What better way to end the season than by celebrating a driver on the top step of the podium. While many are already looking ahead to 2024, KR has confirmed the competitiveness of the equipment. The brand from the Padua region amassed many titles throughout the season, both in the categories using FIA Karting homologated equipment (Mini, OK-Junior, OK or KZ) and in the brand cups.

A successful end to the OK season for KR

After Alex Powell (Prema Racing), winner of Champions of the Future, Kirill Kutskov (DPK Racing), World Champion and winner of the WSK Euro Series, Dmitry Matveev clinched the title in the WSK Final Cup. The final part of the season clearly demonstrated the competitiveness of the KR-IAME packages. At Franciacorta, Matveev took pole position ahead of Taym Saleh (Sauber Academy), before holding on to the lead after the Qualifying Heats and Super Heats. In the Final, he only had to secure 2nd place to achieve his goal.

European OK-Junior Vice-Champion Thibaut Ramaekers made a successful transition to OK, finishing 3rd overall. He finished the Final in the same position, winning the best lap of the race. P6 after the heats before running out of steam in the Super Heat, Xavier Avramides was one of the meeting's stars, as was Oleksandr Bondarev.

In the OK-Junior class, KR Motorsport also drew an extremely positive conclusion to the 2023 season. Oleksandr Bondarev was crowned European Champion, Stepan Antonov won the WSK Super Master Series and Iacopo Martinese (Cetilar Racing) won the WSK Euro Series. The Final at Franciacorta will not be remembered, although Niklas Schaufler (DPK Racing) was runner-up. The Austrian climbed no less than 21 places in the Final to move up from 23rd to 2nd place!

Further International Recognition for Kart Republic in Abu Dhabi

Promoter RGMMC has launched a new international series which will run over seven meetings in 2024 and has chosen the KR Global Motorsport Company to provide the exclusive equipment for the OK-N Senior and OK-N Junior categories. To launch the concept, an opening event was held from 19th to 22nd November on the Al Forsan circuit in Abu Dhabi. More than 60 KR-IAME karts were shipped to the Middle East for this grand premiere.

"We were very pleased with the way the equipment worked, with very good feedback from the competitors," admitted the RGMMC manager. "The races were very intense, with extremely small gaps between the drivers. Our partnership with the F1 Academy enabled us to attract a large number of female drivers, who made up around 15% of the field, which is much higher than the events we are used to. The 'arrive and drive' concept, which ensures a level playing field and identifies promising talent, was also very much appreciated."

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.