BY MAURIZIO VOLTINI
As we already anticipated in the last issue of Vroom, 2020 sees the debut of the new international 60 Mini class. Which is “new” up to a certain point, in the sense that substantially the basic characteristics remain unchanged: we still find air-cooled 60 cc engines with electric start and centrifugal clutch, all with piston intake and powered by the 18 mm Dell’Orto carburettor. The essential part is this class now sees the arrival of the new year’s Cik homologations that are aimed at unifying at an international level those technical rules that, to date, may have varied from country to country, thereby creating a certain confusion due to their differences. A choice that is expected to significantly re-launch the category for the youngest of drivers (aged from 9 to 12 years of age) even in territories where it had not yet been adopted. All this will certainly lead to further increase the importance of this class, already among the most fundamental in karting.
At this moment, however, let us focus our attention on the first innovations or novelties, namely on the first karts already unveiled by the manufacturers regarding the CIK 60 Mini. Thirty-one “frame producers” have obtained homologation (only 4, the engine manufacturers) but the great deal of work related to the homologation procedures and the production of the material before the holidays has meant that few are those who have also managed to actually present their karts, including decent photos and technical data. However, we already do have those of the main actors on the scene, as far as the Mini is concerned, so let’s move on to see and describe the karts that will be sold with OTK (in 5 different brands), CRG, Birel and DR Racing. Remembering that some parameters - such as the 950 mm wheelbase and the 30 mm ø axle on two bearings - are fixed and imposed by Cik itself.