It is the Sunday of the grand finale of the Porsche Carrera Cup Italia in Monza, but in addition to the winners of the 2024 titles, right after race 2, at 3.00 pm in the Porsche hospitality area the now traditional rite of nomination of the Schoalrship Program will be held.
The head of the Italian coaching program Andrea Boldrini, always supported by the other dedicated coach, Andrea Ceccato, and by the staff of the Italian single-brand brand led by Valentina Albanese will declare this year’s winner, i.e. the under 23 who will participate in the Porsche selections Motorsport with the best young talents from the other national Carrera Cups, with the possibility of becoming a Junior driver.
Boldrini, what was the season for the Scholarship Programme? This year too many kids seemed to improve over the months…
“In fact, from the beginning of the year to today… some were already starting from a good level, but I have to say that other guys who were a little behind have grown a lot. You see Schuring, who won here and also in Germany, an extremely serious and good guy, even outside the car. One we really like. Just like Stiak, who was very introverted in the first races and now smiles with us. We’re pleased that he’s loosened up a bit, it’s just a shame that he isn’t among the possible eligible candidates (the German from Target Competition is far too young: for 9 days, in fact, he did not meet the minimum age limit of 17 years of age by 1 March 2007, ed.).”
Having necessarily to exclude Stiak, looking exclusively at results, podiums and rankings, so far Braschi and Schuring would appear to be the favorites for this afternoon’s nomination…
“We are at the last race. It’s clear that someone is a little further behind, also in terms of ranking, but even yesterday between qualifying and the race the balance was shuffled a bit. We will decide only after game 2.”
It was also a year full of victories and podiums…
“Compared to a few years ago it is more difficult to win in the Carrera Cup Italia. The level has risen and there are many strong riders. Just look at the qualifying times, it’s really tough. Having won more races and achieved several podiums is a great result in such a competitive championship. We are extremely satisfied with it. And this didn’t happen immediately, it’s a sign that the kids have grown up. And it’s clear that they do a lot of the work themselves, with the experience they have and the fact that they play many tests and different championships. But here, I really want to think that we can also give a hand, a help.”
What is this group of guys like?
“This year is very varied. They had little bond until before the previous race in Vallelunga. There I saw that they exchange ideas with each other, joke during briefings and training with personal trainers… they have improved in this too. They started out a little cold towards each other, but now there seems to be a good team spirit.”
Yours is still a somewhat… thankless role, given the selection you necessarily have to make at the end of the season.
“It’s always difficult. They are kids and have many expectations, many dreams. Every time it’s a problem to decide, because beyond objectivity each of them potentially has at least one quality for which they could be chosen and therefore if I could I would select them all.”
How did you see the “youngest of the young”, for example Pujatti, who is not yet 17, or Olivieri?
“I saw the right approach. Pujatti has grown a lot, for example also in terms of English. At the beginning of the season he couldn’t put a word together and now he does the briefings in English. We are also satisfied for this, because the message we give him from the beginning is that we evaluate everything. Olivieri, on the other hand, has grown a lot in his communication skills, he has gone from using very simple terms to more technical ones and is much more analytical. At the end of the briefing we do several over a weekend and arriving at the sixth meeting with everyone discussing each other and everyone listening is a moment of further growth. And important.”
You’ve been leading the Scholarship Program for a few years now: have these guys ever written to you, spoken to you…?
“Some yes, some no. Some get lost, others you meet again in the paddock. Yesterday I met Masters who was going to hospitality and we pleasantly exchanged a few words. And when I see a rider like him who, I don’t want to say he left the Scholarship Programme, but I think we were very helpful to him, who had arrived here with no experience two years ago. Even though he obviously put a lot of his effort into it because he is still a talent. Seeing him fighting for the championship or achieving results in the Supercup is really nice. And when I see him lined up on the grid I still consider him a pupil of mine. Even if it isn’t anymore.”
Is he the rider who has most impressed you in recent years?
“For how he arrived, for the approach he had, also for his character. I will always remember his debut in Imola: never seen the track and never driven a Porsche, it was raining in practice, he did two laps and then waited for it to dry to launch. Anyone else would have been gripped by the urge to drive the car. He had only done one practice session… I really liked this approach.”
On the other hand, who do you regret not seeing anymore on race weekends or who perhaps hasn’t continued their career?
“Giardelli who won the Scholarship at the end of an incredible year (2021, ed.)winning races and fighting for the title until the end. It’s unfortunate because in any case he was a boy in whom I saw great potential.”
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