Video: Braving horrendous weather in a 90mph shifter kart

14th December 2023

Simon Ostler

Karting in the wet is somehow more fun than it is in the dry, if you don’t mind getting drenched, that is. There’s something about the challenge of first finding the grip, then assessing how much grip there actually is, and then playing chicken with the limit, all while getting drenched as you splash through the inevitable puddles that develop on corner apexes.

Add to that challenge the fact that this kart is a KZ2 monster capable of 90mph and 0-6mph in less than three seconds. We’re pretty sure that kind of performance must feel pretty immediate when you’re sat exposed on top of an incredibly lightweight bit of kit. These are the kind of karts that a certain Max Verstappen cut his teeth in before graduating to car racing.

Here we have Porsche Cup driver Dirk Schouten swapping his four-litre flat-six for a 125cc two-stroke in torrential rain, and you can tell straight away that the grip is… minimal. That said, it doesn’t take him long to find the limit via a trip through the mud, and from then on you can watch as his lap times get quicker, and quicker, and quicker.

It’s so interesting to watch as his line develops, problem-solving corner after corner to find the optimum lap. It’s also just so impressive to watch him work the wheel, with seemingly endless gearshifts, this looks like incredibly hard work. The car control is out of this world, we just know if we were to try this, we’d have ended up in the hedge a long time ago.

Welcome to Goodwood Elevenses, a helping of motoring-related amusement to help break up your day. Watch the last video: How much talent do you need to slide a motorbike like this?