Germany clinched its second consecutive Karting Slalom gold at the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games, with Maja Braun and Louis Stange narrowly defeating Hungary in a tense final, showcasing skill and precision in the electric relay format. Anna Benedek secured silver and Dutch Senna Bison took bronze.
Germany successfully defended its Karting Slalom gold medal in an exciting finale at the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games, held at Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia. Two years after winning in France, Germany’s new team of Maja Braun and Louis Stange captured the gold with a flawless display, edging past the strong Team Hungary in a nail-biting final.
Karting Slalom is one of the most accessible entry-level motorsport disciplines for young drivers, requiring only a National Karting license and open to junior participants aged 14 to 16. Drivers in Karting Slalom compete in identical electric karts, navigating a parallel relay slalom course with combined team times.
Each team consists of one male and one female driver, a format that emphasizes gender equality and has given female drivers notable visibility within the sport. Past competitions have featured drivers like Doriane Pin, now an F1 Academy race winner, and F4 driver Nina Gademan.
The competition in Valencia saw 21 teams, each with 21 female drivers, bringing some of the best up-and-coming talents from around the world.
The event kicked off on Thursday with testing and qualifying rounds. Team Hungary’s Anna Benedek and Balázs Sturcz set an early pace in qualifying, leading the field with a time over three seconds faster than the German pair of Braun and Stange, while Lithuania’s Meda Mickeliūna and Linas Volungevi held the third position. By Friday, the top 16 teams were determined, and they advanced to the knockout rounds on Saturday morning.
In the Eight-Final, Germany showcased its consistency and precision as Braun and Stange cruised to victory over Chinese Taipei. Hungary advanced easily as well, beating Sweden, while Poland narrowly defeated Lithuania. Belgium, Israel, Kosovo, Denmark, and the Netherlands also moved on to the next stage.
The Quarter-Finals saw Germany continue its dominance, dispatching Kosovo with a smooth run. Hungary overcame Denmark, setting up the two countries as leading contenders for the gold. Meanwhile, Poland defeated Belgium, and the Netherlands emerged victorious over Israel, setting up an intense Semi-Final lineup.
During the Semi-Finals, Germany went head-to-head with Poland and held the upper hand throughout, securing their place in the final. Hungary faced the Netherlands and advanced with another strong performance. In the Small Final, the Dutch pair of Senna Bison and Oliver Jansen beat Poland by over 13 seconds to secure bronze for their country, with Bison delivering solid runs on both courses to become a Motorsport Games medalist.
The final race was a tense affair, with Germany and Hungary each pushing their limits. Hungary’s Balázs Sturcz clocked the fastest time on Course 1, finishing with an impressive 1m41.455s, while Anna Benedek posted the best time on Course 2.
Despite Hungary’s strong times, the German team held steady, delivering penalty-free runs on both courses, ultimately winning the gold by just over a second.
This victory marked another successful year for Germany in the Electric Street categories, with Maja Braun standing out as one of the three female gold medalists at the 2024 Games.
The 2024 Karting Slalom competition again showcased up-and-coming talents, but also highlighted the importance of accessibility and gender equality in motorsport, solidifying its role within the event.