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IAME Belgium: Ask for the 2018 programme!
Max Bernardi
22 December 2017

IAME BELGIUM·MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2017

Following the excellent 2017 season marked by the increasing success of the Belgian Championship, IAME Belgium is already focusing on the next sporting season.

The 2018 season will be an exciting one!

We are not going to change a formula that’s already working well, but having said that there is always room for improvement! It’s with this principle in mind that IAME Belgium has prepared it’s 2018 season.

“We can be delighted at the level of the interest for the upcoming Belgian Championship next year, we are already one of the best national competitions in Europe” says Thierry Lepinne, promoter of IAME Belgium.

“With an average of 172 drivers and increasing interest from outside of Belgium, our flagship championship proposes an excellent and highly competitive level of driving from a serious and professional organisation.  We would like to increase the number of opportunities for drivers by organising a second series of races.  We will change the formula for 2018: our two distinct competitions will be recognised by the RACB Sport, the national federation of motorsport, which supports us with enthusiasm”

 

IAME Series Benelux: National titles and invitations to the IAME International Final up for grabs.

With stronger links being formed with our Dutch neighbours, who are including the rounds of the Belgian Championship in their KNAF cup series, the Belgian championship will be renamed.

This will now be known as IAME Series Benelux, this series will comprise four rounds.

In addition to the traditional events at Mariembourg, Spa-Franchorchamps and Genk, the final race will be decided in Ostricourt, in the Hauts-de-France region, France.

Without doubt this competition will deliver Belgian karting at a high level, and bestow the title of Belgian champion amongst the different classes. Furthermore, the IAME Series Benelux will offer invitations to compete at the prestigious IAME International final (held at the Le Mans Circuit, and in 2017, they saw record numbers of participants at 454) amongst the series winners.

In view of the interest in the competitions organised by IAME Belgium, it won’t be a surprise to see the driver numbers increase to the 200 mark in 2018. This level of entrants will provide ample opportunity for competitive racing with the unchanged format: at least two qualifying heats per driver (with points awarded for the heats) and a final to determine the winner of the day. Due to the number of participants, these races will take place over three days in order to guarantee a satisfactory amount of track time for all.

Here is the calendar:

9th – 11th March: Karting des Fagnes – Mariembourg

27th – 29th April: Karting Franchorchamps

20th – 22nd July: Karting Genk

17th -  19th August: Racing Kart JPR – Ostricourt (France)

IAME Series Belgium: changes to the IAME Belgium challenges

 Benefiting from the same level of organisation, the IAME series Belgium is a new series proposed by IAME Belgium and recognised by the RACB. This competition aims to provide a friendly, and more accessible series, notably in relation to costs. The races will take place over two days, and three are programmed: Franchorchamps, Douvrin (F) and Mariembourg.

This series is designed for beginners and less experienced drivers (although everyone is very welcome!) and offers an alternative to the previously organised IAME Belgium Challenge.

This new series is also under the guidance of the RACB Sport, which means that drivers will only require one licence in 2018 if they wish to participate in both series.

For the drivers, there will be more driving time than before, with two qualifying heats and a final. Points will be attributed as per the IAME Benelux Series (once after the heats, and once after the final) The challenge and attraction of the IAME Series Belgium is very important to us: after competing in the three rounds the champions of the six classes will receive a new engine, with other attractive prizes on offer for those finishing behind the winners……

The three races are:

14th-15th April: Karting Franchorchamps

15th-16th September: Douvrin (F)

27th-28th October: Karting des Fagnes – Mariembourg

Categories:  amended for more clarity

The number of categories in the IAME Belgium competitions, whether the IAME Series Benelux or the IAME Series Belgium will be less than previous years.

“Firstly, the Super X30 class will not be offered” explains Thierry Lepinne, the promoter.

“With a strong global level of driving in Super X30 we were disappointed by the low numbers of participants in this class in 2017, with many choosing to drive in the X30 Senior class (due to the increased numbers and competitiveness of the category)

Based on the great performance and reliability of the IAME Parilla X30 125cc engine the X30 senior category will be the “most wanted” category to drive in.

In order to encourage less experienced/younger drivers in this category we will include a Rookie class. The upper age limit will now be 30 years, we invite drivers above this age to compete in the Master category, this measure will allow for a logical evolution for drivers.

There will now be only one category of shifter kart, this is X30 Super Shifter (175cc), the less subscribed X30 shifter category will disappear.

Following the CIK-FIA decision to change the age limits for the junior category in 2017, the X30 cadet class was a bit squeezed between X30 junior and mini. In 2018, it will be possible to move up to X30 Cadet a year earlier, at age 10.  “There will be certain conditions that need to be met before this can happen.” Explains Thierry Lepinne. “Before a driver can be accepted in to X30 Cadet we will take in to account a minimum weight and the level of previous experience”

Here are the six confirmed IAME Belgium categories:

Mini: 8 years old in the year of racing until 11 years old in the year

X30 Cadet: 10 years old in the year of racing until 13 years old in the year

X30 Junior: 12 years old in the year of racing until 15 years old in the year

X30 Senior: 14 years old in the year of racing until 30 years old in the year

X30 Master: minimum 25 years old in the year of racing or a weight limit of more than 80 kgs for pilot and equipment

X30 Super Shifter: from 15 years of age in the year of racing

Two International races as a bonus: IAME International Open and X30 Euro Series

 Belgian X30 drivers will be spoilt in 2018! In addition to the IAME Series Benelux and IAME Series Belgium there will be two major International races hosted in Belgium. Benefiting from the new infrastructure at the Karting des Fagnes (which celebrated its 30th birthday in 2017) it is now equipped to host International events.

The IAME International Open will be held at Mariembourg Easter weekend, 30th March – 1st April. This competition known previously as X30 Challenge Europa makes a return to Belgium.

Karting des Fagnes – Mariembourg is also host to one of the four rounds of the X30 Euro Series, the 24th – 27th May, following Salbris (F) and scheduled before Wackersdorf (D) and Casteletto (I)

Without doubt many International drivers will compete in these two major races with many of them likely to race in the IAME Series Benelux at Mariembourg for training.

2018 promises to be a big year for the competition’s organised by IAME Belgium.

Are you ready to be part of it? For any further information please contact us [email protected]

Source: IAME Belgium

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