Third meeting on the future of karting

According to some rumours (no official press release has been issued, although it seems that members of the press will be invited at the next meeting) the most relevant aspect of the meeting was the common stance of all manufacturers. In fact, they all seem to agree on the hot issues: the power valve, the clutch, rev limit and carburettor. Manufacturers will soon have to come up with an official proposal to be presented to the CIK, which will then submit it to the FIA World Council by the end of the year.

The same rumours have the following details: the power valve will be standard for everyone, the clutch will be Rotax-type, the rev limit will be increased to 16,000 rpm, float-type carburettor instead of diaphragm one. On this basis, the new category should start reviving the sport mainly at national level.
However, it seems that all of the above is meant to affect mainly the sport at international level, while it is hard to believe the problems (of substantially different nature) of ‘normal karters’ will be tackled. Our modest opinion is that the issues at stake are far more (and worse) than those mentioned above.
For one thing, engine cost (purchase and running costs) that is fundamental for the success of a new project has not been mentioned at all, and yet this is the key factor that will decide the future of our sport, particularly at this time of economic stagnation.