Gianfranco Mazzaferro, a member of the Ferrolati Corse Karting Team, hoisted the ASN Canada FIA Canadian Karting Championship Rotax Mini Max title on Super Sunday as he bested Canada’s top field of up-and-coming racers to grab his first national title. The young driver from near by Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Quebec was inside the top three on the time sheets in all eight official sessions at the ultra fast Circuit Karting Mont Tremblant. Piloting a Zanardi Kart from SH Karting of St. Hilaire, Quebec, GF drove the final race in dominant fashion taking point on lap three and leading all the way to the checkerd flag with a 1.9 second gap and setting fast lap of the race enroute to a national crown. This marks a major run up the finishing order in Mini Max for Mazzaferro who took third in last year’s event. The class win also grants GF an invite to join Team Canada at the 2012 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals in Portugal.
“I still can’t believe we won the Nationals,” beams Mazzaferro. “Qualifying didn’t go as planned and we were in tough in the heat races. Our score (from the heats) got us on the front row for the prefinal, which was really important. The prefinal and final were really good for me. I have been working with my coach on getting better on longer runs. In the final, once I got the lead, I went into cruise mode and just kept knocking off the laps. ”
Mazzaferro would go P2 and P3 in timed practice to set the tone for the weekend ahead. In qualifying the 12-year-old racer wasn’t able to find the space he needed for a run at pole and was only able to clock the third fastest time. From his inside row two starting spot, GF took the race one win and logged an all-important zero. In heat two the grade-seven student played it safe settling for second place and setting fast lap of the race. The third and final heat race was a great battle with Mazzaferro only needing a low score to secure a front row spot for the prefinal so he crossed in second place. The prefinal was a great opportunity for GF to set himself for the final as he took the win to secure pole for the long feature race. In the final GF would let his presence be known early as he took lead on lap three. From there the talented Quebec driver stretched out a lead and earned the national title.
“My Zanardi Kart from SH Karting was amazing all week long. We had great horsepower from our engine department,” continues Mazzaferro. “Everyone under the Ferrolati Corsa Karting tent worked really hard to get ready for the Nationals. I want to thank Nick, Alex and Garett for their help all season and for preparing me for the Nationals. I really want to thank my mom and dad for all their support. They work so hard to allow me do this. I am glad I could reward everyone’s hard work with a national title.”
GF and the Ferrolati Corse Karting Team will be in action in two weeks as they compete in the final round of the 2012 Coupe de Quebec event taking place at Grand Mere on September 8th.
