An instructive competition

After a start to the season focused on Italy, the demanding 1,580-metre Campillos circuit offered a different environment, with very pleasant weather, a dry track for four days, a fluid organisation and only two categories on the event programme. In the south of Spain, KR Motorsport and its satellite teams were able to continue developing their equipment in ideal conditions, while focusing on the progress of their drivers and maximising their potential.

OK: Craigie and Martinese on the podium

Admittedly, the victory did not go to a driver racing in the Kart Republic colours, but with five KR-IAME karts from 2nd to 7th place at the finish of the Final, the outcome of the event was extremely positive. Several heats and one of the two Super Heats were won by the KR chassis. In the decisive race, Kenzo Craigie (Prema Racing) got off to an excellent start to establish himself in 2nd place. Dries Van Langendonck (Prema Racing) and Joe Turney (KR Motorsport) battled it out for the podium for a long time, but in the end it was the very solid Iacopo Martinese (Cetilar Racing) who took 3rd place. The two Australians from the KR Motorsport team, Lewis Francis and James Anagnostiadis, completed the magnificent grouping in 6th and 7th positions. Thibaut Ramaekers (VDK Racing), who started 20th, made a remarkable improvement to finish 9th. Louis Cochet (VictoryLane Karting) set the fastest lap of the race.

OK-Junior: Another podium for Dean Hoogendoorn!

Two weeks after claiming the WSK Super Master Series title, Dean Hoogendoorn (Prema Racing) was once again one of the most successful drivers in the Kart Republic Group. The Dutchman won four heats and fought hard for 2nd place in the Final. In the chasing pack, several KR-IAME drivers livened up the proceedings. The Walz brothers (KR Motorsport) were particularly impressive, with Drew taking 5th place and Devin 8th. Will Green (KR Motorsport), a regular in the top 10 since the start of the year, climbed back up to 6th place ahead of Noah Baglin (Prema Racing). Baglin suffered a mishap in Qualifying and had to make do with 46th place. Luka Scelles (VictoryLane Karting) also made his mark in 9th place, as did Mark Pilipenko (Fusion Motorsport).

A comment from Dino Chiesa, head of KR Global Motorsport Company

"Karting is a sport in which it's difficult to win every weekend, and the Campillos event was further proof of that. The competition is tough and there are some very good drivers in its ranks. Despite this, we did an excellent job at Campillos. Kenzo Craigie in the OK class and Dean Hoogendoorn in the OK-Junior class demonstrated this by finishing on the second step of the podium. We were able to draw some interesting conclusions and we'll be analysing them to improve our performance in the FIA Karting European Championship. At the WSK, we used Vega tyres in OK-Junior and LeCont in OK. Managing Maxxis requires a different approach. Many of the KR-IAME drivers have the potential to shine and we intend to support them in the best possible way to help them achieve their goals."

About KR Global Motorsport Company

At the end of the 2017 season Dino Chiesa officially presented the new Kart Republic entity and its characteristic logo. The yellow, orange and red colours reflect the colours of the Serenissima Republic which, from 697 to 1797, marked the history of the Padua region, home of the KR brand. The wing refers to those of the lion of St. Mark, the symbol of Venice, the capital of the Venetian Republic.

On 1st January, the KR chassis received CIK-FIA homologation. The success was immediate! In the very first season, the German Hannes Janker became European OK Champion in 2018. A few weeks later, the Italian Lorenzo Travisanutto (KR-IAME) became FIA Karting World Champion. The KR chassis quickly became a reference in the most important international events, as well as in many countries around the world. The successes in FIA Karting followed one another. At the 2022 World Championship in Campillos, less than four years after its launch, KR was the most represented brand in the paddock.

Over the years, the Kart Republic factory has continued to develop, launching the Alonso Kart brand in 2020 and relaunching the famous DAP name in early 2023. The various activities of the Italian company are now grouped under the "KR Global Motorsport Company". The head of the company, Dino Chiesa, is one of the most influential figures in the world of karting. The Italian engineer is also one of the best talent scouts in the world of karting. He has helped the rise of drivers such as Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton and Nyck De Vries. Many Formula 1 team academies trust him, including those of Mercedes, Red Bull, Alpine and Sauber. The famous Prema Racing team has just announced its entry to the world of karting, in partnership with Kart Republic.