Professional racers such as Vishnu Prasad, India’s current racing celebrity, often go back to the go kart tracks to engage in a little “down time,” pressure-free racing.
Prasad calls go karting the “purest form of racing,” saying that the simplicity of the machines, the minimal technology, and rawness of overtaking, pushing and shoving on the speedway make the sport one of the best expressions of authentic motor racing.
Around the world, go kart racing is seen as the stepping stone to the Formula One, NASCAR or Indy 500.
It’s noteworthy that these downscaled, toned-down racing go karts—while not as elegant, refined or powerful as its glamorous saloon car relatives—never fail to attract professionally-seeded drivers who still want to compete outside their regular arena.
Why do F1 and NASCAR drivers still go racing on go kart tracks?
Don’t for one second think that F1 and NASCAR drivers who engage in a bit of go kart competition are taking a step backwards. In fact, you’ll find many of these top-seeded drivers racing go karts competitively during the off-season.
Why? Because the go-karting demands focus, builds and sharpens racing skills, and keeps them fresh for the more well-known, international competitions.
A number of the world’s top Formula 1 drivers began with go karts for kids, racing as early as the age of three. Some of the greats like Michael Schumacher and late, great Ayrton Senna developed their racing skills through go karting, starting at a very young age.
Both went on to be two of the best, most legendary F1 drivers of all time. Their success can be attributed to their go karting experience.
Schumacher admittedly enjoys his go karting roots. It was through go karting that he learned how to be a certified mechanic back in those early days of his racing career.
In fact, during his temporary retirement between 2007 and 2009, Schumacher competed in go kart competitions around the world before making a comeback with Mercedes GP in 2010.
The nitty-gritty of mechanics and modifications, the raw speed, and the addictive thrill of competition are no doubt some of the allures that go karting offers seasoned professionals.
Perhaps going back to the go karttracks is their way of going back to the basics and getting primed for better racing.
The thrills of speedways and go kart tracks
Speedway races for racing go karts—which are similar to Indy Car races—take place on an oval course. The course only enables left turns, and is commonly used for go kart races.
(The distance of the race course is much smaller than that of an F1 or NASCAR course, and is typically between 1/6 of a mile and 1/4 of a mile long.)
While speedways are generally oval, there are some triangular-shaped ones, even those with additional contours.
Most courses are made with an asphalt overlay, but on occasion, the race course can be dirt, which provides for some thrilling racing action.
There are several popular speedways around the world.
In England, Buckmore Park’s indoor go kart circuit is where renowned F1 drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button developed their skills, both in driving and in mechanics through actually building their go karts back in the day. In Germany, Schumacher’s own Kart and Event Center plays host to many indoor races.
Professional go-karters: Staying put on the speedway
Not all who begin go karting move on to the F1, though, and not because they’re not good enough. Some really just want to hone their craft as go kart racers and not use the sport as a launching pad into the more well-known racing arenas.
One of those who prefers racing go karts is Arnaud Kozlinski, two-time world championship runner-up and a French national go karting champion several times over.
His contemporaries in the go kart arena include F1 drivers Tonio Liuzzi and Robert Kubica.
It’s refreshing to see that go kart racing is very much established with its own identity and uniqueness as a motor sport.
No longer a mere stepping stone to the Formula 1 or NASCAR, the world of go kart tracks, speedways and humble go-karts is revered as any other type of motor sport, one that also hones professional racers for life.
