Being somewhat of a late bloomer I only got started in karting in my late teens. But as I watched my father and older brother tear up the go kart track in their day, I had the foundation to quickly progress to the point where I could climb onto the podium of International races.
Fast forward to a couple of years ago at the Dubai Autodrome where I jumped in a kart at the awesome Kartdrome and pretty quickly followed the fastest guys on the track, though not for long. I even pulled a fast one on a local that was not amused, or as Kimi would say “that was not nice”.
So if you have started to ask yourself where am I going with this…. well, this is just to illustrate that I know enough of karting to say that you must watch this video below. It is of shifter karts competing in Italy on closed off public road back in ’88.
At the 6 minute mark the driver clips a hay bale and spins out. What’s great of go karts is, because of their low center of gravity, that most often you just carry on afterwards, which is what the driver did as well.
Generally speaking, karting is known as the first step of any racing car driver’s career and most of current Formula 1 drivers got their start in karts. And even while competing in the top flight that is F1, often karts are used to keep the reflexes sharp. Michael Schumacher was well known for this and the spirit lives on in Fernando Alonso’s latest contribution with his special karting campus.
Source: Andrea Garbin/YouTube via Legendary Speed Shop
Photo credit: Gtplanet.net/ Gran Turismo 5
FULTROT Magazine 