A major and recognised player in the world of GT and rallying for over ten years, and a year after the debut of Saintéloc Racing’s single-seater department, the French team is preparing to extend its field of action into karting, the basic discipline of motor sport where the talents of tomorrow are forged.
It didn’t take long for Sébastien Chétail’s team to achieve results in F4 Spain, where its driver Théophile Nael is comfortably leading the 2023 Championship. Saintéloc Racing has even begun to extend its single-seater programme into Eurocup 3 and the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine (FRECA), with some convincing results in its first season.
The team has now turned its attention to its motorsport roots, launching a partnership with a karting team under the name Saintéloc Racing by Jana Racing. This new partnership will take shape at the FIA Karting World Championship in Franciacorta, Italy, from 6th to 8th October.
Sébastien Chétail explains this new move into karting:
“Everyone knows that future motorsport talent builds its career in karting competition from an early age. There are many examples of F1 drivers who got their start in karting. To complement the global strategy we are currently developing, it seemed logical to us to invest in this discipline without delay, which feeds the single-seater breeding ground and to which we will be able to contribute our expertise. Initially, we will have a dual objective of detection and training. Our choice has been made in favour of an experienced and serious French professional who benefits from long experience and close links with one of the biggest names in karting competition. Through his company, Jana Racing, Nicolas Moni brings together all the qualities we’re looking for and shares the same approach to racing as we do.”
Nicolas Moni, Jana Racing;
“It’s a great achievement for Jana Racing to have finalised this agreement to represent a prestigious motor racing team such as Saintéloc Racing. I would like to thank Sébastien Chétail for his confidence. I’ve always been close to Mr Robazzi’s OTK group, whose high standards I admire at every level. I’ve been lucky enough to work directly with engine manufacturer Vortex for a number of years now. On another level, I have always put technical excellence and driver preparation on an equal footing, both in karting and with a view to their development in cars. During my career, I have worked alongside Jules Bianchi, Charles Leclerc and also Théo Pourchaire. This gave me a very clear idea of what a young driver needs to progress in motor sport. Jana Racing is currently focusing on young karting categories with the Mini Gr. 3 (8 to 12 year-olds), OK-Junior (12 to 14 year-olds) and OK. Helping young drivers to develop their skills from an early age is one of my priorities. The partnership with Saintéloc Racing will enable me to strengthen this approach and benefit from the technical support and expertise of its engineers. A great adventure is about to begin, in which we’ll be able to offer even more advanced training to young drivers, in line with the needs of the world of single-seater racing, which is waiting for the best of them.”
About SAINTéLOC
SAINTéLOC Racing is a French motorsport team founded in 2004 by Sébastien Chétail, who has rapidly made a name for himself in the world of motor racing.
Based in Saint-Étienne, SAINTéLOC Racing has a strong team: engineers, mechanics, logisticians and coordinators use their knowledge in the service of racing throughout the year.
Its main programmes focus on rallying, circuit racing (GT3 and GT4 with the Audi R8 LMS) and single-seater racing, with F4 (Spain & UAE), FRECA, FRMEC and Eurocup3. The team is also involved in the Andros Trophy. SAINTéLOC Racing takes on multiple programmes thanks to teams dedicated to each speciality whose experiences are mutually enriching. Under the direction of the various sporting directors, there are around twenty engineers and data engineers, and over thirty race mechanics, coordinators and logisticians.
SAINTéLOC Racing’s track record
Circuit
2021 Victory in the 8 Hours of Indianapolis
2018 Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup Pro-Am Champion (drivers and teams)
2017 Victory in the TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa
2022 European GT4 European Series Champion (Silver Cup)
2021 and 2023 GT4 European Series Champion (Pro-Am)
2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022 FFSA GT French Champion
Rally
2021 WRC-3 Champion (Citroën C3 Rally2)
2020 ERC Champion (Citroën C3 Rally2)
Andros Trophy
Five-time Champion between 2010 and 2023
SAINTéLOC Racing’s single-seater division was created in July 2022 under the management of Morgan Caron and the technical responsibility of Julien Simon-Chautemps. It currently competes in F4 Spain, F4 UAE, Eurocup 3, FRMEC and Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine (FRECA). In October 2023, the French team launched a collaboration with a karting team under the name SAINTéLOC Racing by JANA Racing.
