The mentality change towards sustainability extends to all levels of motorsport. From the International Automobile Federation (FIA) to drivers, initiatives are being considered to set up electric competitions, in order to contribute to emissions reduction.
One of these cases is Formula 1 driver, Charles Leclerc, who does not hide his passion for karting despite competing at the top category, and he already has a brand of these vehicles. In addition, the Ferrari representative plans to set up a competition of these characteristics in Europe.
To achieve this goal, the Monegasque has teamed up with former driver Clivio Piccione, who has had an electric karting track in Monaco for ten years, and has set up a local championship, the Monaco E Kart Championship.
Read also: French Motorsport Federation Expects PURE ETCR to Return to Gallic Territory
The two are working to promote an urban racing competition for zero-emission karts. The idea is that by 2022, they could launch a series of three races, all in the Côte d’Azur area.
Monaco would be the ideal setting for the event and the layout would possibly be located by the harbor, where kart races have already been held on some occasions and would be very similar to the one Formula E has used in recent years.
A Long Road of Many Years
The Principality has a long history, not only in traditional high competition races, but also in karting, where it has hosted a large number of races.
Between 1995 and 2010, the Junior Monaco Kart Cup was held, with an impressive track record and tradition. Charles Leclerc himself won it on 2010, the last edition, and Carlos Sainz did it the year before.
Other winners of this event have been Robert Kubica -the only one who has done it twice-, Sebastian Vettel, Jérome d’Ambrosio and Alex Sims. Undoubtedly, important names in motorsport; except for Sims, who is in Formula E, all the others race or have raced in Formula 1.
They also competed in other categories, where we find such famous winners like Norman Nato, Gianni Morbidelli and Michael Schumacher himself in Formula A, a category that is now extinct.
Leclerc’s proposal also includes racing in Nice, on the Promenade des Anglais, the city’s iconic seafront promenade. The third race could be held in Menton, although other localities in the area may be interested.
Written by I Jhonattan González