Interview: Marcus Amand

from FIA Karting

The FIA European Karting – Junior 2019 Champion awaits the resumption of competition with a calm worthy of his Finnish maternal ancestry. Only 14 years old, Marcus Amand has not suffered unduly from the lockdown that has just eased in France and is not really worried about the pandemic. He is quietly enjoying the fine weather in the Nouvelle Aquitaine region, in his family home, not far from the Atlantic Ocean, while waiting for the FIA Karting competitions to resume.

MARCUS, HOW DID YOU KEEP BUSY DURING THE TWO MONTHS OF LOCKDOWN?

I didn’t get bored! I am lucky to live in France in a beautiful area, we have a large garden and family life is pleasant, especially with my sister whom I usually see less often. For education, nothing has changed for me as I am used to taking distance learning courses. Of course, the pace was quieter than during the racing season and I must admit that I enjoyed it! I was easily able to keep up my physical activity, and I definitely feel ready to get back into competition when it’s possible.

HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN YOUR MOTIVATION?

Like a lot of drivers during this period, I was more interested in virtual racing. I don’t have a big simulator capable of getting close to the real sensations, but I was able to keep in touch with my friends by taking part in a few races. I definitely prefer to play on I-Racing than on mainstream platforms. The problem with online racing is that a lot of people lack seriousness and drive too aggressively, which is not possible in reality. For my part, I try to stay in the spirit of real competition, no matter if I don’t win against more experienced players in the virtual world.



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HOW DID THE SHORT START OF THE SEASON IN KARTING GO FOR YOU?

I won the FIA Karting European Championship – Junior last year, so I moved up to the top category in OK this year. I was able to compete in three races before everything stopped. I have to admit that it was not easy. I’m young and I’m not very tall. The OK is very powerful and the field is strong with the best drivers in the world who have sometimes been competing at this level for many years. The competition is tough. Nevertheless I have finished in the top 20 twice.

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE END OF THE SEASON?

The European Championship and the World Championship OK are on my programme. I don’t think I’m going to compete in many other races. I hope to be able to start testing on the track again soon so that I can be ready for the first race. It’s still uncertain as we are not yet sure that the current calendar can go ahead as planned. I will see. I don’t have any particular objective other than to get used to the OK category and to put in some good performances.

HOW DO YOU ENVISAGE THE REST OF YOUR CAREER?

The lockdown and the delay in the races have changed a lot. 2020 will be a unique season anyway. On the other hand, I’m in no hurry to move to single-seater racing. I would like to continue in karting because I really like it and it’s an excellent education. We don’t know what 2021 will be like, but I could see myself doing a full season in OK. After that, it will depend on the opportunities offered to me, I have time to decide.



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