Parolin's Dean Hoogendoorn scored the OK win at La Conca
(Photo: RGMMC Media)

The Champions of the Future season burst into action this weekend at the World Circuit La Conca, located just a stone’s throw away from the historic and stunning coast of Brindisi. The weekend welcomed 183 drivers across the two competitive classes, with both the OK Junior and OK fields dealing with intense competition as well as difficult weather conditions.

Junior: Frasnelli Establishes Himself as the Driver to Beat

OK Junior podium
Photo: RGMMC Media

Attention drew early in the weekend to newcomers in the field such as Niccolò Perico, Nuvola Morales and Antonio Ianni, with Ianni being the driver among all to put it on pole. The grid would take shape with Tony Kart leading the way with Ianni, ahead of Priam Bruno and Vsevolod Osadchyi-Suslovskyi, in track conditions that often resembled the beach down the road.

Throughout the 15 qualifying heats hosted for the Juniors, a mix of both wet and dry conditions was experienced, with the wet to dry and dry to wet switches catching out several drivers in the opening stages.

Friday would host a dry afternoon of heats, allowing Julian Frasnelli and Priam Bruno to race indirectly for the two superheat pole positions. Securing front row spots for the superheats also included the likes of Maxim Bobreshov and Will Green. For Frasnelli, Bruno and Bobreshov, starting on the front row came as no surprise after strong early week qualifying results, but for Green, the result was well earned after qualifying P25 and having to deliver consistently strong performances to climb the order.

Moving into the superheats, the story of tyre choice would give some drivers an upper hand, especially in the early laps of the two races where overtakes were critical. Tyre decisions benefited drivers such as Daniel Miron, who climbed to P2 in the first superheat, and Priam Bruno, who matched that P2 in the second. Despite the efforts of Bruno and Miron, superheat wins went to Gioele Girardello and Julian Frasnelli, giving Frasnelli pole position heading into the final.

The opening corners of the final for the OK Junior class were led by Frasnelli and Priam Bruno, followed closely on the second row by Girardello and Bobreshov. As the race unfolded, no other driver among the 36 competitors could unlock the pace to challenge, and Frasnelli secured a lights to flag victory in a composed display backed by the Tony Kart team. Priam Bruno finished in the position he started, while Daniel Miron, after qualifying P44, took P3 in a result that could be compared to a victory after so much hard work.

Senior: Patience Rewarded with Victory

OK podium
Photo: RGMMC Media

After qualifying, Jindrich Pesl immediately became the standout of the weekend with a lap time four tenths faster than anyone else, leaving the rest of the field needing patience throughout the heats.

Following Pesl’s qualifying performance ahead of François Kerdal and Andrea Manni, his pace translated into consistent results, securing three heat wins. Difficult qualifying positions also created opportunities for recovery drives from known names such as Fillipo Sala, who faced the challenge of fighting through from P63.

The qualifying heats once again presented the difficult question of tyre choice. Whether to follow the majority or take a high risk, high reward approach proved decisive. On Friday, strong decisions were made by drivers such as Pesl, James Anagnostiadis, Dean Hoogendoorn and Oliver Kinnmark, securing them the top four positions after the 15 heats, with each driver competing in five.

With attention on the superheats, Pesl and Anagnostiadis started from pole, racing indirectly for the top position in the main event, which Pesl secured. During the superheats, Angelina Simons and Benjamin Manach stood out as the biggest climbers in their efforts to qualify for the final, with Simons successfully achieving this for Kart Republic.

The final is where the tone changed for the Senior field, and for the first time during the weekend, Jindrich Pesl was challenged. Early laps saw him shuffled into the second pack, with Anagnostiadis, Hoogendoorn and Zac Drummond among those involved.
The fight for victory developed between Parolin’s Dean Hoogendoorn and Kart Republic’s James Anagnostiadis, where tyre management became decisive. As Anagnostiadis began to close the gap, Hoogendoorn held firm and secured the win. Anagnostiadis finished second, while Lev Krutoholov claimed third after passing Drummond in the closing laps.

With Hoogendoorn and Frasnelli emerging as early standouts, the race to crown the next Champions of the Future winner is well and truly on. La Conca is complete, and attention now turns to Valencia.

This weekend’s action is available to rewatch on YouTube, and entries for the Valencia round are now officially open.

USA Driver Results

OK:

Devin Walz (Ricky Flynn Motorsports) – 11th
Asher Ochstein (CRG Racing Team) – 18th
Michael McGaughy (Koski Motorsport) – 25th
Nicola Stanley (MP Motorsport) – DNQ
Drew Walz (Ricky Flynn Motorsports) – DNQ
Max Weiland (KR Motorsports) – DNQ
Lillian Scarbrough (Ricky Flynn Motorsports) – DNQ

OK Junior:

Lucas Palacio (KR Motorsports) – 5th

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