CRG (kart manufacturer)

CRG is a kart chassis manufacturer of recent years. Famous alumni include Alex Zanardi, Vitantonio Liuzzi, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.

They were founded in the late 1970s by three Italian racers (Carlo Vanaria, Roberto Vanaria and Giancarlo Tinini), and were originally known as Kali Karts. In the beginning the company was a laughing stock, with Zanardi being told by his original team DAP that if he didn't stop complaining they would "send him to Kali". By the mid 1980s Kali had recovered from its inauspicious beginnings and was winning World Championships with drivers like Mike Wilson.

The name change to CRG took place gradually in the early 1990s and ushered in an era of more World Championships from Danilo Rossi and Alessandro Manetti. CRG also goes under the name of Tinini Group, which was created in 2017. And visible on all sticker kits since then. CRG has also a straight relation with Dino Chiesa (Chiesa Corse). The Italian chassis mechanic (known as the best in the world of karting) assisted the multiple world champions, Alessandro Piccini and Giorgio Pantano; as well as many other drivers through CRG.

CRG started to build engines in the mid-1990s but they were never widely used outside of the factory teams. In 2001 they were replaced by the Maxter brand which produces 100 cc and 125 cc gearbox engines. They also have been involved in the Maxter engine range. And they were the main supplier for a couple of brands like Maranello, Vanspeed, Zanardi, Dino, DR Kart. In more recent years the team has partnered up with TM racing.

In the past 30 years, CRG has been one of the most successful brands and it has been chosen by several of the current motorsport champions. For this reason, CRG Racing team is considered as the “Champions Factory”. Drivers of the likes of Michael Schumacher, Max Verstappen, Alex Zanardi, Ralf Schumacher, Giancarlo Fisichella, Nick Heidfeld, Jan Magnussen, Jos Verstappen, Giorgio Pantano, Vitantonio Liuzzi, Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Räikkönen, Robert Kubica, Sébastien Buemi, Nico Hülkenberg, Pastor Maldonado and Giedo van der Garde have competed for the brand.

World Championships & World Cups edit

Year Category Driver
2017 KZ   Paolo de Conto
2016 KZ   Paolo de Conto
2016 KZ2 SUPER CUP   Pedro Hiltbrand
2016 OK   Pedro Hiltbrand
2015 KZ   Jorrit Pex
2013 KZ   Max Verstappen
2013 KF   Tom Joyner
2012 KF2 (WORLD CUP)   Felice Tiene
2012 KZ2 (WORLD CUP)   Jordon Lennox-Lamb
2011 KF1   Nyck de Vries
2011 KZ1 (WORLD CUP)   Jonathan Thonon
2011 U18   Matthew Graham
2010 KF2   Nyck de Vries
2010 SKF (WORLD CUP)   Oliver Rowland
2009 SUPER KF   Arnaud Kozlinski
2009 KF2 (WORLD CUP)   David da Luz
2009 KZ1   Jonathan Thonon
2008 KZ1   Jonathan Thonon
2007 KZ1   Jonathan Thonon
2003 FORMULA A   Wade Cunningham
2002 FORMULA SUPER A   Giedo van der Garde
2001 FORMULA SUPER A   Vitantonio Liuzzi
2000 FORMULA A (WORLD CUP)   Lewis Hamilton
1999 FORMULA SUPER A   Danilo Rossi
1999 FORMULA SUPER A (WORLD CUP)   Vitantonio Liuzzi
1997 FA   Danilo Rossi
1994 FORMULA SUPER A   Alessandro Manetti
1994 FORMULA A (WORLD CUP)   Luca Casazza
1994 5 CONTINENTS JUNIOR CUP   Giorgio Pantano
1993 FORMULA A (WORLD CUP)   Paolo Moro
1993 FORMULA C   Alessandro Piccini
1993 5 CONTINENTS JUNIOR CUP   Ennio Gandolfi
1992 FORMULA C   Danilo Rossi
1992 FORMULA K   Danilo Rossi
1992 FORMULA K (WORLD CUP)   Danilo Rossi
1992 FORMULA A (WORLD CUP)   Alberto Pedemonte
1990 FORMULA K   Jan Magnussen
1990 FORMULA A   Danilo Rossi
1989 FORMULA K   Mike Wilson
1989 FORMULA C   Gianluca Giorgi
1988 FORMULA SUPER 100   Emmanuel Collard
1988 SKF   Mike Wilson
1985 FORMULA C   Piermario Cantoni
1984 FORMULA K   Jörn Haase
1984 FORMULA C   Gabriele Tarquini

European Championships

Year Category Driver
2018 KZ   Jorrit Pex
2017 KZ   Paolo de Conto
2016 KZ2   Fabian Federer
2016 OK   Pedro Hiltbrand
2014 KZ2   Andrea Dalè
2014 KF   Callum Ilott
2014 KZ   Rick Dreezen
2013 KZ   Max Verstappen
2013 KF   Max Verstappen
2012 KZ1   Jorrit Pex
2011 KZ2   Fabian Federer
2009 KF3 NORTHERN QUALIF.   Nyck de Vries
2009 KF3   Nyck de Vries
2008 KZ1   Jonathan Thonon
2007 KF2 CENTRAL QUALIF.   Felice Tiene
2006 100 ICA   Nicola Nolé
2003 125 SUPER ICC   Alessandro Manetti
2003 100 ICA   Nicola Bocchi
2002 100 ICA   Jonathan Thonon
2002 100 ICA JUNIOR   Sébastien Buemi
2001 125 FC   Alessandro Piccini
2000 125 ICC   Valerio Sapere
2000 FORMULA A   Lewis Hamilton
1998 100 ICA   Julien Poncelet
1998 CADET’S GREEN TROPHY   Álvaro Parente
1998 FORMULA A   César Campaniço
1996 125 ICC   Stefan Haak
1996 FORMULA C   Alessandro Piccini
1996 FORMULA A   Giorgio Pantano
1995 FA   Giorgio Pantano
1994 CADET’S GREEN TROPHY   Lucas Luhr
1993 CADET’S GREEN TROPHY   Giorgio Pantano
1993 125 ICC   Stefano Marcolin
1992 125 ICC   Stefano Rodano
1992 FORMULA K   Gianluca Beggio
1991 100 JUNIOR   Jordi Surrales
1989 100 ICA JUNIOR   Gianluca Malandrucco
1989 125 ICC   Gianluca Paglicci
1988 125 ICC   Vincenzo Saitta
1987 FORMULA K   Alex Zanardi
1987 125 ICC   Paolo Pulliero
1987 INTERCONTINENTAL-A   Michael Schumacher
1986 FORMULA K   Yvan Muller
1986 125 ICC   Lamberto di Fernando
1985 INTERCONTINENTAL-B   Stefan Frietsch
1984 125 ICC   Riccardo Franchini
1979 125 ICC   Jan Svaneby
1979 FORMULA C   Giancarlo Vanaria

References edit

External links edit