Today we introduce you to Markas Silkunas, a promising young driver from Lithuania. Aged 16, he tried karting for the first time at the age of five, and from that moment on, he knew racing was his natural habitat. His goal is the same as many of his young peers: to reach the highest levels of motorsport—Formula 1, why not?—and race for a factory team. To achieve his goals, Markas is ready to give everything he has, and under the expert guidance of Giovanni Minardi, he is methodically building his path to single-seater racing, knowing that each season in karting represents a crucial stepping stone to his future in professional motorsport.
Franciacorta is your favorite track. A choice that reveals a lot about a driver. Which technical characteristics of this track best suit your riding style?
I love Franciacorta because it’s fast and full of elevation changes. The track requires precision—you go from heavy braking zones to long, flowing corners that test your pace and balance. It rewards riders who can build speed smoothly and stay consistent lap after lap.
164 cm and 53 kg: pure karting stats. In modern karting, where minimum weight is increasingly controversial, how do you use these characteristics to your advantage, especially when it comes to managing your center of gravity?
I’m no engineer, but I’ve noticed that being smaller and lighter helps in dry conditions—it makes the kart more agile and stable. In the wet, taller drivers sometimes have an advantage due to weight transfer. Personally, I feel my best speed is in qualifying, but racing is about more than pure speed—you have to manage your tires well and make overtaking moves that cost you as little time as possible.
The transition from VDK to Tonykart Racing meant adapting to different construction philosophies between Kartrepublic and Tonykart chassis. We’re talking about torsional rigidity, weight distribution, and rear-end behavior: what did you have to rethink in your approach?
In my opinion, the Kart Republic chassis feels softer and more forgiving if you make a mistake, while the Tony Kart is stiffer and requires more precision. Both can be fast, but the Tony Kart requires you to be cleaner and more disciplined with your driving inputs.
Valencia, FIA Motorsport Games: Moya Lopez had the crowd, his home track, and a perfect weekend up to that point. Let’s go back and analyze. Analyze the final from a tactical perspective: where did you identify your opponent’s weakness?
At the time, I was 15, racing against Moya López, who was 19 and had more experience. My qualifying wasn’t perfect—I caught another rider on my fastest lap and had to overtake. In the final, I stayed patient and waited for the right moment. When I made my move, it worked perfectly—I left him no room to counter, he dropped to third place, and I took the win.
Champions of the Future Academy with identical OK-N equipment: 375 points are the result of a clear superiority. In a context of absolute technical parity, what micro-details make the difference? Tire pressure, brake-in temperature, attack timing?
When everyone has the same material, finding those final tenths is really difficult. Tire management becomes crucial, especially with the Vega tires, which degrade quickly. You have to learn the track quickly during practice and save your best performance for qualifying. They’re currently 100 points ahead of second place, but the season is only halfway through—staying ahead will require even more work.
Giovanni Minardi talks about your “natural speed” combined with exceptional overtaking skills. Overtaking in modern karting is a science: tire thermal management, slipstream analysis, energy management. What’s your methodological approach?
There are many fast drivers on the grid, and pure speed alone isn’t enough—it must be backed up by racing ability and discipline. Overtaking is about patience and precision. I always look for the right moment when I can make a move without wasting too much time, but in racing, if you don’t overtake, someone else will.
Portimão, full wet conditions, total dominance. Yet you claim you need to improve in the wet. Is this false modesty, or is there a specific aspect—aquaplaning, standing water, wet-dry transitions—where you feel you have room to improve?
This year I’ve definitely improved in the wet and I feel more confident. Portimão was extreme—a lot of standing water, grip that changed every lap. Braking points and lines that worked on one lap could be completely wrong on the next. I adapted well, and everything came together that weekend, which made the win even more satisfying.
A category change, like in karting, isn’t just about power. It changes chassis management, the intensity of acceleration, and the load on the tires. How did you completely revise your benchmarks for fast corners?
The difference is huge—the OK engine is more powerful, the tires are softer and require more care, and braking must be earlier and more aggressive. It’s also physically tougher—more revs, higher G-forces, and more challenging corners. In high-speed corners like Curva Grande, you feel the extra load on your body and the kart.
In 2025, physical preparation is no longer optional but a necessity. Neck, core, cardiovascular endurance. Do you work with specific motorsport trainers? What parameters do you monitor to optimize performance?
I train with a coach when I’m off the track, focusing on my entire body—neck, core, arms, legs—plus cardio. I also enjoy wakeboarding, tennis, and padel to keep training fun. I monitor my heart rate and other performance stats to track my improvements. At this level, fitness, diet, and endurance are essential—there’s always room for improvement.
Top Formula teams invest millions in simulators. What kind of setup do you use for virtual training? How much of the work on dampers, stiffness, and virtual aerodynamics is transferable to real karting?
I train on a simulator using a Fanatec base and Heusinkveld pedals—a very competitive setup. It helps me learn new tracks and improve my racing skills. On the sim, I can work on braking points, lines, and race situations without using real tires or fuel. Lots of hours on the simulator definitely helps me prepare for the next race.
Verstappen, Norris, Leclerc: all top-level sim racers. But some argue that sim racing creates the wrong reflexes for karting, where butt feedback is more important than visual feedback. Your opinion?
A simulator will never replace real-time on the track—you don’t feel the G-forces or the same sensation of speed. But it’s still very useful. The tracks are accurate, and you can learn corners, lines, and braking zones. Used in conjunction with real driving, it’s a powerful tool.
What aspect of Minardi Management’s work methodology impressed you most? And more importantly, how is it shaping your approach to your profession?
Giovanni is not only my manager and my sister’s, but also a friend, mentor, and true professional. I can always turn to him for advice, and his experience in motorsports means I trust him completely. His guidance is shaping not only my driving, but my approach to my entire career.
F3’s goal within three years: ambitious but not impossible. In an era where multi-million dollar budgets are needed already in F4, how crucial is it to have Minardi opening doors and negotiating contracts?
Right now, F4 is already extremely expensive—and F3 takes everything to another level. I currently have no sponsors; my parents are covering all the costs, and I’m fully aware of the sacrifices they’re making to let me race. Having someone like Giovanni Minardi is invaluable—he knows the right people, understands the business side, and can open doors that would otherwise remain closed. But ultimately, without financial support, it’s almost impossible to progress. Finding sponsors or private support isn’t just important—it’s essential to taking the next step.
Kazim Vasiliauskas paved the way for international Lithuanian motorsport, and you could be the first to reach the top formulas. Is there federal support? Or is it all private initiative?
At the moment, I don’t receive any support from the national federation—we finance everything ourselves. This makes progress more difficult, but it also motivates me. I feel a sense of responsibility as a Lithuanian rider competing internationally, but I try not to turn it into pressure. Instead, I use it as motivation to push harder, knowing that I represent my country every time I put on my helmet.
What do you rely on to stand out: pure results, development capacity, media appeal?
I can’t rely on results alone—there are many talented riders with solid records. That’s why I also focus on my public image, through Instagram, my website, and how I present myself in the paddock. Media presence and professionalism are just as important as lap times when it comes to attracting sponsors. My hope is to stand out at major events and show that I bring more value than just what I do on the track. Coming from a small town makes everything more challenging, but I believe that with the right exposure and the right performances, things can change.
If you were CIK-FIA president for a day and could change a technical rule in karting to make it more suitable for single-seaters, what would you change?
I would introduce a mandatory shared telemetry system for all drivers. This would allow everyone to see and learn from each other’s data, raising the competitive level across the board. It would help drivers improve faster, push the limits more intelligently, and better prepare them for the data-driven environment of single-seaters.
For PitTalk readers who may have children in karting: besides pure speed, what are the three key aspects a young driver should work on to have a real chance of a career?
For parents, the most important thing is safety and making sure their child truly enjoys racing. Passion must come first—without it, nothing else matters. After that, it’s about commitment and mindset. Speed is just the ticket—discipline, the ability to learn from mistakes, and mental strength are what turn a hobby into a career.
