A great year in Academy
Parolin Racing Kart is the official supplier of chassis to the CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy and the FIM motor since its inception in 2010. With the active support of the CIK-FIA, the 2014 season was a great success until the final Competition. New opportunities now come from this unique concept of its kind run on one-make randomly drawn equipment which showcases the qualities of the drivers for a very modest cost.
Was 2014 a good year for the CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy?
– The fifth season was the most interesting of its entire existence. The successful integration in the international calendar with prestigious KZ and KZ2 Competitions and the promotional work done by the CIK-FIA has borne fruit. The field has consistently been close to the maximum allowed, even during the last Competition at Sarno. The formula is more attractive and very good drivers, also sometimes starting out in KF-Junior, enlivened the racing until the last lap. Less experienced drivers were able to work with their benchmarked equipment. Experimentation with the new fairing fasteners at Wackersdorf made us worry briefly about disaffection from some drivers, but it has not happened, quite the contrary. The last two Competitions produced more sensible races that prefigure the future desired by the CIK-FIA.
What was new for this year?
– Only the Bridgestone tyres were new and they were perfectly satisfactory. The regulations have not changed, the formula works perfectly, so we stayed with the well known operations. The Parolin team is well established since 2010 and everything went well. Under the control of the CIK-FIA, we conducted numerous engine swaps at each Competition to reassure drivers. None of them has dominated from qualifying to the Final and we had three different winners after close fighting. The final victory was uncertain until the last lap at Sarno.
What are the prospects for this formula?
– The CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy has a bright future ahead of it. The formula responds very well indeed to the current demand for economic and competitive races, highlighting the talent of the drivers. Of the 32 nations represented, some have proven to be very interested in a variation of this series on their own continent. This is the case for Brazil, which should be soon be the instigator of a CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy on the South American continent. Other requests have come from the Middle East. It is very satisfying for us. One can also imagine creating a category for younger drivers who may well gain experience in karting from 11 or 12 years old following the lowering of the age for the single-seater racing decided by the FIA. Projects abound around this concept!
(Extract of the CIK-FIA Best-Of 2014)
Info CIK / © Photo KSP