KERPEN – A remarkable second-place finish for a remarkable young driver. On Saturday evening, Moritz Mohr proved that age is just a number by securing a podium spot in the IAME X30 Senior National class during the third round of the GK4 Kart Series. The 13-year-old from Hofheim, Germany, showed on the historic Kerpen circuit that he can more than hold his own against older drivers in the Senior category. The podium came as a pleasant surprise for Moritz.
“I’m definitely happy with P2! I really didn’t expect it,” he said modestly. Due to unusual circumstances, Moritz races in the Senior class. “I’m thirteen years old, and normally I wouldn’t be allowed to race in the Senior category. But I’m so tall and heavy that I couldn’t compete properly in the Junior class.” Unfortunately, Moritz only has a national racing license, which means he’s not eligible to compete in European championships. “So we had to find something else, and that’s how we found the GK4,” he explained. That turned out to be a great decision, as proven by his performance in Kerpen. The weekend started promisingly, with Moritz qualifying second. In the first heat, he dropped to fourth.
“It was really tough at the beginning,” he analysed. But he bounced back in the second heat with another P2, putting him in a strong position for the final. That final was a true showcase of his talent. Starting from the dirty outside line—a big disadvantage at Kerpen—Moritz managed to hold onto second place. “It’s really hard to stay in P2 here, especially through the first corner,” he said. After briefly dropping back, he fought his way forward again and even took the lead for a few laps. “I led for a few laps, but unfortunately got passed again.” This podium marked a breakthrough in Moritz’s season. “This is my best result of the year—before this, my best was P7,” he said proudly.
That progress didn’t come out of nowhere. Moritz already has five years of karting experience, having started at age eight. “My dad used to kart, and we went to a rental track one day. My brother and I loved it!”
Moritz began in a small Puffo kart, and from there his passion for racing grew. Fittingly, one of his first races was held at Kerpen. “So I actually have quite a bit of experience here,” he said of the track where Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel laid the foundation for their Formula 1 careers. And Moritz is well aware that he’s racing on legendary ground. “I know eleven F1 titles were born here. It’s a really big deal for the country and the circuit,” he said with admiration. Asked if he might be the next to follow that path, he responded realistically, yet with ambition: “Formula 1 will be tough, but maybe I’ll move into GT racing. That would be fun too.”
Moritz’s podium finish in the GK4, where he also competes alongside the IAME Series Benelux this season, gave him a huge confidence boost. “Now I know I can fight for the win,” he said. His next challenge is the GK4 round in Mariembourg, a track he knows well. With his confidence high and his speed proven, he’s hoping to continue his strong form. “Now that I’ve made it to the podium, I hope to repeat it there!”
Moritz would like to thank VDK for the chassis, his mechanic Cedric, his supportive family, and his tuner MPK Engines.