Eight new drivers join Bambino Class ahead of Karting season opener

Bambino Class, which is the entry point for the Kenya National Karting Championship, has attracted eight new drivers who will be hoping to make a breakthrough in the sport.

The drivers will be making their maiden appearance during the season opening KMSC round at Whistling Morans on Saturday and Sunday.

The class which features drivers in the 4-8 age bracket welcomes to the track Max Berman, Abby Yaya, Wilf Mulyanga, Christian Mmbaka, Sean Njumbi, Eland Wanyangu, Bixente Rio Wyles  and Ayden Festus.

In the meantime, the Cadet 60cc Comer/IAME (8-13 years) has attracted five new names who will be behind the wheel and these include Keyla Nyambura, Liam Mbogo, Gitau Munene, Shawn Ndung'u and Raul Singh Virdee.

Myles Imbayi, Matania Imbayi, Maynuel Inonda Dennis Yaya will be back in the saddle in their Junior Rotax (13-18 years) category.

Moving up from 60cc to Junior rotax are Krish Vadgama, Champion Walt Alobo, Zahran Mogul and Aheel Abdalla.

Karting is one of the motorsport disciplines that continues to produce stars of international and national repute.

Among them are seven times Formula 1 Champion Lewis Hamilton and rally legend Baldev Chager.

The FIA Global Pathway from Karting to Formula One is a programme developed by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), the international sanctioning body for motorsports that is designed to assist racing drivers to progress from karting to Formula One.

The programme was first developed in 2014 with the creation of the Formula 4 category.

The new karting season brings to the fore key technical changes intended to enhance safety, as well as create a level playing field. Any  driver deliberately jeopardising another driver’s lap time will be penalised.

Five Bonus points will be awarded to the driver of each class for the fastest lap of the event (in any of the officially timed sessions, other than Official Practice).

Cadet Comer Class may cease to run after December 31st 2022. Transitional plan will give opportunity for running both Comer and IAME engines together as Comer is gradually phased out and replaced with IAME.

The upper age bracket of the Junior Rotax has also changes from 13-16 to 13-18. The minimum racing distances per heat have also been revised. Bambinos will run a heat between 3-5kms, Rotax Junior 10-20kms and cadets 8-14kms.

Plans are also afoot to introduce a five- leg African Karting Championship (the equivalent of the ARC in rallying).

A tax force, which incorporates Kenyan John Kamau, is working to finalise modalities of an event that will run in five countries.

Potential entrants by class and racing numbers.

*Bambino 50cc 4-8yrs*

1. Max Berman (89)*

2. Abby Yaya (57)*

3. Wilf Mulyanga (5)*

4. Christian Mmbaka (22)*

5. Sean Njumbi (49)*

6. Eland Wanyangu (33)*

7. Bixente Rio Wyles (7)*

8. Ayden Festus (23)*

*Cadet 60cc Comer/IAME 8-13 yrs*

1. Aarav Chandaria (27)

2 Shane Chandaria (56)

3. Magana Luusa (24)

4. Krish Vadgama (6)

5. Wendell Mutegi (10)

6. Jayden Sheth (11)

7. Keyla Nyambura (77)*

8. Ethan Gitonga (36)

9. Liam Mbogo (306)*

10. Gitau Munene (9)*

11. Charles Kahumbura (86)

12. Shawn Ndung'u (42)*

13.  Raul Singh Virdee  (44)*

*Junior rotax 13-18yrs*

1. Myles Imbayi (33)

2. Matania Imbayi (11)

3. Maynuel Inonda (16)

4. Dennis Yaya (47)

5. Krish Vadgama (6)**

6. Walt Alobo (26)**

7. Gibran Bank (7)

8. Zahran Mogul (9)**

9.Aheel Abdalla (12)*