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Riccardo Monti insists that his early taste of the Vertu MINI CHALLENGE Trophy has been an \u2018amazing experience\u2019 as the Italian rookie prepares for his third weekend in the series.<\/strong><\/p>\n The Italian teenager joined the grid at Donington Park with EXCELR8 in a programme that will see him contest the remainder of the campaign – making him the only driver from mainland Europe to have raced in the series this season thus far.<\/p>\n Originally from Milan but now studying in the UK, Monti took part in two meetings in the MINI CHALLENGE Italia series last season after making the move up from karting, but the switch to the Cooper class marks the biggest step in his racing career to date.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t really compare the Italian series with the MINI CHALLENGE; they are so different,\u201d he said. \u201cThe Italian championship is good for a complete rookie driver but the racing here is so much better and it\u2019s so competitive – which is what I\u2019m used to from karting back home.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThe level of competition here is insane with some very good drivers on the grid, and the tracks are fantastic, so I\u2019m really enjoying myself. I\u2019ve only done two weekends so far but I\u2019d already say that the racing is some of the best I\u2019ve ever been involved in, and I feel this is a great place for me to progress.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Although not eligible to score championship points, Monti has managed to score five top 20 finishes so far, with a best result of 15th in the dramatic finale at Donington Park on his debut weekend.<\/p>\n Monti will now look to try and improve on that result in the meetings to come at Silverstone this weekend and at Brands Hatch in November, with his focus firmly on trying to return for a full season assault on the series in 2025.<\/p>\n \u201cJoining the grid has been an amazing experience and competing at Donington Park was the best feeling ever,\u201d he said. \u201cRacing back in Italy doesn\u2019t get a crowd like that and to see so much support for drivers racing in all of the championships and not just the BTCC was fantastic.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s clear that the other drivers on the grid have more experience than me of the cars and the tracks but I don\u2019t see that as a problem. I know I have a lot to learn but the events I\u2019ve chosen to compete in this season has given me the chance to race at four good circuits and start learning for next year when I want to try and do a full season.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m learning every time I go out on track and the team has unmatched levels of experience that is helping me to get more and more comfortable at pushing towards the limit. Finding the limit is what comes next.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ background_enable_image=”off” background_size=”contain” background_position=”center_left” custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.minichallenge.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/53951138191_e3362c0546_k.jpg” title_text=”53951138191_e3362c0546_k” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.minichallenge.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/53982878801_0a993c9334_k.jpg” title_text=”53982878801_0a993c9334_k” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.minichallenge.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/53983308645_4d23b27e3e_k.jpg” title_text=”53983308645_4d23b27e3e_k” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Riccardo Monti insists that his early taste of the Vertu MINI CHALLENGE Trophy has been an \u2018amazing experience\u2019 as the Italian rookie prepares for his third weekend in the series.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":26187,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1462,1466],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26186","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-cooper"],"yoast_head":"\n