CRG (kart manufacturer)
CRG is a kart chassis manufacturer of recent years, with world champions from 2001-2003. Famous alumni include Alex Zanardi, F1 racer Vitantonio Liuzzi, 6 times F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton and F1 GP Winner Max Verstappen.[1]
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 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 make the Maxter engine range and the Maranello, Vanspeed, and Zanardi chassis ranges. They have also recently signed a deal to produce the new Lewis Hamilton kart.
References
- Max Verstappen