Franco Galiffa is, without a doubt, one of the leading engine builders in world karting. With nine victories in the KZ2 World Cup and two in KZ1, Franco is a true institution in these highly competitive categories. The day after his KZ1 victory with Gustafsson, we spoke with Galiffa to find out how he managed to put such a competitive TM engine on the track.
Franco, first of all, congratulations on this victory. What does winning the KZ1 World Championship in 2026 mean to you?
Winning the 2026 World Championship represents the culmination of a very successful season, following up on our 2022 title. We worked extremely hard with TM and with all my collaborators, whom I would like to thank publicly.
When did you get the feeling that you could win this race?
I would say I was confident that we had done a great job and, in fact, the results from the practice sessions had already given me some very positive indications. In racing, you can never be certain until you cross the chequered flag, but I know my equipment and the Le Mans track very well, so I knew from the outset that we could perform strongly.
I would also like to point out that I could have won another World Championship with Travisanutto last year. In addition to Viktor’s victory, I would also like to mention the third place in KZ2 with Girardet, also driving for CRG, and Bray’s third place in KZ2 Master. Renaux, with Kalì France, was very fast throughout the weekend, as he managed to fight his way back up to ninth place in the final after a DNF in the heats. Nalon also put in a strong performance, finishing sixth in KZ2 Master. Galli, competing with us for the first time, immediately showed good pace, while Carbonnel, after a year and a half away from racing, finished eighth in KZ. Travisanutto, on the other hand, had a less fortunate weekend and was unable to fully express his potential. All in all, it was a very positive World Championship for me.
Franco, first of all, congratulations on this victory. What does winning the KZ1 World Championship in 2026 mean to you?
Winning the 2026 World Championship represents the culmination of a very successful season, following up on our 2022 title. We worked extremely hard with TM and with all my collaborators, whom I would like to thank publicly.
When did you get the feeling that you could win this race?
I would say I was confident that we had done a great job and, in fact, the results from the practice sessions had already given me some very positive indications. In racing, you can never be certain until you cross the chequered flag, but I know my equipment and the Le Mans track very well, so I knew from the outset that we could perform strongly.
I would also like to point out that I could have won another World Championship with Travisanutto last year. In addition to Viktor’s victory, I would also like to mention the third place in KZ2 with Girardet, also driving for CRG, and Bray’s third place in KZ2 Master. Renaux, with Kalì France, was very fast throughout the weekend, as he managed to fight his way back up to ninth place in the final after a DNF in the heats. Nalon also put in a strong performance, finishing sixth in KZ2 Master. Galli, competing with us for the first time, immediately showed good pace, while Carbonnel, after a year and a half away from racing, finished eighth in KZ. Travisanutto, on the other hand, had a less fortunate weekend and was unable to fully express his potential. All in all, it was a very positive World Championship for me.
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Where did you focus most of your work, considering that the KZ regulations are quite restrictive?
It is true that there are strict limitations in terms of the carburettor, compression ratio and ignition, which obviously restrict engine power while helping to keep development and running costs under control. But it is also true that there are a great many components and parameters that require a lot of work. You can gain 1 hp by working on the cylinder and find two-tenths of a second by developing the reed valve assembly, just to mention two areas that are always discussed extensively. It is a meticulous process, split between the dyno room and the track… And then there is the attention to free-running, which, as you know well from having visited our workshop several times, is a real obsession of mine.
How much of Gustafsson’s engine can be found in the engines you supply to your customers?
A lot, a great deal. Keep in mind that the time needed to build a good engine and a less competitive one is always the same, so it makes sense to build them all properly. Of course, an engine prepared for a World Championship final is pushed to the limit in every respect and has to be managed in the best possible way to extract its maximum potential while maintaining complete safety. An engine for a private driver, on the other hand, in addition to being fast, has to be much easier to manage, especially when it is not subject to the same meticulous level of maintenance and preparation. We always take these factors into account, and in the end they represent the only substantial differences between the World Championship-winning engine and a good engine for a private driver who nevertheless wants access to top-level equipment.
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