Want to Start Karting? Formula KF1 - MSA British Champion Here’s How! Study this leaflet for the classes that might suit you, take your age, Buy the Start Karting pack from the MSA or ARKS School. This costs driver weight, mechanical ability and experience into account. Don’t £45 and contains your novice driver licence application form. Study worry, kart racing has classes to suit everyone from age 6 upwards. the regulations and the DVD. (If you are exempted from buying the pack, or a Bambino, download a licence form from the Don’t rush out and buy the first kart you see! www.msauk.org website. Exemptions include having previously held a Do go to your local circuits and look at the classes that are racing. Look licence, holding a foreign licence or a NATSKA licence. You may just to see which karts the local traders support. Talk to other drivers and need to take the written part of the test.) officials to help make your choice of class. Choose a well-supported class. After you have had enough practice, and have learnt the regulations, book the ARKS novice driver test. Certain clubs can carry out the test, Do take an introductory course at an ARKS School. (See back page). as well as the ARKS Schools. If you are 18 or over, you need to have a This will offer you the chance to try a race kart without too much medical. Both you and your doctor need to complete parts of the expenditure. The ARKS Schools offer professional tuition and many run licence application form. This usually costs about £90. their own race teams. If under 16 you can try a kart for £5 through the ‘Lets Go Karting’ Take the ARKS test, this costs £85. It is in two parts, a driving test and scheme, visit www.letsgokarting.net a multiple choice questionnaire covering the flag signals and regulations. If you fail either part, you can re-take it later for an Bambino caters for children between their 6th and 8th birthdays additional fee. If you need to hire a kart for the test, there will be an Kart Tyro may suit you? It is a low powered class where an ARKS Test additional fee. and medical are not required. Buy Karting Magazine and look at www.karting.co.uk for new and used Join a kart club, making sure it is a member of the ABkC. Send for your competition licence, (£30, free for under 16’s). Enter your first www.abcdesign.co.uk kart adverts. Your local club noticeboard may also have adverts. race. (Under 18’s can race immediately) Kart Classes Explained Karting really does have classes for almost every age, size and ability from age 6 upwards, but sometimes the sheer number of options can be somewhat confusing. This pictorial display should help to explain. There are basically five different categories – Bambinos, Cadets, Juniors, Seniors and Gearbox for karts with gears. The non-gearbox ‘direct-drive’ karts only need to have a brake on the rear axle (although some top classes have a front brake too) whereas gearbox karts must have brakes operating on all four wheels. Most of the modern direct-drive karts have a centrifugal clutch so the engine can tick-over. Many are TAG – meaning they have an electric start button. Bambino Age 6-8th Birthday Juniors Age 11-17th Birthday Boys and girls can start at the age of 6 in a Bambino karts. The only competition There is no doubt that the 125cc water-cooled Rotax Max TAG categories have taken allowed is time trials, and only after an ARKS Instructor or Examiner has certified over from Formula TKM as the most popular classes in the UK. Drivers can start that the youngster is safe to take part. racing in Rotax MiniMax or Junior TKM at age 11, then move into the more powerful Junior Max from age 13. All Rotax classes are TAG, whereas for TKM it is an option. Cadet Age 8-13 Birthday Rotax are more expensive initially but the engine runs longer between rebuilds, so Boys and girls can start racing karts at the age of 8 in one of the Cadet classes. the running costs can be less. The TKM’s are at the economy end for initial purchase They can continue until the end of the year of their 13th birthday, although they with strict price controls. You may also see the new 125cc KF3 international class at may be getting too heavy by then and so can move into certain Junior classes championship events, and possibly at club races too. Top speeds in the junior classes from the age of 11. The three Cadet classes are described below and all are vary from 55mph to 75mph. The best advice here, as in all classes, is to visit your permitted to race together. All have a centrifugal clutch and a recoil starting cord local circuit to see what is popular in your area. or electric start. The special minikarts used are registered with prices controlled to MINI MAX 11+ an agreed maximum. Top speed is about 50mph. The FKS series holds the British Is the lowest powered class of the Rotax family, and uses a very restricted 125cc Cadet Championship whilst the Super One Series has the ABkC championship. 2-stroke TAG engine. All Rotax engines are sealed and have a log-book showing the WTP has its own Little Green Man championship. service history. COMER CADET By taking the restrictor out of a MiniMax it is converted to a Junior Max (age 13-17 Uses a 60cc sealed 2-stroke Comer engine so engine rebuilds have to be carried yrs). It is one of the most powerful junior classes, with top speed about 70 mph. out by an approved service agent. Because this is the class used for the premier JUNIOR TKM 11+ championships, it is run by most clubs. Is a popular traditional kart class using a BT-82 100cc engine to a strict non-tuning HONDA CADET regime. The junior engines have a restrictor between the carburettor and the engine Uses a 4-stroke GX160 engine. The long life engines are very low-cost but to limit the power. have to conform to a technical specification. Most but not all clubs will accept Tal-Ko, who make the TKM engines, also make a 200cc long-life 4-stroke. There are these karts and it has a national ABkC championship in the Super One. classes for them in the Super One Series, but they are not raced at all clubs. WTP CADET For 11- 17 yrs with a senior equivalent. Is an alternative model of 60cc 2-stroke with electric push-button start. There are other 4-stroke classes for Junior and Seniors which only run at certain Check to see if it is raced at your local club. clubs e.g. Honda classes & World Formula (senior only). KF3 11+ The premier British championship class in the Super One Series for 13-17 yrs. Also raced at European and world class level. Not a class for the inexperienced. What’s Extra Transponders Crash Helmet Standards ABkC clubs will require the driver to have a transponder. These are usually of the The ECE EN22 standard, as sold in motorcycle shops, is NOT acceptable for AMB TranX-160 type. The use of transponders allows for computer timing and lap kart racing. scoring. Clubs may also be able to hire out transponders per event. The kart The helmet must also carry a blue MSA sticker (green for the K2005/K98, yellow regulations specify the fitting requirements. for CMR/CMS) which can be purchased from a scrutineer and cost £1.50 BS6658 Type A/FR - Red Label (Type A or Type B are not acceptable) Protective Clothing Snell SA2005 To race a kart you must wear approved protective clothing, see Competitors Snell K2005 (Kart racing only) Yearbook for full lists Snell-FIA CMS or CMR2007 are recommended for all Cadets and Juniors and will Gloves and Boots be mandatory in the Cadet categories from 1.1.11. Strong gloves are needed and boots that cover the ankles. From Karts to F1 The ABkC congratulates our two successive British Formula 1 World Champions, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button. Lewis was the Super One ABkC 1995 Cadet Champion and the 1997 Junior Yamaha Champion, Jenson was the Super One 1991 Cadet Champion, and the 1992 Junior TKM Champion, both proving that "S1 to F1 really is a reality". Seniors Gearbox Age 16 upwards Age 16 upwards The junior classes all have more powerful senior equivalents. Gearbox karts offer the highest powers and speeds. They can The most popular senior class in the country is Rotax Max, but have either 2 pedals brake and accelerator - like the direct drive there are other options worth exploring at your local circuit. The classes, or 3 pedals, one of which is a foot clutch, like a car. Most TKM Extreme class is now only popular in certain areas, eg in the 125’s use karts very similar to the direct drive karts except for the Midlands, and if you live in such an area it should be investigated. four wheel brakes. They have a hand clutch mounted next to the There are other TAG engines as well as Rotax, and TKM has a senior 4-stroke class. steering wheel, which is only needed to move off from a standstill. At most circuits a Once some experience has been gained there are further options within the standing start is used, as opposed to the rolling formation start that direct drive premier international classes, raced primarily at the major championships.