OPEN MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIP 3RD ROUND – Ugento (Lecce) – April 16th-17th-18th 2004

SPECTACULAR SUCCESS OF LAUDATO OVER MANETTI
THE THIRD ROUND OF THE OPEN MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIP HAS GIVEN ALL FANS A TOP-LEVEL DUEL BETWEEN TWO KARTING CHAMPIONS: BIREL DRIVER MAKES IT DURING THE LAST LAP AND LANCASTER DRAWS STILL ATTENTION TO HIMSELF IN THE ICA.

The Open Masters Championship has come to the turning point with the round in Ugento, but in all categories the game is still open to compete for the final success. The weekend on the racing-track from Salento is characterized by changeable weather and some qualifying rounds take place on the wet track. But on Sunday, the day of the Final, weather conditions are finally good and the race is not short of spectacular actions. In the 100 Junior the Austrian driver Eng establishes himself, preceding the fellow countryman Grubmuller (Birel-Parilla), the French Bianchi and Birel-Tm couple Sorensen and Kronenberger. Birel best-placed drivers in the results list before the race make a very good performance too, placing themselves among the top ten drivers: Coletti comes in 7th, Alguersari 8th and Campos 10th. In Formula A Italian colours prevail with the Sicilian driver Gatto, preceding on the finishing line the Dutch De Bruijn and the French Renaudie. Cesetti is very down on his luck and, after his pole position and a success in the rounds, in the Final he is out because of an accidental contact. In the 100 ICA the Dutch Waldschmidt beats the English Lancaster of Birel team and the Lombard Prandelli. Lancaster shows once again his talent making an excellent performance on this track never tried before: during the first lap he could compete for the success with the Dutch driver without hesitation. Unfortunately Risitano (11th) doesn’t find a good set up but he is still leading the Championship results list. In the 125 ICC the podium is dominated by the Italian tricolour with the success of the Campania driver Laudato, who gains the first position after an exciting duel with Manetti: after a series of spectacular actions to attain the leading position Birel driver launches the decisive attack during the last lap, gaining his first seasonal success. Profico (Birel-Tm) comes in third, preceding Dirks and Benedetti. The next appointment with the Open Masters Championship is scheduled on June 13th on the racing-track of Muro Leccese.