Close Up
Close Up
24/12/2025
In the international karting landscape, the boundary between KZ and KZ2 appears increasingly thin: we discussed it trackside with some Top Class drivers. (ms)
It's not uncommon to witness race weekends (check the Franciacorta World Championship results, for example) where KZ2 drivers post lap times equal to—or even better than—those in the...
Close Up
29/11/2025
The system created by Rotax for access to the Grand Finals is truly in the name of a global series and must be explained well to those who do not know the...
The first impression when arriving under the tent of the Grand Finals is indeed that of being at the Olympics: the number of countries present, even the smallest and most remote, gives an idea of the...
Close Up
28/11/2025
Here we go: for the 26th time, the karts are about to be lined up for that iconic image that everyone has somehow copied from Rotax: the karts lined up by the...
If credit has to be given to the one-make series for saving karting from one of its most complex transitional phases, Rotax deserves recognition for practically inventing one-make karting. At the...
Close Up
22/11/2025
Tires are a key factor in the performance of a racing vehicle. The single tire supplier rule, now common practice in virtually every national championship—...
During the tyre war era, performance peaked at record levels and drove driver skills to new heights. Understanding what has changed technically can help us get a clear picture of the current...
Close Up
17/11/2025
Many focused on his considerations regarding Karting e SIM in a driver's preparation, sometimes misunderstanding his words. Equally noteworthy is what the...
Once there were Press Conferences, with journalists, notebooks, and drivers giving "official" statements. Today there are podcasts and video podcasts, more informal settings where...
Close Up
05/11/2025
The initiative brought to the track by the former F1 World Champion aimed at preparing very young drivers for competition proved successful, complete with a...
It is called Rotax Max Mini Racing School, a two-day school organized by Kimi Raikkonen and launched with the support of Kartshop Italia (Rotax importer for Italy and organizer of the Rotax Max...
Close Up
24/10/2025
At the beginning of 1960 Jimmie Yamane was synonymous with karting activities the world over. At that time, the young Japanese-American from North Hollywood,...
Jimmie who started back in 14th position that night (actually it was the wee hours of Sunday morning) won the fifty miles International Trophy race (100 laps of a ½ mile course) by 2 laps, a...
Close Up
16/10/2025
With the curtain closed on the Fia Karting season following the KZ World Championship at Franciacorta, let's analyze which brands have shaped this competition...
The Tm engine is the most used and successful in gearbox categories, that is well known. The premier class of international karting has been the preserve of the Pesaro Factory for over 30 years,...
Close Up
07/10/2025
Two-time world karting champion Bobby Allen has passed away at the age of 81. Known for his daring driving style, he was one of the greats of our sport.
Bobby’s first racing experience took place in Florida, at twelve years of age, in half midgets. He then moved into kart racing and in 1960, aged 16; he won the World Karting Championship event...
Close Up
23/08/2025
The total number of entries was 72, with 58 of them competing in the different classes. The Danish race stands out as a unique event in the 100cc classic...
As per tradition, there were 4 categories on track:
Pre2000
Pre2000 PLUS ( Drivers with 10kg extra, on same grid as regular Pre2000 )
Pre95
Pre89
As a relatively new thing, in...
Close Up
22/08/2025
Founded in 1989 by the Italian entrepreneurs Antonio Francesco Ventre and Sergio Mantese/Vega, and currently managed by the second generation of the Ventre...
Karting in 1989 was very different: it was a niche sport with a strong artisanal component. Today, the financial investment from manufacturers and backers focused on developing drivers for Formula 1...
Close Up
17/07/2025
These days mark ten years since the passing of a driver who left behind a heartrending memory for many reasons. We prefer to remember him with an interview he...
I met Jules Bianchi, one of the likely Formula 1 drivers in the near future, in Lonato during the 15th Winter Cup, in Maranello hospitality. His progression in motorsport has been quite stunning, if...
Close Up
07/07/2025
We visited the Gunskirchen facilities, where Rotax MAX Evo engines are born and where the Austrian company, subsidiary of BRP has made history – a history in...
When you power 80% of the world's light-sport aircraft, there is no room for compromise — excellence in quality and reliability is a must. At BRP-Rotax, every engine represents not just...
Close Up
03/07/2025
There is a small island within the Mississippi River in Illinois called Rock Island. It gives its name to one of the most iconic street kart races in the...
On August 30-31, the legendary Xtream Rock Island Grand Prix celebrates its 30th edition, reaffirming its status as the world’s largest and most prestigious street karting event. Over the...
Close Up
11/06/2025
The accident that occurred in Viterbo during the OKJ European Championship, a very peculiar incident with a frightening dynamic in which a driver’s helmet came...
A helmet coming off is a very rare but unfortunately possible event in sports where helmet use is required, including karting. For reasons that are still under investigation in this specific case (...
Close Up
01/06/2025
More than ever, social media is a hot topic: like it or not, it plays a major role in communication today, and for an aspiring professional driver, it can...
With the invention of commercial television nearly eighty years ago, it was said that everyone would have their “15 minutes of fame.” The recent evolution of media and the advent of...
Close Up
05/05/2025
The rain-soaked European round in Portimão stirred painful memories of a similarly treacherous race back in 2020—one that nearly derailed the career of Andrea...
That year, the delayed World Championship unfolded under relentless downpours, much like this weekend. Antonelli, then a double European Champion—a rare feat for a driver aged just 13 or 14...
Close Up
01/05/2025
May 1st is never just another day for those who loved not only the Brazilian driver but everything he represented, both on and off the track. Though comparing...
Most comparisons between drivers from different eras fail to consider a basic premise: comparing athletes active decades apart is impossible. This is especially true in a sport like Formula 1, which...
Close Up
14/04/2025
Over the years, sponsorship in motorsport has evolved from simply financing a driver to becoming a true endorsement of a broader project. The driver-sponsor...
We all remember the lesser-known Formula 1 cars of the 1980s, decked out in logos from small and large worldwide companies. Thanks to the exposure these teams enjoyed—often unexpectedly...
Close Up
09/04/2025
In the OK Senior category, the race weekend for several drivers was dramatically compromised by a tyre issue that emerged during the Finals, forcing a number...
After a generally positive debut year for the new single tyre supplier, the second season of the FIA Karting three-year exclusive deal hasn’t had the best of starts in Spain.
The warning signs...