Formula 1 legends Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso took their first steps with karting engines from Italian manufacturer IAME, which is now laying solid foundations in Cyprus as well, thanks to Alexis and Andreas Christodoulides, with the aim of highlighting the talents of our own country.
Karting is the foundation that leads to the peak of motor racing Formula 1 since the vast majority of its drivers started in the highly competitive environment of racing of this kind.
Senna, Schumacher, Alonso, Vettel, Hamilton and Verstappen, to name just a few of those who have made history on the worlds tracks over the past 40 years, would not have gotten where they did if they hadnt learned their art and craft in karting.
The IAME name is intertwined with kart racing, winning 25 world titles as a manufacturer, with big names such as Alonso, Hamilton and Verstappen emerging triumphant with its engines.
Italian American Motor Engineering, as its full name is, began its journey on the tracks in 1968 and today is the largest manufacturer of kart engines in the world, having the famous Komet, Sirio and Parilla brands under its umbrella.
In Cyprus IAME has found a home thanks to Andreas and Alexis Christodoulides who, driven by their love and passion for racing (a passion that started 20 years ago), founded the IAME Series Cyprus in 2022.
The vision of the founders of the IAME family in Cyprus is exemplary, healthy competition and professionalism of the level of Italy, with the aim of nurturing, developing and promoting the talents of our own country.
And since we are mentioning growth, it is worth outlining that in just two years’ time the IAME Series Cyprus attracted 35 drivers, with the most popular categories being Rookies and Mini. In those two categories 20 talents participate in total (kids from 7 to 12 years old) and that proves that the IAME family in Cyprus is a nursery for karting races in our country.
In terms of the technology used in Cyprus, IAME is leading the way again, having entered the championship with the only water-cooled engine in the 60cc Mini category: the so called X30 Waterswift. Then theres the X30 Junior and X30 Senior, renowned for its power and reliability, while at the top is IAMEs pride, the ground-breaking 175cc X30 Supershifter, which is the only one of its kind and even has a starter for the convenience of the driver.
Most important of all, however, is the fact that IAME Series Cyprus is a Mono Brand, which means that the drivers in each category compete with the same engine, with the people of IAME promoting a championship with equal opportunities for all.
After all, what needs to be highlighted through a championship is not the diversity in technology but the talent of each driver and the people of IAME Cyprus are in the hunt to find the Alonsos, the Hamiltons and the Verstappens of this land.
The 2024 IAME Series Cyprus begins on March 31st (with the first out of six races) and ends on October 6th.
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