i do agree with brakedisc.we should check the engines after the race.i would say many people would doubt his integrity.he has a racing team and some sources said that their engines are illegal.lets take an example,last year everybody was so close in the championship.and look what happen in the world final,only calvin made it to the final.what happen to ryan ritchie,mikko nassi and so on?in malaysia they were quick,and when given equal engines they were no where.its just an observation.anyway,we have a choice,choose to bring the standard down or bring the level up.

I have told myself that I would not want to be drawn into this topic anymore but then if you read in between the lines, it would be obvious that accusation is that the team I am sponsoring is cheating.

I have for more than once said if you all want to have the engines stripped down after the race, I have no objections provided all the drivers want it. I really dont care!!!

So far I only have 2 persons who wants this and they have not indicated that they are drivers themselves. However I will give them their 2 cents worth lest I be accused of any other misdeeds.

I am acceptable to the following options -

1. Engines sealing on a given day where everyone can come and look and no other sealing days will be done. That way we will save time after the race without opening the engines.

2. Run the engines with seals but no checks until after the race where the top 6 will have their engines completely dismantled. Drivers will have to pay for the seals. Drivers are also likely to be using illegal engines to win heats but not the final because they are under team orders to block or to create a problems in the points standing so that another may benefit. This can happen as observed in other countries.

3. Follow the present sealing method.

All you people who read this please let me know what you want and lets move on. I am quite sick of this topic which has no ending. You all decide what you want to do.

James Leong

So you are saying that last year Bryan Mehta, Ryan Ritchie, Afiq, Mikko Nassi, James Lee, Masedenal Ali and John King all cheated...now that is really going much too far.

James Leong made it clear that the sealing of engines was open to all interested observers last year. All you had to do was to turn up on the appointed day.

Obviously you did not bother to turn...

Neither did you protest any engine at any of the race meetings...

Now 8 months after the fact you decide to accuse everybody except Calvin Wong of cheating.

Sounds like a very sore and bitter loser to me.

I vote for Method 1.

even tho i don't race, i think its best for everyone to follow the present sealing method.

And if any driver/team having doubts, put a protest money in. if the said driver breach the rules. you get back your money and the said driver gets a fine and DQ or ban for the whole series. If the said driver didn't breach the rules, the protest money forfeited to the officials to have the engine rebuild and reseal.


yes. i suspected they all cheated using some form of driving skills.

I think the current engine sealing and checking procedure is fine.

And on another note I also think if people are going to make such open unsubstantiated accusations against others in this sport then at least have the guts to identify yourself to the accused rather then hide behind your user name like a rat in a hole.

The names mentioned are reputable skilled drivers and blaming them winning because of their engines were illegal than you should go and wash your mouth...

From the comments it seems that only engine can ensure a driver winning... other factors are not contributing huh. Maybe you or your driver need leg modification lah... or are you trying to find excuses to give to your driver or yourself because of incompetency?. Well just my observation...you have a choice of bringing your standard up or bring it down.



Were you at the world finals and watch the races for you to make such a comment?.

Why bother coming to the series if everyone cheats?

method no. 2 but only 1 engine allowed for race. If your engine breaks, register another but have at least 2 or 3 other competitors or their mechanics present when spare engine is opened and checked before sealing to be eligible for the race.

Unlike other countries in which we have raced I am yet to see anything even vaguely suspicious in engine performance in the rotax classes in Malaysia. I have not seen one example of any kart exiting a corner at a slower speed than a competitor yet passing them in the straight. Afterall, the straight is pretty much the only place where driver skill doesn't come into the equation.

The pre-race check and seal process and post race scrutineering of checking seals and a few random elements is sufficient for us to understand we are not being beaten by engines...

I have been following this debate with great interest and there seems to be many different points of view to this issue of engine legality.

May I therefore be permitted to provide a point of view based on an experience that we had in Saraburi last year when Bryan raced a Rotax. We had a poor qualifying and qualified upper mid pack and also had a poor second heat. Started pre final around ninth and Bryan made a charge to finish 4th in pre-final. Started final 6th and finished 3rd, a very satisfactory result!

Of course, there were the usual murmurs of illegal engine after the final, but in this instance, Bryan's engine was fully stripped by Mr. Suzuki and it was found to be legal.

For me, I was extremely pleased that the engine was taken apart and found to be legal as it gave Bryan's finishing position the credibility it deserved as both he and the team worked very hard to get it.

So, for all of you who run legal engines, I believe that you should welcome an engine strip after the race and you should fight hard to ensure that the engine is checked to the fullest extent.

This will ensure that no one can come in the future to try to discount the achievement of the driver and mechanic during the race or championship.

Now, I think that we will need to find a balance between policing engines and being over zealous about stripping engines after every race, so to me, option 1 sounds good, but James, do make some full surprise checks after some of the rounds to keep everyone on their toes and I don't mean just checking the carburetors.

Hopefully, by doing this, we can put to rest all this unpleasant talk that seems to be lingering and concentrate on racing

Not a driver myself but involved in the issue - I think the existing system is OK but could be expanded a little so that different parts are chosen to be checked at the end of different races. This way the teams will not know if the scrutineers will go for carburretor, crank case, cylinder or what. It creates the "surprise" element.

Allocating specific days and venues for sealing is difficult as too many people have too many other commitments (including myself) and will not be able to attend.

Soewhere along the line we have to trust ourselves and the scrutineers - lets get back to the interesting stuff about racing, set-up and enjoying the racing.

only 1 engine. but if breaks can register another. so whats the point of only 1 engine allow.

you dont race much i bet.. mr.brakedisc
why dont you improve yourself in the sport 1st before you try to improve the sport.

So if your engine breaks during the Pre-final you whip out your spare engine, dismantle it, force "2 or 3 other competitors or their mechanics" to inspect your engine - just when everyone is superbusy preparing for the Final - seal it and mount it ready for the race...all in a matter of 2 hours.

I think you need to think your proposal through...

Let me second what Mike wrote. Last year Bryan worked hard all year and drove very well in all the RMC races. Mike spent a significant amount of money getting good equipment and Bryan ran with one of the top teams in Malaysian karting. He was a thoroughly deserving champion.

In the World Final I believe the main issue affecting the performances of Bryan, Afiq and Ryab was their lack of experience at that level of competition.

In particular, the World Final system places a lot of importance on qualifying. Unlike the Malaysian RMC, at Al Ain the driver starts every heat in the position where he or she qualified. With full grids for each race once you qualify badly you have a huge task ahead of you. Coming from the back of the grid meant that Bryan, Afiq and Ryan all had problems during their heats with traffic and getting involved in other drivers's accidents.

At any rate the Malaysian Juniors qualified as follows:

16th Calvin Wong 59.708
51st Afiq 1:00.229
57th Bryan 1:00.411
60th Ryan 1:00.493

So only 0.7 sec covered all of them and this was at a much longer circuit than Sepang or Kota Bharu. In fact Bryan got his fastest lap on Lap 12, Ryan got his on his 14th lap, indicating that they were still learning the circuit. The fast boys got their fastest laps in their first few laps when their tyres were still fresh. The main difference, therefore, was the fast boys learned the circuit and got their set-ups much quicker than the slower ones.

If you were at Al Ain you would have known that Bryan had access to Calvin's set-up data. In fact, when Bryan was having some problems Calvin's dad, the RL mechanic and Aaron and Richard Lim all pitched in to help out. Thus, of the three Malaysian boys, Bryan should have been closest to Calvin's time.

Going by the example you quoted, therefore, you are suggesting that Bryan cheated the most during RMC Malaysia last year - a suggestion which I find ignorant and distasteful.

You owe Mike and Bryan Mehta a big apology.



Mike has already explained what happened in AKOC Saraburi last year. The engine in question was run in RMC Malaysia and AKOC Saraburi.

Under the Malaysian system the engine was checked, sealed and deemed to be legal. Under the AKOC system the engine was checked after the race and deemed to be legal. So there is absolutely no doubt about the legality of Bryan's engine under either system.

Of course AKOC is not an official Rotax series and the organisers do not have full access to the Rotax system, i.e. each distributor is responsible for checking the legality and sealing the engines of the competitors from within their ASN. Thus, they have no choice but to strip the engines after the Final to ensure a level playing field.

The AKOC system breaks down when the organiser runs out of time and decides not to strip as many engines as they should. It also does not police what happens during qualifying, heats and pre-final. Since it is almost impossible to strip the engines at each stage of the way there is nothing to stop a competitor running an illegal engine at these stages and switching to a legal one only for the final.

The AKOC system also does not address what happens further down the field. Those in the mid and lower packs work just as hard for their positions. There is nothing to protect them from a cheater who finishes in 6th or 7th or 8th position.

On balance I find the RMC Malaysia system much more robust and fair to all, especially now that James Leong has spelt it out clearly.

I think James Leong is not so stupid to destroy his name, company and event for any reason such as sealing illegal engines. I think he is sincere in offering the best arrangement. A word of caution, his team handling the scrutineering must go by the book.

The present method is fine. Throw in some surprise checks. Cheers!