ITALIAN TEEN JOINS EXCELR8 FOR COOPER PROGRAMME
Italian youngster Riccardo Monti will embark on the next stage of his fledgling racing career this season after confirming plans to relocate to the UK for a partial programme in the Vertu MINI CHALLENGE Trophy with EXCELR8.
The teenager from Milan spent nearly a decade competing in karting back in his homeland, primarily in the ROK Cup Italia series as he worked his way up the ladder to race at Senior level.
Eager to take his career to the next stage, Riccardo joined the MINI CHALLENGE Italia grid at Misano last season, competing in a car entered into the Lite class and run by the MINI Roma by Promodrive team.
As one of the youngest drivers in the field, Riccardo scored a best result of fourth in class across the two races before heading from his Italian home for the UK to continue with his education, and also to chase his racing dream.
Having had the opportunity to sample MINI CHALLENGE machinery, albeit in Italian specification, Riccardo will now seek to further his experience on track when he joins the Cooper class for the second half of the 2024 season.
Riccardo will join multiple champions EXCELR8 for events at Donington Park, Croft, Silverstone and Brands Hatch, with his main focus being to gain much-needed knowledge as he continues to work towards a career on track.
Riccardo Monti said:
“I’ve been racing for as long as I can remember. This sport has held the fondest memories I have of my childhood and it’s probably my biggest passion.
“These last few years I tried to switch from go-karts to cars back home in Italy, trying different cars to start to feel what driving a racing car felt like, and in 2023 I decided to move to the UK for university.
“Wanting to keep my passion alive even in this country, I found the MINI CHALLENGE, which had all that I was looking for; a fun and exciting way to keep my dream of becoming a professional racing driver alive while gaining priceless experience.
“My goals for the 2024 season with EXCELR8 are definitely to gain experience, hopefully get some good results, and prove my worth in this new chapter of my racing career.”
Justina Williams, EXCELR8 Team Owner, said:
“It’s a big decision for any driver to relocate to another country, never mind someone as young as Riccardo, and we are delighted that he has chosen to join the EXCELR8 family for the season ahead.
“Having been successful in karting in the past, we know he is a quick youngster, and his Italian passion and enthusiasm for the sport is clear to see.
“We look forward to working with him to achieve his goals when he hits the track later in the year, and are excited to see what he can achieve.”
