BIREL PRESENTS THE EASYKART DRIVER PROGRAM

THIS INITIATIVE WILL SUPPORT SOME OF THE MOST DESERVING DRIVERS FROM THE INTRODUCTORY CLASSES 60 AND 100 OF THE SINGLE-BRAND EASYKART.

Birel officially presented the programme called “EASYKART DRIVER PROGRAM”.

This initiative is part of the activities in support of the young drivers who stand out in the single-brand Easykart class who will be given the chance to access national and international categories with the direct support of the company from Lissone.

This is a very ambitious programme which aims at selecting five or six drivers from the Easykart 60cc and 100cc training classes every season.

The chosen drivers will have the chance to sign a contract with Birel and will be supported in the national or KF3 and international KF2 classes, depending on their age.

Among the first drivers to have been selected, two will participate in the national programme with the 100 Junior and five will take part in the Open and European championships.

Among the drivers are, for obvious reasons, the 2006 International Champions Riccardo Arone (60cc) and Andrea Francescon (100cc) who, together with Paolo De Conto (winner of the 100cc Final who was then excluded because of overtaking when yellow flags had been displayed), Riccardo Agostini (International Champion of the 60cc in 2005), Jan Midrla (International Champion of 60cc in 2004), Alessandro Tolfo ( 3rd in the International Final of 100cc) and Alberto Viberti (Second International Champion of 60cc in 2005), represent the first drivers selected as part of this programme.

For these drivers, Birel has drawn up a two-year contract, technically managed by its own racing department (Motorsport) and a contract with Birel SpA which will manage the drivers’ support and communication activities.

By virtue of the contract they sign, the drivers undertake to display on their suit the logo ‘Easykart driver program ‘ for the whole duration of their karting career.

For the 2007 season an external Birel team has been set up for all drivers which will manage their programme of competitions; Birel itself will supply the engines (the partner is still to be confirmed) by entrusting Carlo Boscolo, who recently joined the company’s staff.

The programme for the subsequent seasons will depend on the results achieved.

Therefore in 2007 Francescon, Midrla, Agostini and Tolfo will be engaged in the Open and European Championships of KF3 (formerly Junior), De Conto will follow the same programme in the KF2 (formerly Ica), whereas Arone and Viberti will take part both in the 100 Easykart and in the national Junior.

As well as offering a contract to drivers, the programme also offers a series of options aimed at about ten other drivers, some also from the 60cc class.

For the latter a competitive programme will be set out which will involve the 100 Easykart and 100 Junior and which will aim at leading to a contract for the higher categories.

Among the candidates for a place with Birel are, among others, Defendi, Celegato, Giovesi, Maxa and Lavelli.

For the young drivers involved in the project, as well as looking after all communication aspects, Birel is also engaged in the search for partners and sponsors, among which the first ones to join the project with enthusiasm were Vega, which will facilitate the supply of tyres, and Mir, which will supply technical clothing.

Ronni Sala, Chairman of Birel Motorsport, commented this initiative saying:

‘We carried out very satisfactory tests with several drivers from the single-brand Easykart class, which confirmed the fact that we made effective choices in terms of regulations in the training classes.

First of all a confrontation within single-brand races allows for a drivers’ qualities to stand out without any interference from variable factors such as technical material and budget possibilities.

But above all, thanks to the limited possibilities in terms of adjustment, the young drivers learn to take their kart to the limits even in situations where a compromise must be reached in terms of trim.

With the ‘Easykart Driver Program’ we are entering the 2nd stage of the project, in which we aim at allowing the best drivers in the Trophy to further develop their degree of expertise; it is also among these drivers that we will select our future official drivers.

Managing the career of all young drivers would be impossible, but we are highly determined to follow at least the most deserving ones because we are sure that many of them will have a bright future in top karting.’