On Sunday, April 12th, the circuit of Muro Leccese, Italy, will host Round 1 of the FIA European Championship for the OK and OKJ categories. For the CRG Racing Team, this marks the green light for their international campaign under FIA governance, featuring a four-round European Championship and culminating in a one-off World Championship event in November.
From both a sporting and media standpoint, these are the headline events of the season—the pinnacle competitions that carry the most weight for the rising stars of the two direct-drive categories. The same goes for manufacturers and teams across the international paddock, who have built their legacy and brand prestige through performances at these elite events. The very best in international karting now kicks off the season in Italy, following pre-season build-up races, before heading to Valencia (Spain) for Round 2, Mülsen (Germany) for Round 3, and wrapping up in Kristianstad (Sweden) for the grand finale. The spotlight will be on the two direct-drive classes: OK Junior, featuring drivers aged 12 to 14, and OK, for drivers aged 14 and above. The CRG Racing Team will field six drivers in OKJ (Lisandru Caraballo, Nicolas Guth, Guilherme Busato, Iason Kosmopoulos, Samuel Hugon) and five in OK (Clovis Nougueyrede, Asher Ochstein, Nefeli Kosmopoulos, Rafael Busato).
Trackside operations will be led by Team Principal Jeremy Iglesias, supported by Brandon Nilsson. The race weekend gets underway with free practice on Thursday, April 9th, building on the groundwork laid during last week’s Champions of the Future pre-event. The format includes free practice sessions on Thursday, qualifying and opening heats on Friday, additional heats on Saturday, and a decisive Sunday featuring Super Heats in the morning and Finals in the afternoon. This championship must be approached with a season-long mindset rather than a one-off race mentality, as consistency and points-scoring will be key. With a packed field of 99 drivers in OKJ and 95 in OK, qualifying will be a crucial phase of the weekend—starting up front allows drivers to manage tyre wear more effectively and avoid the chaos of mid-pack battles during the heats. Drivers from 50 different nationalities will line up on the grid, alongside all the leading manufacturers and teams in the sport.
Fans can follow all the on-track action via the FIA Karting website, where live timing, live streaming, and official race bulletins will be available throughout the event. In addition, CRG’s official social media channels will provide real-time updates, bringing fans right into the heart of the paddock experience.
Jeremy Iglesias previewed the season opener:
“We’ve got a strong line-up in both categories and we’re heading into this event well prepared, thanks in part to the work done during last weekend’s Champions of the Future race, despite the rain forcing the cancellation of the opening day. Over the past three months, we’ve focused on refining our technical package, helping new drivers settle into the team, and aligning everyone with our working methods—and I believe we’re moving in the right direction. We also have great confidence in the engine development carried out by TM and the trackside support from Machac Motors. With a four-round championship ahead, our objective is clear: score points at every opportunity and maintain maximum focus throughout. The weather forecast looks promising this week, which should reduce uncertainties and allow us to work more effectively. Stay tuned—it’s shaping up to be an exciting race weekend.”