Höller, Valverde and Corbetta are the first overall winners of “THE FINAL” by TBKART

30 May Höller, Valverde and Corbetta are the first overall winners of “THE FINAL” by TBKART

Posted at 15:18h in Events by giorgia miani

Three different nationalities stood on the top step of the podium in the three final rankings of the most Racing Rental race in the world, which successfully completed its first edition on Ottobiano’s Pista South Milano over the weekend of May 27-28. “THE FINAL” by TBKART saw two intense days of pure competition and entertainment, as Spanish Alex Valverde and Italian Mattia Corbetta claimed overall victory in the Under 35 and Over 35 classes respectively, while the most coveted Vegas Final was won by German Dennis Höller.

Las Vegas will be waiting for Dennis Höller, as the German driver earned a totally unprecedented prize to celebrate the debut of “THE FINAL” by TBKART in fine style: the free participation in the iconic SKUSA SuperNationals, thanks to the “Arrive & Drive” formula. At the end of a remarkable event, animated by a large international group of drivers, Höller took masterful victory in the 18-lap “super final” of the weekend, beating Lorenzo Cioni, Alex Valverde and Francesco Mancini by a few tenths of a second. In addition to these four fast competitors, a wide range of protagonists had their say on Ottobiano’s ideal stage, challenging each other over more than 180 laps and 280 kilometres of genuine racing.

After having claimed overall pole position in the Over 35 class, Maurizio Rampinelli proved his competitiveness by winning a heat and securing third place in the Gold Heat as well as in the overall ranking. Many other drivers showed their skills, with Mattia Corbetta, Andrea Patisso, Giovanni Sturniolo and Mehmet Yaman all taking at least one victory throughout the weekend. Following his second-place result in the Gold Heat, right behind Giovanni Sturniolo, Mattia Corbetta emerged as the overall winner of “THE FINAL” in the Over 35 category, just in front of Sturniolo and Rampinelli.

The races were nail-biting in the Under 35 class too. After having clinched overall pole position, Alex Valverde also won Super Heat A as well as the Gold Heat, but plenty of other competitors joined the Spanish driver at the top of the standings. Dennis Höller, Stefano Piraneo, Alfredo De Matteo and Marco Lattanzi all managed to achieve at least one victory throughout the two-day competition. While Emanuele Vinco and Alfredo De Matteo completed the podium in the Gold Heat, Stefano Piraneo and Lorenzo Cioni came second and third respectively in the overall ranking, right behind the “THE FINAL” overall winner Alex Valverde.

Plenty of positive outcomes emerged from the key event of TBKART’s rental karting season, open to all karting enthusiasts (not only those who participate in the TBKART International Ranking). The unique Racing format, inspired by the traditional 2-stroke international competitions, was widely appreciated by the drivers who took part in “THE FINAL”. The organisation and the fairness that were guaranteed by the detailed regulations were equally satisfying. With the TBKART RMAX chassis being randomly assigned before each driving session (after having been specifically tested, aligned and prepared for this new event by the TBKART Racing Team), 11 different drivers managed to win at least one of the 20 races that were held between the two classes: Under 35 and Over 35.

In addition to their high-performance characteristics, including the Rotax two-stroke 23 hp engines, all the TBKART RMAX karts distinguished themselves for their exceptional reliability and consistency. In fact, despite being usually registered in the qualifying sessions, the quickest lap times were signed throughout the races. As drivers gained confidence on Ottobiano’s 1,380-metre-long circuit, the excellent track conditions and the flawless vehicle maintenance carried out by TBKART’s highly qualified technical staff allowed them to improve and to have fun during the entire competition. This resulted in incredibly tight and thrilling races, with small gaps separating the competitors.

While a spectacular drivers’ presentation preceded the last races of the two-day competition in Ottobiano, with “THE FINAL” medals and t-shirts handed out to every participant, a cheerful podium ceremony put the icing on the cake on a memorable international event, as a variety of trophies and products were awarded to the most successful competitors. TBKART thanks all the drivers, spectators, sponsors and personnel who supported the first edition of “THE FINAL” and already sets sights on next year’s appointment, where bonus points will still be granted to the competitors who will qualify for this international final through the TBKART International Ranking. In the meantime, both the 2023 participants and all other enthusiasts can relive the scenes of such an unparalleled event thanks to the footage provided by OnBoard13 with their high-quality onboard cameras (installed on the helmets of all drivers during every session) as well as all the exclusive content published on TBKART’s official Instagram and Facebook accounts.