International Magazine – KARTCOM News #36 – Free download

A particularly busy Autumn 2017! The events of the 2017 season have undoubtedly been marked by the OK and OK-Junior World Championship which took place in the United Kingdom. Influenced by the British passion for motorsport, the PFI meeting enjoyed irreproachable organisation and a truly pleasant atmosphere, unique in its kind in karting. However, the purely sporting aspect of the World competition suffered from some issues. The performance differences between the timed sessions, caused by the various tyres deposited on the track (Vega in Juniors and LeCont in OK), had significant consequences in the progress of the Qualifying Heats where the hierarchy was jostled. The large number of incidents and penalties also affected the Final result. Although the two World Champions crowned at PFI, Danny Keirle in OK and Dexter Patterson in OK-Junior, fully deserve their titles, several favourites were prematurely removed from the battle, which is always regrettable for the sporting spectacle.

Another major event of the season, the 24 Hours Karting du Mans confirmed its international appeal with the second award of the CIK-FIA Endurance Championship. Will the event evolve into a true World Championship? It can be envisaged in the medium term with the increasing involvement of factory teams in this great classic and the will of the ACO. However, we must rejoice at the vigour of the private teams, such as the 2017 winner Rouen GSK 1, able to compete with the factories, even dominate them, without having financial power. The enthusiasts at the event were able to fight against champions of the calibre of Paolo De Conto, Anthony Abbasse, Lorenzo Travisanutto and Alex Irlando, an inaccessible dream outside endurance.

A long discussion with Paolo Bombara, representative of the manufacturer LeCont, brings a special focus on the constraints of a tyre manufacturer in this issue of Kartcom News, an essential element of competition often challenged by competitors, sometimes wrongly.

Although it is not surprising, the recent announcement of the end of the Rotax Euro Challenge decided by its promoter for 12 years, RGMMC, who now prefers to dedicate itself to the X30 Challenge, it is a complicated situation for the Austrian manufacturer. It will be interesting to see how the giant BRP-Rotax plans to rebound, notably with its electric kart project. The karting industry is not yet ready to stop making noise and smoke especially, as the electrical technology is currently far from the level of the internal combustion engines. Everyone feels that the end of fossil fuel engines is approaching. The Rotax Max also seemed revolutionary when it first appeared in 1997. Twenty years later, more than 80,000 engines have been sold worldwide, an exceptional success in karting.

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