I Call It… Mini GP
Before the madness that was Bathurst overtook TRT’s universe, a random Facebook post piqued our interest – who wouldn’t want to see tiny bikes racing on a go kart track?
Prior to MotoGP blasting back into action this weekend at Phillip Island (you can find all of the TV times here), let’s have a look at its tiny cousin, Mini GP.
In 2022, the inaugural FIM Mini GP Australia was open to kids aged 10 to 14 years old, with all riders armed with spec Ohvale GP0-160cc motorcycles sourced from Italy.
They look and sound the part, with the events conducted under the auspices of the FIM and Dorna, the MotoGP commercial rights holders. Identical Mini GP titles were contested in a total of 16 different countries.
And there was a lot at stake at the recent double-header local finale, which attracted a decent field to Melbourne.
The top two placed riders from each national competition globally will be jetted off to the final round of the MotoGP Championship at Valencia in Spain this November, with the winner of that meet crowned the world champ, and guaranteed a ride in the FIM Junior World Championship for 2023.
Mini GP is also noted as a natural stepping stone for riders to get a leg up into classes such as the Red Bull Rookies Cup.
For the record, Harrison Watts and Terrin Fleming placed one and two for the season – keep an eye out for them – you heard of them here first.
The support schedule also featured Mini Motard/Grom /Z125 Open for ages 16 and over, plus the Veterans Class GP-2/GP-0 for those aged over 35 years.
The meet took place at the Oakleigh Go Kart Club, a facility that has recently undergone a massive renovation and extension.
Although not utilizing the full circuit that now loops up past the clubhouse, the remaining short track still features some great combinations of corners, including a range of neat cambers and undulations.
It looks like a hoot of a layout in a go kart, let alone on two wheels.
In recent times, many go kart tracks have been converted at times for Super Motard use, but the Mini GP genre is a perfect alternate application of our entry-level facilities.
Mark Walker (administrator)
A vastly experienced Motorsport Public Relations operator, journalist, commentator and photographer, Mark brings his unique angle to The Race Torque in both words and imagery. As well as serving as our key photographer on the ground at major events around Australia (and overseas), Walker will often chime in with his unique and pin-point sharp viewpoint of the racing world via the keyboard too.
