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Birel ART: the history of kart!


Being part of Birel ART means being part of a large team present all over the world.

OUR HISTORY


2010-2020

2010-2020

 

From the union of Birel and ART Grand Prix, Birel ART is born, a new adventure aimed at becoming one of the main protagonists of the international Karting scene.
Birel ART launches two new brands in collaboration with two great F1 drivers: Ricciardo Kart in collaboration with Daniel Ricciardo (www.ricciardokart.com) and Charles Leclerc Kart (www.clkarting.com) in collaboration with Charles Leclerc.
In 2019 Marijn Kremers wins the world title in the KZ premier class.
In 2020, despite the global COVID-19 pandemic, for Birel ART it was a year of incredible sporting and commercial successes that continue into 2021.

 
 
 
 
 
 
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2000-2010
 
 
 
 
 
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2000-2010

 

Robert Kubica’s star shined brightly for Birel in 2000 when he won 4th place in the World Championship, the last one awarded in a single trial.
In 2009 through the partnership between Birel and Formula 1 driver Robert Kubica, the new RK Robert Kubica Kart brand, (www.kubicaracingkart.com).

90s/2000

90s/2000

 

Birel won six Formula C World Championship titles in the years from 1990 to 2000 and led the classification of the most winning teams in the 125 ever.
At the end of the nineties, Birel became involved in amateur karting, “invented” endurance races, a new perspective in kart racing, and created a new chassis, the N035, specifically designed for these competitions. Easykart is also born, a project conceived with the aim of supporting and promoting basic karting and in particular the youth sector.

 
 
 
 
 
 
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70s/80s
 
 
 
 
 
 
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70s/80s

 

At the beginning of the seventies, Birel presented a chassis which was destined to leave a very deep impression on the history of karting: the Targa.
In 1974, Birel and IAME formed an official team with future Formula 1 drivers Riccardo Patrese and Eddy Cheever.
The eighties were the stage for a lot of successes as team and as manufacturer. Mika Hakkinen, the future Formula 1 star, raced for the team managed by Finnish importer Pekka Pirkola. Birel conquered four Junior World Championship titles from 1982 to 1986.

50s/60s

50s/60s

 

Karting became popular throughout Europe at the end of the fifties.
Umberto Sala at that time was managing a car and motorcycle shop in Lissone, near Milan.
He opened a small light metalurgy workshop and started to make his first karts for fun.
Sala’s chassis were called “Birel” which was the family’s nickname.

 
 
 
 
 
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KEY PEOPLE


Ronni Sala

CEO

Ronni Sala is a central figure in the world of international motorsport and the CEO of Birel ART, a historic company based in Lissone (Monza e Brianza) specializing in the production of go-karts.

Born in 1972, Ronni Sala-grandson of Birel founder Umberto Sala-comes from a family of motor enthusiasts. Umberto’s brother, Guido, was a motorcycle racer, and Ronni grew up with the same passion, receiving his first bike at just four years old.

Following his own racing experiences-including competing in the Italian 125cc Grand Prix championship during the 1990s-Ronni joined his father and grandfather in managing Birel. In 1994, he began organizing and managing the newly formed Birel Motorsport. Under his leadership, the racing division won four consecutive titles from 1997 to 2000, including three World Championships with Gianluca Beggio, and most recently another world title in 2019 with Marijn Kremers.

Beyond sporting success, Ronni introduced significant technological and commercial innovations. In 1997, for instance, Birel unveiled Torsion, the first Birel chassis designed entirely by computer. In 2000, he launched “Easykart”; originally intended for amateur drivers to grow the karting fan base, the project quickly became a major success across Italy, America, and many European countries.

In 2014, Ronni inaugurated a new era for the company by joining forces with ART Grand Prix to create Birel ART. Through this partnership with Nicolas Todt and his associates, Ronni helped build an ambitious project at the forefront of the karting industry, featuring original sporting, marketing, and communication initiatives to support the product, the brand, and the Birel ART dealer network.

In 2025, Birel ART played a central role in a major financial operation that led to the creation of the Korus Group, where Sala remains a partner and key figure. Korus is the holding company that brings together some of Italy's most globally recognized excellences in motorsport and high-performance engineering.
The Group’s primary objective is to develop a 360-degree motorsport hub, leveraging its Italian roots as a distinctive factor of excellence. The name Korus, evoking the Greek concept of “chorus,” reflects its mission: to unite unique and complementary companies into a harmonious ecosystem operating in synergy. The goal is to transform passion, expertise, and precision into cutting-edge performance, redefining global excellence in motorsport.


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FACTORY


Management policy always oriented towards joining tradition and innovation, always putting the unconditional search for quality as its top priority along with maximum attention to the needs of the user in every segment of the market.

The production organization provides for four departments located in a surface area of over 6.000 square meters: mechanical works, carpentry, assembly and the warehouse. Production, like the racing department, can consider itself one of the greatest expressions of excellence in the entire karting sector due to the use of maximum technology machinery and the best professionals.

The technical office works in synergy with the racing department for the racing segment.

ICONICS MODELS


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Reattino

The first mass-produced Birel, which dates back to 1961

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Sogliola

The “flat” chassis, built in 1962

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Scoiattolo 1964

Engine moved to the driver’s side

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Scoiattolo 1966

An evolution of its predecessor, with a three-tube rear end

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Fox 1967

The first Birel world champion

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Drag 1968

Structure with a triangular layout

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Strike 1971

The double column steering system

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Targa 1972

The recovery weapon

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T4 Jesolo

The first long wheelbase Targa

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Cadetti

For beginners

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T7 Parma

A two-bearing rear end

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T12 B 1981

The first chassis for the 135 class

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Conte Nero 1983

A top international in the 125 class, too

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T18

A transition chassis narrower in the front

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Serie M

Torsion concentrated up front

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R 30

The “short cradle” chassis is born

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Torsion

Revolutionary architecture and refined features

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CR 832

A mobile bar to stiffen the front end

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CR 31 SP 2004

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CRX 32 SC 2005

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CRY 32 S2 2010

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RY 30 S4 2012

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CRY 30 S6 2014

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CRY-30-S8-2016

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CRY-30-S11-2020

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CRY-30-S15-2023

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