Grapevine: Di Grassi wins first heat of kart event
Virgin Formula 1 driver Lucas di Grassi won the first heat of Felipe Massa's annual International Challenge of Go-Kart Champions karting event at the Arena Sapiens track in Florianopolis, Brazil, on Saturday night
The event has again attracted a large number of past and present Brazilian F1 drivers, IndyCar racers and stars of the country's national racing scene.
The opening heat, which took place under floodlights last night, saw di Grassi break away from a spectacular battle with Massa and former Jaguar and Williams F1 driver Antonio Pizzonia, who now races in Brazil's V8 Stock Car series. Di Grassi ultimately won by two seconds, with Massa 0.3s ahead of Pizzonia in second.
Spanish Toro Rosso driver Jaime Alguersuari, the only non-Brazilian in the field, beat 2004 IndyCar champion Tony Kanaan and Brazilian stock car driver Marcos Gomes to fourth.
The second heat takes place at 11.00 local time today, and features a partially reversed grid. Williams F1 driver Rubens Barrichello's eighth place from last night gives him pole today, ahead of IndyCar's Vitor Meira and Gomes.
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