Rotax Cancels 2020 Grand Finals
BRP-Rotax has cancelled the 2020 Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals. A new Covid lockdown in the host country (Portugal) makes it impossible to run the event, which will not be postponed to another date.
International
FIA Karting Best Of: Jean Todt
FIA Karting’s 2020 Best Of posts, this one from the FIA President’s forward in the organisation’s Best Of publication addressing karting, its issues and overview of 2020.
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Rotax Forging Ahead With Grand Finals
According to Rotax, the 2020 Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals are still going ahead in Portugal later this month. While the event will be run “under the highest health and safety standards”, some competitors are worried they can’t even get into Portugal.
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Flack Confirms F4 Plans
After nine successful years of karting in Australia and overseas, Queensland’s Marcos Flack has confirmed international plans for 2021 and is set to compete in the British Formula 4 Championship.
Interview: Kristijan Habulin
In 2020, only two drivers from Croatia took part in FIA Karting Competitions. Kristijan Habulin races KZ2 with the TB Kart team, using engines prepared by his father! At the age of 32, he is also one of the oldest in the category but still managed to take a podium last year.
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FIA Prize Giving by Remote Control
With the ban on gatherings imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, the 2020 FIA prize giving ceremony (including karting) took place via Zoom and was MC’d from a Hotel in Geneva.
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More Changes To Rotax Distribution
BRP-Rotax has announced further changes to its worldwide importing & servicing network for karting products with new distributors appointed for Ireland and Malaysia.
Irlando Signs With CRG
Alex Irlando has moved from Birel ART to CRG for the 2021 KZ season as CRG attempts to strengthen its factory driver lineup.
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Interview: Jamie Croxford, Forza Racing
“The history of Forza Racing began with the title won by George Russell.” A top international driver for several years, Jamie Croxford is today the head of one of the most renowned private teams in FIA karting competition.
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News Briefs
Lots of mixed news snippets in today’s post of anything karting… from anywhere. Club, industry, product news & info from Australia and around the world.
Interview: Stan Pex, Karting Dynasty
“Turning your passion into a profession is great” says Stan Pex, the youngest of the Pex family karting dynasty.
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Interview: Giacomo Aliprandi, Tony Kart Team Manager
Giacomo Aliprandi has already spent more than half of his life working with the OTK group. Recently, he accompanied Tony Kart’s trio of drivers on the podium of the OK World Championship.
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Goldstar Karters Turn It On at Taranaki
The cream definitely rose to the top at the opening round of the 2020/21 Goldstar Series at the KartSport Taranaki club’s Todd Energy Raceway in Waitara on Sunday.
Rainy IAME Thriller at Portimao
The IAME International Games presented a new Karting Festival at Portimao on the weekend, where emerging talents tackled the mixed weather for deserving wins (includes video).
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Seniors Growth For NZ Goldstar Series
This weekends opening round of the New Zealand Goldstar Series at Taranaki sees a jump in entry numbers compared to last year. Here’s the series preview.
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Experience Counts at NZ Endurance Titles
Age proved no barrier to winning the second annual Kartsport New Zealand Briggs Endurance Title on the weekend, the winning team including a 69-year old driver.
Life Membership for Robert Hutton
With close to 30 years of active involvement in virtually every part of the sport, 68-year-old Robert Hutton was awarded life membership of Kartsport New Zealand on the weekend.
Preview: NZ Briggs Endurance Titles
This Saturday the Kartsport Wellington club hosts the second annual New Zealand Briggs National Endurance Championship meeting at Gazley Raceway. Can the 334 laps completed by last year’s winner be beaten?
No ‘Team Australia’ for Rotax Worlds
It’s unfortunate, but in the circumstances not totally unexpected – there will be no Team Australia representation at the 2020 Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals.
Official Alonso Kart Team for 2021
There will be an official Alonso Kart race team competing on the international karting circuit in 2021.
OTK Brits Take Two World Championships
British drivers Callum Bradshaw and Freddie Slater made the most of the wet to take out the 2020 OK and Junior FIA Karting World Championships. Here’s the finals day wrap, video and photos from the drenched Portimao circuit.
World Championship Update
The OK & Junior World Championships started out wet in Portugal. Here’s a wrap of the event so far (including AUS & NZ drivers) plus Saturday’s live stream.
Interview: Lorenzo Patrese – Son of Karting Champion & F1 Driver
“My Father’s more of a source of inspiration than pressure” says Lorenzo Patrese, son of former Karting World Champion and F1 Grand Prix winner Ricardo.
Champions of the Future Concludes at Portimao
Australia’s James Wharton started strong at the World Championship ‘shakedown’ meet last weekend, qualifying 8th and ranked 4th after the heats. Here’s the report, pics and video from Portimao.
Duffys Awarded to IKF Sprint GrandNationals Winners
American karters converged on the Santa Maria karting circuit to decide this year’s GrandNationals, plus the winners of the famous Duffy trophies that were awarded in the IAME and Briggs classes.