If you look at the roster of the most successful F1 drivers in recent years, the vast majority of them began their quest for high-velocity glory in the world of karting, often while they were barely out of nappies.
For example, Michael Schumacher – arguably the finest racing driver ever to have lived – won his first karting championship at the age of six. While all of the drivers on the grid of last month’s Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix (except Russian Vitaly Petrov) cut their teeth in motor racing behind the wheel of a go-kart.
So, with the owners of the Yas Marina Circuit racetrack wanting to use the premier F1 event to inspire a new generation of home-grown championship-winning drivers it’s no wonder they’ve decided to build their own kart track.
Children from the age of eight upwards are welcome, with smaller and less powerful machines designed for them to use. While adults and youngsters aged over 13 are catered for with some bigger, higher horse-powered vehicles. Unfortunately, kids and grown-ups can’t compete together, so our thoughts of showing the two youngsters we brought along with us a thing or two about car control by repeatedly lapping them wasn’t on the agenda. So after the little ones had had their fun, and clocked pretty good lap times despite the odd spin out, it was our turn to race against four other adult competitors.
Our first observation is that the 8hp machines aren’t the fastest karts in the country as we’re pretty sure the track in Al Ain has speedier vehicles. But Yas Kartzone’s main strength is its challenging course, which has more twists than a bag of pretzels, so budding racers will be forced to learn about racing lines and braking distances as they negotiate the hairpin bends and winding chicanes. But the 800m track is also refreshingly wide, giving the nippiest drivers plenty of opportunity for overtaking (something denied on the main Yas Marina Circuit we hear you say). There are also enough lengthy straights where you can put some extra weight on the accelerator, get the revs up and hit some impressive speeds, which, as the karts are just inches from the ground, is a thrilling experience. And, as you have to get dressed up in full racing kit – balaclava, racing overalls, gloves and helmet – before you’re allowed in the vehicle, you get a glimpse of realism into the whole racing experience.
Our only criticism was that the 10 minutes of racing were too short, and, just as we were getting used to the intricate layout of the track and reducing our lap times, the chequered flag was waved and we were forced to pull into the pit lane.
With this in mind, Kartzone offers a number of extended racing packages, including Twin Sprint Racing, where you qualify, start on the grid and then have a full race, and Enduro Racing, where you compete on the track for a full hour.
But how did we fare in our 10-minute stint? To be honest, not too good. Once the race is over, your results are flashed up on a TV screen in the reception area, and we finished a disappointing fourth out of five drivers. You’re also sent an SMS showing you how you rank alongside the best times of that week and month. Unsurprisingly, we were in the lower regions of the leaderboard.
Despite our sluggish performance, there’s no denying the fact that it’s highly entertaining. One of the youngsters we went along with even went as far as calling it ‘the most fun I’ve ever had in the UAE’. You can’t argue with an endorsement like that.
Dhs80 for 10 minutes for children aged eight-12; Dhs100 for racers aged 13 and over. Tues-Sat 2pm-10pm. Yas Marina Circuit, Yas Island (02 410 0888).
