Initially a two-round series in OK and OK-Junior (OK-J)—with single-round finals in KZ2 and 60 Mini—the championship has since expanded to all eight CIK-FIA classes across the: Euro Series (OK, OK-J), Shifters (KZ, KZ2, KZ2-M), and Academy Program (OK-N, OKN-J, 60 Mini), the latter supported by F1 Academy. COTF also hosted the one-off Winter Series at Franciacorta in 2022. COTF is set to expand to national series in 2026, hosting a British title with Motorsport UK and an Emirati title.
The 2021 season was contested in OK and OK-J across three rounds at Genk, Zuera, and Campillos.[8] The latter round replaced the Franciacorta and Castelletto rounds—which were cancelled due to logistical challenges—and provided support for the upcoming World Championship.[9][10][8]Rafael Câmara and reigning World Champion Freddie Slater claimed the championships in OK and OK-J, respectively.[11] Prior to the 2022 season, the one-off Champions of the Future Winter Series was held at Franciacorta in: OK, won by Tomass Štolcermanis; OK-J, won by Maciej Gładysz; and KZ2, won by Simo Puhakka.[12][13] The regular season was re-branded as the Champions of the Future Euro Series—held over four rounds timetabled by factory-backed teams at Portimão, Zuera, Kristianstad, and Franciacorta—and won by British drivers Joe Turney (OK) and Nathan Tye (OK-J).[14][15]
In 2023, COTF founded the Champions of the Future Academy Program (COTFA) in collaboration with F1 Academy, a single-round event at Al Forsan—the series' first expansion beyond continental Europe—in the recently established low-cost OK-National (OK-N) and OKN-Junior (OKN-J) classes, as well as 60 Mini.[16][17] F1 Academy sponsored the entries of three female drivers in each class, which Fred Smith of Road & Track opined "could completely alter the access women have to Formula One" within a decade.[18]Austin Gale (OK-N), James Anagnostiadis (OKN-J), and Dan Allemann (60 Mini) were the inaugural winners.[16] The five-round Euro Series was held at Valencia, Třinec, Rødby, Cremona, and Franciacorta—each preceding rounds of the European and World Championships and won by Alex Powell in OK and Lewis Wherrell in OK-J.[19][20] The Třinec round marked the first appearance of CIK-FIA competition in the Czech Republic since the 1990s.[21]TKART described the series that year as "a must" for the leading international drivers and teams.[22]
Expansion into eight classes and national series (2024–present)
Isack Hadjar served as a driver coach in the 2024 COTFA.
The Shifters series expanded to two rounds in 2025 at Valencia and Franciacorta;[38] the former was marred by controversy as 21 drivers, including six World Champions, boycotted the KZ final in a dispute with the CIK-FIA over its mandating Dunlop tyres.[39][40]Speedcafe stated that RGMMC "[had] become the unwilling pawn in the middle of the game between the drivers and the FIA" and was unaware of the issue prior—19 of the 23 finalists withdrew or retired mid-race.[41][42] The CIK-FIA subsequently dropped Dunlop as a tyre supplier.[43] Half of the OK-N entrants in COTFA were female.[44]
In 2026, COTFA is set to expand into the United Kingdom in collaboration with Motorsport UK, forming the four-round British Champions of the Future Academy Programme.[45] It is also due to hold an Emirati title,[note 3] held across two rounds in November 2025 and February 2026.[46]
Format
The inaugural edition of COTF held four-day weekends: free practice sessions on the Thursday and Friday mornings, qualifying practice on Friday afternoon, qualifying heats on Saturday and Sunday mornings, and pre-finals/finals on the Sunday afternoon.[47] The registration fees were €495 per round for 60 Mini and €595 for OK, OK-J, and KZ2.[47] By 2024, the round fees increased to €675 for the Euro Series and Shifters, with an additional €100 charge for free practice.[48][49] The season fees for the Academy Program that year were €29,000 (OK-N and OKN-J) and €23,000 (60 Mini),[26] including a new chassis, engines, tyres, fuel, a paddock area, logistical support, travel, and accommodation.[50]
Euro Series
As of 2025, the Euro Series is held over a three-day weekend composed of free practice (FP), time trials (TT), qualifying heats (QH), super heats (SH), and the finals:[51]
Thursday: FP + TT (morning), QH (afternoon);
Friday: warm-up + QH;
Saturday: warm-up + SH (morning), OK-J and OK final (afternoon).
The Euro Series follows the general CIK-FIA points system, with a maximum of: 25 for QH, 25 for SH, and 50 for finals; dead heats are settled via count-back in finals.[52][53]
Shifters
As of 2025, Shifters is held over a three-day weekend composed of free practice (FP), qualifying practice (QP), qualifying heats (QH), super heats (SH), and the finals:[54]
Thursday: FP (morning), QP (afternoon);
Friday: warm-up + QH;
Saturday: warm-up + SH (morning), KZ and KZ2 final (afternoon).
Shifters follows the general CIK-FIA points system, with a maximum of: 25 for QH, 25 for SH, and 50 for finals; dead heats are settled via count-back in finals.[55][53]
Academy Program
As of 2025, the Academy Program is held over a three-day weekend composed of free practice (FP), qualifying practice (QP), qualifying heats (QH), and two finals in each class:[56]
Friday: FP;
Saturday: FP + QP + QH (morning), OKN-J, 60 Mini, and OK-N final one (afternoon);
Sunday: FP + QP + QH (morning), OKN-J, 60 Mini, and OK-N final two (afternoon).
The Academy Program follows the general CIK-FIA points system, with a maximum of: 25 for QH and 50 for finals; dead heats are settled via count-back in finals.[57][53]
COTF is broadcast on YouTube and Motorsport.tv with live footage, commentary, and interviews for all competitive sessions.[64] The final round of the 2024 Euro Series at PF International had a record viewership of over 12 thousand people,[65] with over six thousand watching the opening round of the Academy Program at Cremona.[66] Apex Timing provides live timing for each COTF event, including free practice and all competitive sessions, via their website.[67]
↑ Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the FIA banned competitors from racing under the Russian and Belarusian flags, allowing them to compete neutrally.[73]
↑ Dmitry Matveev is Russian but competed under an Italian licence.
↑ Dries Van Langendonck did not contest three rounds of the 2024 OK-Junior Euro Series; he scored 80.313% of available points in the rounds he contested.
↑ James Anagnostiadis and Conor Clancy ended the event tied on 52 points, with Anagnostiadis clinching the championship by virtue of final-round finishing position.
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