DUNLOP SECURES KART DEAL

MSA hands firm Cadet tyre tender

The MSA has announced its choices for several karting tenders, including Dunlop remaining as tyre supplier for the Formula Cadet class.

A new tyre will be used from 2017 to 2019 and will deliver a half-second increase in lap times.

Testing showed that Dunlop’s proposed tyre was very durable, having been put through the equivalent of 500 laps in the process. This means tyres could be used for multiple meetings.

The supplier has been chosen well in advance of the 2017 season to help manufacturers develop a new chassis that will suit the rubber.

“We were delighted with the level of interest from tyre manufacturers, and with the quality of all their proposals,” said Simon Blunt, MSA general secretary and chairman of the selection panel. “This made the selection process tricky, but thorough testing revealed that the new tyre proposed by Dunlop exceeded the criteria. This left the panel in unanimous agreement.”

Meanwhile, the MSA has also revealed that Vortex (OTK) and Vega are its preferred engine and tyre suppliers for the MSA British Junior and Senior Kart Championships.

The Vortex engine is CIKhomologated, a requirement specified by the MSA after the Junior series was suspended when the KF engines proved unsuccessful.

MSA Race, Speed and Kart executive Cheryl Lynch said: “There is no doubt that the MSA British Championships have suffered from the lack of a suitable Cik-homologated engine. However the fact that we now have a new homologated engine will rejuvenate the MSA British Championships and UK karting as a whole.”