from FIA Karting
The FIA Karting Awards Ceremony took place in Bologna, Italy, on Saturday, 10th December, following the annual General Assembly of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, the World Motor Sport Council and the FIA Awards. The 2022 FIA Karting Champions were celebrated in the beautiful setting of Palazzo Re Enzo.
Around 180 guests were present at midday for the cocktail reception preceding the awards ceremony and lunch. Among the champions and their entourages, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA Vice-President for Sport Robert Reid, President of the Automobile Club of Italy Angelo Sticchi Damiani, FIA Karting Commission President Akbar Ebrahim and FIA Karting Commission Vice President John Ryan honoured the special karting ceremony with their presence.
During his speech, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem reminded everyone that karting is an indispensable platform for drivers who want to gain experience at a young age with the hope of progressing later on in motor sport, and that it is also a discipline in its own right practiced by many drivers throughout the world in the Senior categories, the best of whom are professionals. Along with Akbar Ebrahim, he welcomed the debut of the OK-N category, which is intended to make karting more accessible in all countries.
The three 2022 FIA Karting World Champions, who had already received awards at the FIA awards ceremony the day before, were celebrated in front of their peers. Viktor Gustafsson from Sweden, who won the KZ title, Matheus Morgatto from Brazil in OK and Enzo Tarnvanichkul from Thailand in Junior were once again in the spotlight. The four European Champions, Kean Nakamura-Berta (JPN) in OK, Anatoly Khavalkin, excused, in Junior, Paolo Ippolito (ITA) in KZ and Tom Leuillet (FRA) in KZ2 then received their cups.
The ceremony also rewarded the winner of the KZ2 World Cup Arthur Carbonnel (FRA), the winner of the KZ2 Masters International Super Cup Thomas Letailleur (FRA), who was absent, and the top three of the FIA Karting Academy Trophy: Arthur Dorison (FRA), Guillaume Bouzar (LUX) and Matias Orjuela (COL).
The Best Event Trophy of the 2022 season was awarded to the organising team of the Franciacorta circuit in Italy for the 4th round of the FIA European Karting Championship – OK and OK-Junior last July.
During the ceremony, the guests proceeded to vote for the 2022 photo contest after having been able to appreciate the quality of the five selected photos. The Spaniard Rodriguez Eduardo Cartaña won the 15th FIA Karting Photo of the Year Award.