Melbourne based rising karting star and 2023 Australian KA3 Junior Champion, Pip Casabene, has made an impressive start to his 2025 campaign in the SP Tools Australian Kart Championship (AKC).
Finishing second in a hectic final at the opening round held at his home track of Todd Road, Casabene showcased both skill and resilience throughout the weekend. Competing in the highly competitive X30 class against a field of 36 talented karters, the 16-year-old, racing out of the ProKarting team aboard his #19 Kart Republic, secured valuable points for his championship push.
The weekend kicked off on Friday with four practice sessions, where Pip, his coach Adam Lindstrom, and mechanic Andrew DiCarlo worked tirelessly on fine-tuning the kart setup and honing his driving. Despite the intense competition and tight lap times, Casabene showed promising speed, securing P11 and P6 in the first two sessions. In Practice 3, he topped the timesheets, proving that both his driving and the kart setup were coming together as the weekend progressed. Although a setup change in Practice 4 didn’t yield the expected results, Pip remained upbeat, acknowledging that he still had great pace.
Saturday marked the beginning of the competitive action, with Qualifying and two heat races. Casabene was on fire during Qualifying, securing a fantastic 4th place start for the opening heats. Despite a small mistake in turn one, he was just shy of pole position, less than one-tenth of a second off the top spot.
The first heat race saw Pip rise to the occasion, battling hard for the lead and ultimately taking the win. “It didn’t come easy,” Casabene admitted after the race, but the victory was a testament to his skill and determination.
In Heat 2, Casabene tried a change in kart setup, but it didn’t quite work as planned. Nevertheless, he managed to finish 3rd and set the fastest lap of the race, further cementing his competitive edge. Despite the minor setback, he remained positive about his performance and was hopeful for the remainder of the weekend.
Sunday brought two more heat races before the all-important final. Heat 3 saw Pip engaged in a fierce battle for second, showing excellent pace throughout but ultimately having to settle for 4th. In Heat 4, he finished 3rd, securing a strong starting position for the final.
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The final was a frenetic affair, with the young Melbourne driver showing excellent speed and driving skills. Despite some things not going his way during the race, Pip crossed the line in second place, just shy of the top spot. He reflected positively on the weekend, noting that while the result was solid, there was still room for improvement in his driving. “There’s a lot of pace, and I know I can go faster,” said Casabene.
With consistent performances in the heats and the final, Casabene heads to Round 2 in Monarto, South Australia, with a solid points haul. His second-place finish at Todd Road sees him sitting second in the championship standings, just behind the leaders, with a strong foundation for the rest of the season.
“I’m really happy with how the weekend went pace-wise,” said Casabene. “There’s definitely room for improvement, but I’m feeling confident. I’m excited to get to Monarto and hopefully go one better and win.”
A big thank you to Pip’s sponsors, Casabene Group and Winslow Construction, for their continued support throughout the season. With a solid start to the year, Casabene is undoubtedly a driver to watch as the 2025 SP Tools Australian Kart Championship unfolds.
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