The entry-level Kart-Slalom category returns to the FIA Motorsport Games in France from 26th to 30th October and offers female/male driver pairings aged 14-16 the chance to compete and win medals for their home nation .
As one of the six founding categories of the inaugural 2019 FIA Motorsport Games, Karting Slalom is part of 17 different disciplines in which individual FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) National Sport Authorities (ASNs) will compete for gold and silver from around the world, and bronze medals.
Karting Slalom offers an accessible and affordable entry into motorsport by using identical electric karts on a gymkhana-style cone layout. Presented by the FIA at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, the discipline is growing at a phenomenal rate, providing an accessible platform for entry-level karting around the world.
For the 2022 games, the kart slalom will again be open to a male and female driver pairing from each nation. The teams will drive identical Birel Art electric karts through a relay format parallel slalom course.
Teams contested at the Circuit Paul Ricard must complete three rounds – a test and two timed heats – to establish an overall leaderboard. The fastest teams then advance to the knockout stages of the head-to-head time trial, culminating in the final to determine the 2022 gold medal winners.
The inclusion of karting slalom in the FIA motorsport games has already helped non-traditional motorsport countries new to the sport to join international competition.
Teams from 29 nations competed in the inaugural competition, held in Rome, Italy, and produced a field of 58 drivers ranging from well-known up-and-coming racers to up-and-coming new talent. These teams included entries from countries such as Albania, Croatia, India and Serbia, for which slalom karting was their only participation in the games.
After three days of intense competition at the Vallelunga track, Team Netherlands’ Nina Pothof and Bastiaan Van Loene beat Team Belgium’s Manon Degotte and Antoine Morlet to claim the first gold medal in kart slalom.
Felipe Massa, President of the FIA Drivers’ Commission, commented on the importance of including karting in the FIA Motorsport Games: “The inclusion of karting in the FIA Motorsport Games is very important as Formula 1 and most other professional categories start with karting . It is important for the kart driver to be present at the FIA Motorsport Games. Being there, living the dream and being competitive there is such an important experience for them. I’m sure that year after year the FIA Motorsport Games is going to be a fantastic event involving more and more countries, so the fantastic karting is part of it.”
Registration for participating nations is open from June 15 to September 25, 2022 via the dedicated FIA registration platform. Competitors wishing to represent their district are also encouraged to contact their respective national sporting authorities.
Visit fiamotorsportgames.com for more information
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