FIA International Karting Commission President Felipe Massa looks back on a successful year for the discipline last year, despite the pandemic, and explains why there’s a huge amount to be excited about in 2021.

Displinary procedure against Luca Corberi

A young international karting hopeful, the Luxembourger Maxime Furon-Castelain has just been confirmed in 3rd place in the final ranking of the 2020 FIA Karting Academy Trophy. This is a historic performance for the Grand Duchy in this world competition designed to reveal the best young motorsport talents from the five continents.

The newcomers of BWR Motorsport, led by former Team Rosberg engineer Erich Baumgärtner, are cooperating with former Formula 1 world champion Rosberg’s Racing Academy and have already announced two drivers for the ADAC F4. The new BWR team, which is cooperating with Nico Rosberg, has also confirmed two drivers already.

With the 2021 season about to start, the CRG Racing Team has made official the last pieces to complete the team’s new driver line-up, announcing three Spanish drivers: Sandro Perez for the Mini category, Adrian Ferrer for the OK-Junior and Ruben Moya for the OK.

The program includes all the international FIA Karting and WSK competitions in the OK and OKJ categories, plus the “novelty” of the Mini, as well as some events still to be defined.

In the first change of 2021, the official racing team of the Parolin Racing Kart factory has changed its name to become Parolin Motorsport Srl, a racing team in its own right. After its numerous successes in Mini, OK-Junior and OK, Parolin will make its big comeback in KZ with strong ambitions. In total, this season the Parolin Motorsport team will include 18 drivers from 13 nations in the four international categories, while technical collaboration continues with the TM Racing factory.

A benchmark competition team on the international scene for more than two decades, Energy Corse is getting ready to start this new season in the best possible circumstances. No less than 14 drivers have already been announced and will race under the famous colours of the team led by Mick Panigada.

In OK and OKJ categories all the international FIA Karting and WSK competitions are scheduled, as well as other events still to be defined.

The line-up of drivers and the race calendar of the Tony Kart Racing Team have been defined, which will be on track in all the main international events in the 60 Mini, OKJ, OK and KZ/KZ2 classes.

Following Maya Weug's recent move to Formula 4, Richard Mille is pleased to announce the selection of Ukrainian-born Swiss young talent Ekaterina Luescher to the "Richard Mille Young Talent Academy" for the 2021 season.

A true Formula 1 legend with 256 Grand Prix contested, six victories and three podiums in the World Championship standings, Riccardo Patrese was also a talented kart racer who won the world title in 1974. For the past four years, the Italian from Padua has once again frequented the karting paddocks to follow his young son Lorenzo, who is a 15 year old OK driver.

Jordon Lennox-Lamb became team manager of a factory team in 2019 when he was only 27 years old, and it wasn't long before his new status became a reality with his first European Championship with Sweden's Viktor Gustavsson in the KZ2 category.

Jordon Lennox-Lamb’s team lines up at the start of the new season with 13 drivers from nine different countries to compete for international honours in all classes, ranging from Mini to KZ.

Frenchman Arthur Dorison and the two British drivers, Cathal Clark and Nathan Tye Jnr, will make their international debut in OK-Junior this year in the colours of Sodikart. In close collaboration with Sodi Racing Team manager Julien Dexmier, Jean-Philippe Guignet's objective is above all to continue to develop the Sodi / TM Racing teams in Junior as well as to train promising young drivers during a full programme.

19 names have been confirmed by the Racing department of the Italian company, which will be present in all categories, from Mini to KZ, OKJ, OK and KZ2. They will soon be joined by a driver from the "Richard Mille Young Talent Academy" programme who is still to be nominated.

CRG is pleased to announce the polish Maksymilian Obst as a new official driver for the OK-Junior category. The agreement consists of his participation to all the FIA races (European Championship and World Championship) together with an accessory program, which includes the most important WSK events and the Champions of the Future Series.

Motorsport UK are seeking applications to represent the UK in the 2021 FIA Karting Academy Trophy – a prestigious international championship for 12-14-year olds. The FIA ​​Karting Academy Trophy is a unique competition designed to pit the best young karters from around the world against each other on equal terms. 

As soon as the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, the FIA worked with the Medical Commission headed by Professor Saillant, on an infection-control protocol to guarantee optimal safety for the organisation of the Competitions. The CIK-FIA then used this procedure for the FIA Karting Championships.

CRG is pleased to announce the extension of the collaboration agreement with Paolo Ippolito for the 2021 season. The Tuscan driver, born in 1996, comes from a positive 2020 with the colours of the CRG Official Team in the KZ class and this year he will also be a benchmark for the Italian manufacturer's driver line up.