RYOTA KIYOHARA (KF2) AND GIUSEPPE GAGLIANO’(KF3) ARE THE WINNER OF THE ROK TALENT 2011

Along with the long and complete analysis of all data collected during the final exam, held on last 17^th of October at the South Garda Track, the Rok Talent jury announces the winners: RYOTA KIYOHARA (KF2) and GIUSEPPE GAGLIANO’ (KF3).

The tasks of all the members of the jury was quite difficult since the twelve drivers of this very Final passed through a long and hard path, where they had to attend in their respective national championships before and the Rok International Final after, ending in this final test.
Race by race the Rok drivers have shown all their talent and their performances, by over 130 Rok Talent entries, 58 were qualified for the Rok Final. The exciting but at the same time hard selection was made by the competition itself, giving the names of the 12 finalists, amongst which the 2 winners becoming part of the Vortex team as official driver.
During the final exam, members of the jury hardly worked to find out any Rok Talent drivers’ skill, at the drive and under many other aspects. The way to better face emotions, the easiness to reach personal limits, firmness and determination, as well as  teamwork abilities, and media-communication abilities.
By this a very interesting driver’s profile has been reached and we got the confirmation that Rok finalists are high-level drivers, who if they will be able to go on this way with the same enthusiasm and determination, they will reach important results at international level for sure.
Rok Talent Award project has collected the attention from all media and outsiders which gave importance to this Vortex project, known as the first one who has ever given the chance to become official driver of an important team.
Let’s see who will be the two Rokkers participating in the 2012 world karting scenario, the two Rok Talent drivers in the next European Championship and the CIK-FIA World Cup.

ROK TALENT AWARD FINAL SCHEDULE

• Meeting at 8 am at the paddock of the South Garda International Circuit, inside the Tony Kart-Vortex hospitality
• Organizers of the project illustrate the schedule of the day to all young Rokker drivers. The best 12 are then divided into two groups. Six drivers will have to undergo a test session at the track in the morning and the other six drivers will be interviewed by the press agents Mark Burgess (Editor for Karting Magazine), Rob Howden (Editor for e-Karting News), Jacky Foulatier(Editor for KartMag).
• 9am. The first warm-up session begins. Drivers are running with their own chassis for 15 minutes, the same Rok material which they conquered the Rok Talent Award’s Final 2011 with. The latest examination is now beginning!
• 9.30am. Inside the big tent-garage of the Tony Kart Racing Team-Vortex the first six Rok Talent drivers are getting familiar with the Tony Kart Racing Team’s staff, adjust the seat’s size, and any kart detail. All Rokkers enter the official Vortex’ habits for their first time.
• 10am. The first test is with KF category’s kart. Any of the examined drivers are getting more and more confident with the chassis assigned. Rokkers’ examiners include three excellent names, Alessandro Piccini, Marco Ardigò and Armand Convers.
  In the meantime, press agents inside the hospitality are interviewing the other six drivers with a barrage of questions, in order to better understand drivers’ strength of mind and communication skills.
• 10.30am. After the chassis set-up a new short test-session is held, a 5 minutes warm-up before the race simulation.
• 11am. Race simulation begins. 15 minutes in full concentration, without breaks, with the only aim in not making mistakes and make the best performance.  
• 11.30am. It’s the time for telemetry an data analysis with our engineers and the first opinions about the rounds are discussed.
• 12am. Final briefing with Tony Kart Racing Team’s technicians, official drivers and the team managers Giacomo Aliprandi (Team Manager of Tony Kart Racing Team) and Olivier Marechal (Team Manager of Kosmic Kart).
• 12.30pm Lunch break. A moment of rest for everybody, impressions and opinions about this training-day are exchanged.
• 2pm. The daily program goes on inverted, drivers who had run in the morning are now interview while the others wear helmet and race suit to go on the track.  

THE 12 BEST ROK TALENT DRIVERS’ OPINIONS

Daniele Basiliotti – Italy – Rok (KF2)
“This undoubtedly was a very positive experience, in this final what I appreciated most was to know the feelings of being part of such a great racing team. The only regret is that due to my age, I’ll be 18 in 2012, I will not be allowed to attend the Rok Talent anymore.”

Mats Borg Andersen – Norway – Rok (KF2)
“It was really amusing, I liked very much being at direct contact with champions as Ardigò and getting useful advices to improve. There is not one only thing I liked most, anything was wonderful, to me passing through a small team to the best in the world is incredibly fantastic. I am sorry I will not be able to attend it again since on next year I will be too old to register.”

Gabriele Bensi – Italy – Rok (KF2)
“It is fantastic to train with the official Tony Kart-Vortex team, to have anyone there right for you and learn a lot of things on the way this team works. Mechanics are very professional, fast and also nice, anyone made us feel at home.”

Christopher Zani - Italy – Super Rok (KF2)
“Anything was perfectly organized and I am very happy to be here. I won the very final and right after I was here, a double success for me.”

Kiyohara Ryota - Japan – Super Rok (KF2)
“I am happy. I did not know this circuit, and I was running with other competitors who already knew it, however I made a good performance, also reaching the Rok Talent final.
All the management was perfect and it was an unforgettable experience.”

Gianmarco Ercoli - Italy – Super Rok (KF2)
“I already had some selection tests but I was really pleased to spend one whole day together with this important team, very well organized.”

Luca Corberi – Italy – Junior Rok (KF3)
“I already knew many members of this team but to be considered like an official driver all day long, was really exciting. To enter the Rok Talent final was a target I wished to achieve and I succeeded, I dare say I am very well satisfied with this result.”

Toshiki Oyu – Japan - Junior Rok (KF3)
“I wish to congratulate with Vortex for the very good management and for this exciting project, dedicated to young drivers.”

Giuseppe Gaglianò - Italy – Junior Rok (KF3)
“Anything was very good, I really enjoyed any moment, I drove the KF3 chassis with enthusiasm, it is a nice chassis, moreover Vortex and Tony Kart support made this experience unforgettable. Next year I will be the first driver who will make his entry for the Rok Talent Award project.” 

Michael Müller – Switzerland – Mini Rok (KF3)
“I was very pleased to make this experience and I learnt a lot. I will do it again in 2012… if I will not be the winner.”

Lorenzo Franchetto - Italy – Mini Rok (KF3)
“Anything is very interesting, I enjoyed a lot and I tried to spend this day with the right feelings, not being too much emotional.”

Christian Castelli - Italy – Mini Rok (KF3)
“Vortex management is perfect, the whole team is professional and gave us the right importance. We had been considered as we were part of the team officially, we worked side by side with the mechanics inside the tent, we’ve been in the hospitality and so on. I am very satisfied, I could live this experience by reaching the final.”