2024 has seen the launch of a new class of kart, the Motorsport UK Electric Bambino class. Competitors take to the track using karts fitted with a brand-new MightE electric power unit, using an electrified powertrain similar in performance to the current petrol-engined Comer C50s but with minimal maintenance and running costs.

Bambino is a category of karting open to 6 – 8 year old children, in which competitors can purchase or loan and run their own karts. Created as a direct response to parents whose children wanted to experience karting from a young age. It is an opportunity to try karting in a cost-controlled environment.

Motorsport UK caught up with British racing driver Nick Tandy, currently racing for Porsche Motorsport in the IMSA Championship. His extensive career has seen him claim victories at the 24 Hour Le Mans, 24 Hours of Nurburgring and 24 Hours of Daytona championships. This is the first year that Nick and his son Felix, have entered Bambino category – which has seen the whole family get involved and join the team at the track.

“Karting is completely new for all of us! I started when I was a child on the oval tracks competing in stock car racing, before I then moved onto circuit racing on the longer circuits. Felix [my son] his karting adventure is the first time that any of us have been to the kart tracks.

“It’s great to get out and do something that Felix enjoys, obviously him and his sister grew up around it with me racing almost every weekend, so this now gives him the chance to get out and compete against children his own age in a safe and controlled environment. Obviously, it wasn’t available to me when I was his age, the class I started in you couldn’t race until you were 10 years old. It’s great that there’s the opportunity for us to go and do it together and start his hobby earlier than a few years previous.

“We’ve taken part in the British Championship this year which has been a five round series run by the Kart Championship and it’s just been absolutely fantastic, the support from the championship and from Motorsport UK to run the regulations and to run the clubs, to regulate the racing from a safety and enjoyment point of view, it’s great! It’s something that I didn’t realise was around until we started dabbling and taking his kart to a few tracks last year.”

In line with its sustainability policy, Motorsport UK sees the future of Bambino as being electric. Nick found this to be incredibly appealing.

“This is the first year that Motorsport UK’s recognised championship in the Bambino class is run with electric powertrains, this was appealing to us as well. In my own experience racing highly developed hybrid cars first-hand at Le Mans, I know how efficient and maintenance-friendly the electric powertrains are. The other element that really appealed to me, is the fact that all the electric powertrains are exactly the same for every child, it takes away the focus of the father spending more time in the garage or at the track working on the engine and shifts the focus back to the driver. Which is I think how it should be.

“So, now I spend more time working with Felix on how to improve his driving, how to improve his racing, how to improve kart so that he can drive it better… it totally shifts the focus away from the engine and puts it firmly back on the driver. The children are all still learning, all still developing, and we hope that they are having fun. We fully intend to run another season if he can next year.”

It’s easy to get involved. To compete you will need to pass a simple test, called an ARKS test, which involves a short driving assessment and answering some questions about karting, such as the flag signals. You will also need an Interclub (Bambino Race) licence. See below for how to register:
https://www.motorsportuk.org/get-started/types-of-motor-sport/karting/ 
https://arks.co.uk/ 

There are a wide range of events, including a dedicated Championship run by Champions Kart Club  and a special meeting at the British Kart Championship  in 2024.

Nick adds, “If anyone is interested, I would say go to a local race event and speak to some people to find out what is out there running. There are certain teams and clubs that run experience courses to figure out what’s what and if the child enjoys it. If you want to do it, then go out there, buy a go kart and do a test day.”