Mičánek Motorsport powered by Buggyra heads to Imola aiming to strengthen its position at the top of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe standings. The iconic circuit hosts Lamborghini Arena — a festival dedicated exclusively to cars from nearby Sant’Agata Bolognese. For the drivers, that means a packed timetable and, above all, extremely strong competition.
Bronislav Formánek and Anthony Pretorius will defend the team’s lead in the Pro-AM standings, while Jakub Knoll and Renaud Kuppens will target victory in the AM class. “We’re continuing the mission we started at Paul Ricard a month ago. Once again, we’re running two cars and two international driver pairings,” says Jiří Mičánek Jr., team manager of Mičánek Motorsport powered by Buggyra.
That, however, is where the similarities with the opening round end. Imola hosts the second event as part of a festival created purely for Lamborghini enthusiasts, with Super Trofeo Europe serving as the headline racing attraction of the weekend. The format brings a unique schedule — practice and qualifying are compressed into a single day, with both races taking place on Sunday.
“Sunday will be risky. If anything happens in the first race, we’ll have very little time to repair the car before the second one,” warns Jiří Mičánek. Compared to Paul Ricard, the grid has grown as well, with 33 cars entered.
“It’s going to be a difficult weekend. Expectations are high now, and that brings responsibility with it. I race better without pressure, but we need to get used to it. I’m looking forward to it,” says Bronislav Formánek. Imola carries mixed memories for him — two years ago he celebrated victory there, while four years ago he suffered a heavy crash at 240 km/h. “You don’t forget something like that. It’s still in my head. But mentally I’m focused on winning.”
It will be Formánek’s second event alongside Anthony Pretorius. The nineteen-year-old South African talent has now relocated permanently to the Czech Republic after joining Mičánek Motorsport powered by Buggyra. “It’s great here. I’ve already made a few friends,” smiles Pretorius. He approaches Imola with both confidence and humility.
“It’ll be my first time racing there, but we definitely want to build on Paul Ricard. I’ve done a lot of laps on the simulator and always loved the circuit. I’m excited to experience it for real. I know the other drivers has far more mileage there, but honestly, that’s the case for me at most European tracks. I don’t really have an advantage anywhere,” says the young driver, who only joined Lamborghini Super Trofeo in 2025.
Jakub Knoll has only slightly more experience around the legendary Imola circuit, having raced there four years ago in GT4 European Series. “It’s a very interesting track, but also quite demanding. I’m planning another simulator session before the weekend. Renaud and I want to continue where we left off at Paul Ricard — fighting at the front of AM and running in the top half of the overall field,” explains Knoll.
While the other three Mičánek Motorsport powered by Buggyra drivers all mention some form of caution when speaking about Imola, Renaud Kuppens approaches the second round of the championship with visible excitement and clear ambitions. “I’m happy to continue with the team for another event. Imola is one of my favourite circuits. I took my first win here in Maserati Super Trofeo, and two years ago we finished fourth overall here in Lamborghini Super Trofeo,” recalls the Belgian, speaking about the circuit that spent years on the Formula One calendar.
“It’s going to be completely different compared to Le Castellet. There are no track limits here, the weekend format is spread across two days, and the atmosphere will be different too,” says the experienced driver. At the same time, he already knows what to expect. “I know the team now, and I’m much better prepared for the car setup. Last time we found a good compromise between Jakub and me, and if I can build enough of a gap, I believe we can control the race and fight for victory in AM,” hopes Kuppens. Just as importantly, he hopes the pair can avoid the incidents that denied them victory in France a month ago.
At Paul Ricard, the duo retired late in the opening race after a damaged driveshaft, while in the second race Kuppens suffered heavy contact from another competitor and was forced to pit for a wheel change. Even so, the Knoll–Kuppens pairing currently sits second in the AM standings.
