Most fans know the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans car race, but very few are aware that a similar 24-hour event is staged for racing karts.
These purebred race machines of Class 1 are powered by two-stroke, 125cc, liquid-cooled engines that develop 34 horses. Gearboxes are prohibited, but the karts are fitted with an electric starter and a centrifugal clutch.
Every component has been designed or modified for endurance racing. Basic repairs and driver changes can be executed in the blink of an eye.
In this video, note that the team do not fill up the fuel tank. The empty rank is simply replaced by another one that is full of gasoline. The switch is rapidly done thanks to a quick connector.
If you think these cars are not fast, note that the record for the distance covered during the race (established in 2006 and still unbeaten to this day) is 1,670 laps or 2,004km (1,245 miles)!
These purebred race machines of Class 1 are powered by two-stroke, 125cc, liquid-cooled engines that develop 34 horses. Gearboxes are prohibited, but the karts are fitted with an electric starter and a centrifugal clutch.
Every component has been designed or modified for endurance racing. Basic repairs and driver changes can be executed in the blink of an eye.
In this video, note that the team do not fill up the fuel tank. The empty rank is simply replaced by another one that is full of gasoline. The switch is rapidly done thanks to a quick connector.
If you think these cars are not fast, note that the record for the distance covered during the race (established in 2006 and still unbeaten to this day) is 1,670 laps or 2,004km (1,245 miles)!