GET STARTED IN KARTING
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Get Started In Karting
Karting, you're going to LOVE IT !
Karting is one of the most fun, exhilarating, cost effective and professionally run forms of motorsport in Australia.
It is the perfect sport for families to come together at weekends and participate in an exciting, social, healthy and rewarding activity, and gives them the opportunity to become apart of and make friends with a large friendly community of like minded people who share a similar passion for motor sport and who are more than happy to assist new people into the sport.
In Victoria there are over 18 Karting Australia affiliated kart clubs with a racing meeting happening almost every weekend at a kart club around the state.
Types of karting events that are held include Club Day racing which is usually offered at each club once per month in Victoria. Club Day weekends are scheduled to fit in with other Karting events across the state and country.
Those other events include Open Meetings, Series Meetings, State Championship and National Championship series events.
Karting provides the opportunity for people of all backgrounds and age groups to participate in a sport that provides a thrilling and enjoyable sense of speed being so close to the ground and racing wheel to wheel with other drivers.
The sport of karting is an adrenaline rush quite like no other sport can provide.
Karting is one of the most fun, exhilarating, cost effective and professionally run forms of motorsport in Australia.
It is the perfect sport for families to come together at weekends and participate in an exciting, social, healthy and rewarding activity, and gives them the opportunity to become apart of and make friends with a large friendly community of like minded people who share a similar passion for motor sport and who are more than happy to assist new people into the sport. OUR CLUB has some great members who are willing to come out to the track with you and guide you from the start.
Many people associate karting with young drivers, but adults are also very active in karting. People of all ages can enjoy the sport with children as young as six getting behind the wheel.
Karting teaches these children, both boys and girls, basic driving skills well before they are able to obtain their road licence.
Karting is competitive, but it is also fun and family orientated, with involvement in the sport both on and off the track giving it a strong feeling of community.
For those aiming at a career in motorsport, almost everyone who races cars started racing in Karts - it’s the best fun you will have on four wheels.
Race meetings take place at tracks across Australia every weekend at four levels - Club, Zonal, State or National. For more information on how to get involved in the sport of karting, please contact us HERE or visit www.karting.net.au for more information.
Formula One star Lando Norris’ five tips on how to be quick in a kart.
Lando, who was the 2014 KF World Karting Champion, explains how to take the first steps into karts.
1. BE SMOOTH
I definitely think you have to be smooth – that’s a key factor. Of course sometimes you have to be aggressive and really force the kart, especially if it’s wet. But in the dry, and especially at the European tracks where there’s usually more grip and it’s hotter, you really do need to start being more smooth with your driving and never break the grip that you’ve got. I think that’s definitely a key to going fast.
2. GET LOTS OF SEAT TIME
Do as much as you can around your local kart track, or racing. The more you do, the better you become. Smoothness is key, especially on grippier tracks
3. LEARN HOW TO DRIVE IN THE WET
When it rains, the rubbery racing line becomes very slippery and therefore slow. To be fast in the wet, you have to avoid those rubbery lines, whether that’s going all the way around the outside of a corner or going on the inside of a kerb or braking in the middle of the track rather than on the outside. You might try going wider on a corner and realise it’s grippy, so then you do it on more corners and you find more time. That just comes with experience and from being with people who know what they’re talking about and who have experience of karting. Learning how to drive in the wet is a real plus
4. BE PREPARED TO ADAPT YOUR LINES
Trying different things is one of the keys to being fast – not just doing one thing and sticking to that lap after lap. Try to brake later, try to get on the power earlier. Like that, you learn and find time. And if you take all of that experience and knowledge into cars, it’s definitely a positive and can help you a lot.
5. HARD WORK WILL MAKE YOU GO FASTER
You really do need to put a lot of hard work into karting and dedicate time and effort into wanting to improve yourself as a driver. I think that’s what some people don’t realise; you do need to work hard, even in the lower levels of karting, if you want to get known or recognised. That’s definitely something you need to know.
So remember, the keys to being quick in a kart are…
• Be smooth
• Get lots of seat time
• Learn how to drive in the wet
• Be prepared to adapt your lines
• Hard work will make you go faster
And if you’re serious about starting karting, follow these guidelines:
Think about buying your own kart, even if it’s second-hand
Invest in a rib protector, helmet, karting suit and boots.
Start racing in club races at your local kart track, then progress on to more competitive championships. Consider joining a team, even if it’s not a top-level one. This can help you develop as a driver – but if you’ve just started karting, spend time learning how to drive the kart on your own. Start taking an interest in the mechanics of the kart – fine-tuning things like gear ratios can help you find lap time
LANDO NORRIS started his racing career at the age of SEVEN when he claimed pole position at his FIRST national event.
In 2013, Norris won the World Karting Championships held in Bahrain, the WSK Euro Series and the CIK-FIA European and CIK-FIA Supercup titles.
The following year in 2014 he won the CIK-FIA KF World Championship, making him the YOUNGEST karting world championship winner.
