M18: D-12, a new format of event

Several of the new aspects which characterise the CIK-FIA “U18” World Championship concern the format of the competitions themselves.

Created in 1964, the World Karting Championship was mostly held over one single-event, except in 1966, 67, 68 and 69, and more recently in 2001 and 2002. The World Championship for 15-18 year-olds will be a three-round competition, with successively an opening at Wackersdorf in Germany (25 July), a stop at Alcaniz in Spain (29 August) and a conclusion at Breuil-sous-Argenton in France (3 October).

At the end of the Championship, all the results of every Driver will be taken into account, without any deduction possible. In the absence of jokers, it will therefore be necessary to get as many points as possible, more especially as the points scale – like in Formula One – favours first places, with 25 units allocated to the winner of a final, compared to “only” 13 to the fourth-placed Driver, for example. And, as only in one race per event – the final – will points (and prizes) be allocated, the difficult choice between panache and restraint will be even more critical…!

The final phase of each of the three meetings will also bring participants off the beaten track. After the traditional non-qualifying practice (5 sessions per Driver), qualifying practice (1 session of 8 minutes) and heats (4 per Driver), the menu will comprise a quite unprecedented conclusion phase, with two prefinals of 15 km each and a final of 30 km.

Since the Championship is aimed at being formative, the Drivers’ capacity to manage their efforts will be severely tested during the two prefinals: the starting grid of the first one will reflect the classification drawn up further to the 10 qualifying heats, but the grid of the second one will be totally reversed. So the first-classified competitors after the heats will start last…

With equal engines and tyres, recoveries should therefore be tricky. Again, Drivers’ hearts will be torn between attacking and self-restraint. The added classifications of the 2 prefinals will determine the grid of the grand final, the final in a blaze of glory which will reveal the great winner of the event and will see the allocation of Championship points to the top 15 classified Drivers.

And as the popular phrase goes, “we’re going to see some action”!

Info CIK