VALENCIA, SPAIN (Saturday, October 19, 2024) – A staggering 136 entries will contest the four karting categories for the third edition of the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games in Valencia next week.
The huge entry – almost double the number of competitors from 2022 – shows the great appeal of the FIA Motorsport Games, as Karting Mini joins the existing Karting Sprint Junior and Senior, and Karting Endurance categories.
Part of the ever-increasing range of disciplines comprising the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games, sees the introduction of the Karting Mini category with ‘stars of the future’ as young as eight years old competing for their respective nations on the international stage.
Almost all current and previous Formula 1 drivers began their respective motorsport careers in karting categories, so there is every chance you could be watching the next Lewis Hamilton or Max Verstappen battling for gold, silver and bronze in Valencia.
All Karting events will take place at the unique Aspar Circuit, just south of the city, with the finals for each category set to take place across the Saturday and Sunday.
Karting Endurance
The 25-strong Karting Endurance entry – with a total of 75 drivers – is one of the exciting team events scheduled in the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games.
For teams of three drivers per nation of mixed gender, aged 15+ years old, all entries will race identical FIA-supplied 4-stroke Sodi RT10-Honda karts.
Argentina, Armenia, Chile, Chinese Taipei, Estonia, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and Uzbekistan are among the entries, with a blend of established and emerging talents throughout the field.
Team Belgium will be out to defend its crown with Justine Strauven, Maxime Drion and Maverick Dessy behind the wheel, whilst Spain and the Czech Republic will aim to improve further on their podium positions from the previous edition.
Spain is a fascinating entry with Jose Manuel Perez Aicart returning from the 2022 edition, looking to turn bronze into gold, whilst he is joined by Germán Sánchez Flor and Belén García Espinar.
Sánchez Flor was a Formula 3 race winner during his single-seater career, while female García Espinar is a Spanish F4 and LMP3 race winner, as well as coming fifth in the W Series in 2022.
Ramando Hudson was the Team Leader for the much-loved Team Bahamas in the 2022 FIA Motorsport Games and he returns with two new team-mates in Michael Johnstone and Raenia Fowler, with the Caribbean nation’s emerging talents set to represent their country with pride and honour.
A trio of Free Practice sessions kick off proceedings throughout Friday, before Qualifying commences at 10:10 on Saturday 26 October. The four-hour endurance race is set to follow at 15:15 later the same day, where the ultimate test of driver and machine will determine the medals.
KARTING ENDURANCE: DISCIPLINE INFORMATION
Category Info:
For teams of three drivers per nation of mixed gender, aged 15+ years old, racing identical Sodi RT10 4-stroke karts. A four-hour race decides the medals.
Format:
Free Practices: 3 x 15 min, Qualifying: 1 x 10 min and Race: 4 hour
Karting Mini
Despite being the newest category in the karting discipline, Karting Mini has attracted the largest entry list with an incredible 40 young guns set to compete.
For drivers aged 8-11 years old – some of the youngest to compete anywhere on the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games schedule – all competitors will race identical CIK homologated Mini XS Parolin chassis, powered by TM engines with MOJO tyres.
Australian Jay Kostecki is a four-time national karting championship round winner and three-time state champion, Brazilian Pedro Oliveira Santa Rosa was a Brazilian Cup Champion earlier this year, whilst the UK’s Austin Gibson was a winner in Kartmasters in 2023 to name just a few in this sensational entry.
Further competitors from Albania, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Estonia, Georgia, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Rep. of Korea, Lithuania, Luxembourg and Malta are among the nations that will contest the inaugural Karting Mini category at the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games.
The event will represent the first time competing on the international stage for many of the drivers, so it’s anyone’s guess as to who will win this prestigious gold medal that will surely set several of these young pilots onto a successful career in motorsport.
Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United States of America and Uzbekistan complete the line-up.
All countries will contest four Free Practice sessions, followed by a singular Qualifying on the Friday, whilst Saturday will consist of two of the three Qualifying Heats.
Sunday 27 October, will commence with the final Qualifying Heat, whilst those eventually going for glory will contest a 15km Final at 13:40 in a bid to win gold, silver or bronze for their country.
DISCIPLINE INFORMATION: KARTING MINI
Category Info:
For drivers aged 8-11 years old, racing identical Mini XS Parolin karts, powered by TM engines with MOJO tyres, with medals awarded in the 15km Final.
Format:
Free Practices: 4 x 15 min, Qualifying: 1 x 6 min, Qualifying Heats: 3 x 10km and Final: 15km
Karting Sprint Junior
Another incredible 36-kart entry awaits the Karting Sprint Junior category, as competitors aged 11-14 get to grips with the FIA-supplied CIK homologated Kart Republic chassis, powered by IAME engines with MOJO tyres.
The 2022 edition of the Karting Sprint Junior represented an historical moment for Team Peru as the nation won its first-ever FIA Motorsport Games gold medal. The proud South American nation will be out to defend its title in Valencia with Young talent Mariano Lopez already having WSK, COTF and FIA Karting European Championship appearances under his belt.
Team Brazil will be aiming to go one better from its second place in 2022 with the 2024 Brazilian Karting Cup Vice-Champion Theo Kuseliauskas Oliveira Salomão Araujo behind the wheel this time around.
Denmark finished third in the previous edition with responsibility for the Scandinavian nation this year falling to Zackarias Ringstrøm.
Team Turkey’s 12-year-old İskender Zülfikari recently finished tenth in the FIA Karting World Championship – Junior. Previous wins in the 2022 WSK Open Cup and 2022 WSK Final Cup championship, were followed by triumphs in the WSK Champion Cup, Winter Cup and Super Master Series in 2023, so he’ll be targeting more glory for Turkey at the Aspar Circuit.
There are many talents throughout the field of course, including Germany’s Arjen Kräling who came 8th in the FIA Karting World Championship for Juniors, whilst Spain’s Bosco Arias scored a podium in the opening round of the 2024 FIA Karting European Championship – Junior.
Slovak Jakub Gasparovic finished third in the final classification of the 2024 FIA Karting Academy Trophy, whilst Sri Lanka’s Reaan Dharmadasa came fourth in the same trophy.
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Chile, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom and United States of America complete the ultra-competitive Karting Sprint Junior field.
A similar format to Karting Mini, but slightly longer Qualifying Heats and a 25km Final at 14:05 on Sunday 27 October will decide the silverware in this category.
DISCIPLINE INFORMATION: KARTING SPRINT JUNIOR
Category Info:
For drivers aged 11-14 years old, racing identical FIA supplied CIK homologated Kart Republic chassis, powered by the OK-N Junior IAME engine with MOJO tyres.
Format:
Free Practices: 4 x 15 min, Qualifying: 1 x 6 min, Qualifying Heats: 3 x 12km and Final Race: 25km
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