The karting industry, like motor sport, is by definition driven by innovation. You have to constantly look for new solutions to make a difference and stay ahead of your rivals. Inventiveness, experimentation, evaluation and replication of results are all part of the scientific process. The abundance of ideas and crazy projects of the early decades of karting has been followed since the 1980s by a certain conservatism in the general characteristics of karts, linked to the setting of stricter rules.
Engines continued to evolve for a longer period of time around the same basic principle: two-stroke single cylinder, direct chain drive to a rigid rear shaft. Liquid cooling then brought reliability, while the electric starter and automatic clutch broadened the base of drivers. In competition, the four-stroke engine did not break through as it did in other motorsports, especially motorbikes, at the beginning of the 2000s, as karting retained an artisanal aspect because of its low production volume, while favouring lightness and simplicity. For the same reasons, electronic injection is absent. The 125cc displacement became widespread.
Without suspension and aerodynamic appendages, today’s karts are still very simple machines. However, their manufacturing and use is extremely demanding, and this is what creates the beauty of this sport. Setting up a kart is almost an art where detail counts to make a difference. The expertise of the mechanics is a central element, based on many years of experience. The balance between chassis rigidity and flexibility, seat or steering wheel position, tightening of the various components, front end adjustments and tyre pressure are all parameters that must be constantly adapted to the track conditions and the weather.
All this for intense but short races, 15 to 20 minutes maximum. No wonder that karting is difficult to understand for an uninitiated public and that the real talent of a driver is not obvious. During the long winter evenings, no one can be blamed for dreaming of a TV series like Netflix’s “Drive to Survive”, which would reveal all the fascination of karting to a large audience… Anyone available to finance?
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