DR and KSP Photo Agency
After a much-appreciated summer break in August, when it was good to remember that there is more to life than karting, racing quickly resumed as the new school year approached. France was in the spotlight for a magnificent event in Le Mans.
But before that, at the end of August the Fédération Française du Sport Automobile organised a special and very popular meeting on the Anthoine Hubert International Circuit in Angerville. The second edition of the French Karting Cup continued to emphasise its convivial side in a celebratory atmosphere. The varied pleasures of the French provinces’ food were a good start to a competition that combined individual performances and team results in the Regional Cup.
All eyes then turned to Le Mans for a major FIA Karting event. The World KZ Championship saw the best drivers and the main manufacturers compete in a prestigious setting. Sweden’s Viktor Gustafsson won the title ahead of 2021 Champion Noah Milell and 2020 Champion Jérémy Iglesias. The KZ2 International Super Cup was conveniently renamed the KZ2 World Cup. Frenchman Arthur Carbonnel took a convincing victory ahead of Italian Cristian Bertuca and Briton Arvid Lindblad, both OK transfers. The FIA Karting launched the KZ2 Masters International Super Cup for drivers aged 35 and over. It was a real success with 64 participants and spectacular battles. Frenchman Thomas Letailleur won ahead of his compatriot Eric Ramon and Belgian driver Thierry Delré. Finally, the FIA Karting Academy Trophy saw victory for the Frenchman Arthur Dorison, the king of suspense.
The KZ and KZ2 categories attested to the strong return of the CRG factory to the forefront. The Tony Kart Racing Team showed an impressive level of performance against the Birel ART/TM and Sodi/TM karts present in large numbers. It seems that the big four manufacturers have come together in terms of competitiveness. KR is still in the minority in the gearbox categories, but they are still at the forefront. TM Racing still dominates the market in terms of number of engines and victories, but Vortex shows performance that is at least equivalent.
The last positive point of the weekend was the large number of spectators around the track on Saturday and Sunday. The live streaming was very well followed all over the world on the FIA Karting networks as well as on Motorsport.com. In addition, the Finals were broadcast on Eurosport via its app. The global audience of the competition was therefore very large.
