Go-karting enthusiasts can now race around a purpose-built, 937-metre track in Ħal Far.

The track, which cost €550,000 to build, was developed in collaboration between Infrastructure Malta and the Island Karting Club. Infrastructure Minister Ian Borg inaugurated it on Saturday morning. 

Workers removed soil, installed water and electric services, laid tarmac, introduced soil on run-off areas and added safety furniture during the works. 

The new track will allow enthusiasts to introduce new categories such as KZ, which have never had adequate facilities before. The track will also be used for mini moto and motards, as well as for testing by University students who build go-karts as part of their experience.

Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

“As we have done here, in Mtaħleb in the football pitches and clubs of Siġġiewi, Kalkara, Dingli, Xgħajra, Marsascala, the boċċi clubs in Birgu and Żebbuġ, the Regatta clubs in Cospicua and Birżebbuġa, and in of a number of other places, of which the list is never-ending, we will continue investing in our sport community to have a better standard of living in our country,” he said.

The Malta Motorsport Federation congratulated Island Karting Club for the inauguration and thanked Infrastructure Malta for the work. 

It praised karting as the “purest form of motorsport” and said it now looked forward to collaborating with the Island Karting Club to host the second phase of the FIA MMF Young Drivers Training programme, which is open to all applicants aged eight to 25. 

The Federation also noted that motorsports enthusiasts had been promised a fully-fledged racing track in the government’s electoral programme, and said it was available to support the government “so that the necessary decisions are taken as soon as possible” to ensure the project got off the ground.