Many new features have been implemented by the CIK-FIA for the 2014 Championships with the goal of reducing costs and simplifying the running of Competitions. This will start at the first Competition of the CIK-FIA European Championships for the KF and KF-Junior categories on 8th to 11th May 2014 at the La Conca International Circuit in the south of Italy, for the 141 Drivers involved.

This year's CIK-FIA European Championships for KF and KF-Junior will compete in four Competitions from early May to late August in Italy, Spain, Belgium, Sweden and the UK. The CIK-FIA has taken various measures to reduce the competitors' budget by reducing the costs of entries, the duration of Competitions and expenditure on tyres. The new specification tyres have a longer life, so the amount of sets allowed is reduced. In KF Dunlop slicks of the "Prime" type will be used, and in the KF-Junior they will use Vega "Option" slicks. To make the running of Competitions easier, parc ferme for tyres has been removed. Permanent controls will be carried out using the barcode and the MiniRae Lite device will be used to ensure the necessary sporting equality. As in 2013, this year the CIK-FIA has entrusted the promotion of its European and World Championships to WSK Promotion.

The first Competition of the year will be held in Italy at the La Conca International Circuit with 141 Drivers present, 69 in KF and 72 in KF-Junior, from 31 countries and 4 continents. 15 chassis brands will have the opportunity to compete to win the CIK-FIA European titles.

The KF entry includes experienced Drivers like reigning World Drivers' Champion, the Briton Tom Joyner (Zanardi-Parilla-Dunlop), the winner of the 2013 International Super Cup, the Polish Driver Karol Basz (Tony Kart-Vortex-Dunlop), the Asia Pacific Champion from Singapore Julien Fong (Tony Kart-TM-Dunlop), the Italian Felice Tiene (CRG-TM-Dunlop), Denmark's Nicklas Nielsen (Kosmic-Vortex-Dunlop) and Kevin Rossel (Tony Kart- TM-Dunlop), the British Driver Callum Ilott (Zanardi-Parilla-Dunlop) and the French Driver Julien Darras (Kosmic-Vortex-Dunlop). But the contingent of rookies moving up from the KF-Junior class looks great with serious contenders such as the 2013 World Champion, the Italian Alessio Lorandi (Tony Kart-TM-Dunlop) and his compatriot Leonardo Pulcini (Energy-TM-Dunlop), the British Drivers Lando Norris (FA Kart-Vortex-Dunlop) and Jehan Daruvala (FA Kart-Vortex-Dunlop), the Russian Nikita Mazepin (Tony Kart-Vortex-Dunlop), the Dutch Martijn Van Leeuwen (Zanardi-Parilla -Dunlop), the Finn Niko Kari (Tony Kart-Vortex-Dunlop), the French Driver Gabriel Aubry (Tony Kart-Vortex-Dunlop) and the Belgian youngster Maxime Potty (Kosmic-Parilla-Dunlop), the winner of the 2013 CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy. Three female Drivers are also involved: the Polish Driver Wiktoria Pankiewicz (Tony Kart-TM-Dunlop), the British Driver Hannah Pym (Tony Kart-TM-Dunlop) and Sweden's Lina Von Schedvin (Birel-TM -Dunlop).

In KF-Junior the Drivers with one or more seasons of experience face promising newcomers, with an advantage usually seen in the rankings for the more experienced. Some names have been seen on several occasions earlier this year on various international podiums. This is the case for the British Drivers Enaam Ahmed (FA Kart-Vortex-Vega), Daniel Ticktum (Zanardi-Parilla-Vega) and Max Fewtrell (FA Kart-Vortex-Vega), the German Mick Junior (Tony Kart-Vortex -Vega), the Russian Alexander Vartanyan (Tony Kart-Vortex-Vega), the Singaporean James Pull (Tony Kart-Vortex-Vega), and the Italian Leonardo Lorandi (Tony Kart-TM-Vega). The U.S. delegation will count on Logan Sargeant (FA Kart-Vortex-Vega), Juan Correa (Energy-TM-Vega) and Devlin DeFrancesco (Tony Kart-Vorex-Vega). Ross Martin (Tony Kart-TM-Vega) will be one to watch, representing the United Kingdom in the CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy, as well as the German David Beckmann (Tony Kart-Vortex-Vega), the Italian Lorenzo Travisanutto (PCR-TM-Vega), and the Belgian Benjamin Lessennes (Kosmic-Parilla-Vega). In this category, there will also be three women: the German Driver Sophia Floersch (Tony Kart-TM-Vega) known for her high velocity, the Spanish Driver Marta Garcia Lopez (Zanardi-Parilla-Vega) chosen by the FIA "Women in Motorsport" Commission to participate in the CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy, and the Polish Driver Julia Pankiewicz (Tony Kart-TM-Vega).

Running in the first Free Practice will begin on Thursday, May 8th in the late morning, Timed Qualifying will take place on Friday, May 9th from 16.40 and the Qualifying Heats will occupy all of Saturday, May 10th. After the Second Chance Heats, the Prefinals will be held on Sunday, May 11th between 12:05 and 12:40, while the Finals will start at 14:20.

For further information on the CIK-FIA, please consult our Internet site: www.cikfia.com