è stato effettuato da Dimitris DeVerikos in condizioni estremamente difficili, con pista bagnata e regime iniziale di Safety Car.

Non appena la gara è entrata nel vivo, l’equipaggio ha iniziato una straordinaria rimonta. Grazie a un ottimo ritmo, DeVerikos è riuscito rapidamente a recuperare numerose posizioni fino a portare la vettura in testa alla categoria GT Cup AM dopo pochi giri.

La corsa del team si è però interrotta poco prima della fine del primo stint. Un contatto con un’altra vettura ha causato danni molto pesanti alla macchina, terminata anche contro le barriere di protezione. Nonostante questo, la vettura è riuscita a rientrare ai box, dove i meccanici hanno tentato per oltre 40 minuti di effettuare le riparazioni necessarie per tornare in pista e provare a conquistare punti importanti per il campionato.

I danni riportati si sono però rivelati troppo estesi, costringendo il team al ritiro definitivo dalla competizione prima che Matteo Bergonzini e Max Abbati potessero prendere parte ai propri stint di gara.

“C’è sicuramente grande rammarico – racconta Bergonzini – perché il potenziale per fare molto bene c’era tutto. Nonostante la partenza dall’ultima posizione stavamo recuperando in maniera importante e avevamo già conquistato la leadership di categoria. Dispiace non aver potuto dare il mio contributo in gara, ma questi episodi fanno parte dell’endurance. Ora dobbiamo guardare avanti e concentrarci sulla prossima tappa.”

Tutte le attenzioni sono ora rivolte al prossimo appuntamento stagionale di Monza del 21 giugno, dove l’obiettivo sarà tornare subito competitivi e rilanciarsi nella lotta di campionato.

Aggiornamenti giornalieri verranno caricati sui nostri Profili Social.
INSTAGRAM: matteo.bergonzini
minardi_management
WEB SYTE: www.matteobergonzini.it
www.minardimanagement.com