Sport and inclusion: 25 heroes on track at Mugello, amid historic victories and in remembrance of Zanardi

The Mugello Circuit hosted the first 2026 event of the Italian and European para-motorcycling championships: the results.

The 2026 season kicks off at the Mugello Circuit: just this past weekend the first round of the OCTO Cup and the European Handy Bridgestone Cup took place, the Italian and European para-motorcycling championships, a blend of sport, adrenaline, and extraordinary stories. A total of 25 riders from Italy, France, Spain, and Austria brought the paddock and track to life with adapted bikes, talent, and a determination that captured the attention of fans, insiders, and onlookers within the Italian Speed Championship CIV. Not without paying tribute to Alex Zanardi, the most incredible modern-day example of how it’s possible to be reborn after adversity, and thus the greatest reference point for these riders. The next round of the season is set for July 18-19 at the Cremona Circuit; in the meantime, here’s how it went among the Tuscan hills.

Race 1: first European success for Franqueville
In the European 600 class comes the first major victory for the Frenchman Cedric Franqueville, who on his Honda CBR600 manages to finish ahead of Marinato and Sontacchi. In the 1000 category, the first to cross the line was the Tuscan Emiliano Malagoli, present as a wild card and therefore not classified. The 25 championship points thus went to the Frenchman Flavien Jamet, ahead of Corrado Caruso and compatriot Frederic Chatelain.

Race 2: Jamet dominates in the wet
Sunday delivered a masterful performance by Flavien Jamet, perfectly at ease in the tricky conditions of the damp track. After passing Arnoldi in the opening laps, the Frenchman pulled away and comfortably took the win in the European 1000 class. Behind him shone Alex Innocenti and Giorgio Cantalupo, the latter the protagonist of one of the weekend’s most emotional moments. In the European 600 class it was Maximilian Sontacchi of the Team Nexum who claimed the top step of the podium, followed by Marinato and Franqueville.

Race 1: Arnoldi takes his first overall victory
Saturday’s race was held in perfect conditions, with sunshine and ideal temperatures. Stealing the show in the 1000 class was Ivo Arnoldi: the 1964-born rider, who took pole position, set his pace from the second lap and claimed his first overall victory with a best time of 2'02"349 on the BMW. Behind him finished the Spaniard Montoya, who moved up to the premier class this year, and Corrado Caruso, also on a BMW. In the 600 class, a great performance by Nicolas Quaquarini, who managed to finish ahead of the reigning champion Remo Marinato, while the third step of the podium went to Maximilian Sontacchi.

Race 2: Innocenti the standout
Sunday’s race took place in uncertain weather and on a damp track. Although rain forced Race Direction to stop the race on lap seven, the show did not disappoint and the riders, almost all starting on slicks, delivered an exemplary race with plenty of overtakes. In the 1000 class, victory went to Tuscan rider Alex Innocenti, who put in a smart and solid performance. Behind him came Giorgio Cantalupo, back on a bike just a month ago after a domestic accident that left him in a wheelchair, and Montoya, the two separated by less than a second. In the 600, it was once again Nicolas Quaquarini who prevailed, confirming himself as the absolute star of the weekend. Second place for Sontacchi and third for Marinato.

Also noteworthy is the special day dedicated to road safety education held on Friday, organized by Di.Di. in collaboration with the Italian Motorcycling Federation (FMI). Around thirty students from ITIS E. Fermi in Lucca turned Mugello into their open-air classroom, experiencing from the inside how a race weekend is organized and exploring in the field topics related to safety and motorcycling.

The program included practical workshops and exclusive visits: from Race Direction to the garage of one of the CIV’s leading teams, and a tour of the Di.Di. paddock, where the students were able to discover up close the technical adaptations used on the para-riders’ bikes and learn their stories.

All the para-motorcycling riders chose to honor Alex Zanardi with a “CIAO ALEX” sticker on their fairings, in memory of an extraordinary athlete and man who, with his strength, courage, and example, profoundly changed the world’s view of disability, inspiring thousands of people with disabilities to never give up and to give their best beyond every limit.

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