Category | Kart racing |
---|---|
Region | International |
Inaugural season | 1964 |
Classes | 6 (OK, KZ, OK-J, KZ2, OK-N, KZ2-M) |
Drivers' champion | Ethan Jeff-Hall (OK) Giuseppe Palomba (KZ) Kenzo Craigie (OK-J) Cristian Bertuca (KZ2) Kyuho Lee (OK-N) Anthony Abbasse (KZ2-M) |
Official website | Official website |
The FIA Karting World Championship, officially known as the Mondokart.com FIA Karting World Championship for sponsorship reasons, is a kart racing competition organised by the CIK-FIA. Hosted annually since 1964, it is widely regarded as the most prestigious karting competition in the world.
Several past champions have progressed to win the Formula One World Drivers' Championship, including Alain Prost and Max Verstappen. Alongside the Karting European Championship, it is one of two major karting competitions sanctioned by the FIA. The championship is notable for being the only FIA World Championship with a female champion: Italian driver Susanna Raganelli in 1966.
As of 2024, the World Championship is held across three direct-drive and three gearbox classes. The primary direct-drive class is OK, and the primary gearbox class is KZ. Secondary classes at the World Championship have traditionally been hosted as the Karting World Cup.
The first two World Championships in 1964 and 1965 were held over one final round, there after the world's best kart drivers competed for the title over an extended weekend, from Thursday to Saturday, including free and qualifying practice sessions, qualification heats, a pre-final and a final were common. The championship is notable for having the only female FIA World Champion with Susanna Raganelli winning the 1966 World Championship.
From 2011 the championship has been disputed over five rounds, each of them in a different country. [1] From 2014 the world championships returned to a single event with one venue each year organizing the CIK-FIA OK and OK Junior World Championships in one weekend and another venue in a different weekend holding the CIK-FIA KZ World Championships together with the CIK-FIA KZ2 Super Cup and the third and final round of the CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy. [2] There is a separate CIK-FIA Endurance Championship, normally held each year at Le Mans, France, and there are separate Continental Championships like the CIK-FIA European Championships (OK, OK junior, KZ, KZ2 and Superkart) and the CIK-FIA Asia Pacific Championships. In 1968 CIK-FIA launched the first World Cup for Juniors.
From 1981 to 1987 the World Championship was raced only with 135 cc Formula K Engines. Before and after the short inaugural return to 100 cc( 1988 and 1989 with Formula SuperCent (FS100) a category that anticipated the so called Formula Super A) the 100 cc direct-drive karts was the prevailing standard. In 2007, a change in regulations introduced the KF1 category carts, 125 cc karts equipped with electric starters, clutch and rpm limiters set at 16000 rpm, to replace the Formula A karts. The 2010 edition was raced with KF2 karts where the engine rpm is limited at 15000 rpm. [3]
The FIA Karting categories at the world championships are now divided into three main families: direct-drive karts, gearbox karts and Superkarts. All these karts have the technology in common of the 2-stroke engine. Since 2016 the new generation of Original Karts (OK) machines have taken over from the old KF engines. The top category OK at the World Championships is available for drivers from 14 years old in the year they participate. The OK Junior category is aimed at drivers aged between 12 and 14 years old. The gearbox categories KZ and KZ2 share the same specification except for chassis and brakes which are open in the KZ World Championship. The Superkart category is the most unusual discipline of Karting because it can only express itself fully on long racing tracks. With its complete bodywork and twin-cylinder 250 cc engines, developing nearly 100 hp (75 kW), these Superkarts are capable of extraordinary performances.
In 2013 for the first time in its history CIK-FIA called a promoter, WSK Promotion, to perfect the organisation of the major international karting competitions. The Swiss RGMMC Group is now the Official Promoter of the FIA Karting European and World Championships for the period of 2018-2020 (with the exception of Superkart and Endurance). They try increasing the audience for Karting Competitions worldwide, attracting new partners and working closely with ASNs (National Federations), these are the priorities of RGMMC Group. They also develop the communication and media coverage of the events by providing live video viewing during the events and by partnering with Motorsport.tv for broadcast around the world.
From 2022 all the events of the FIA Karting World Championship were sponsored by the website Mondokart.com and the official name of the competition become MONDOKART.COM FIA KARTING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP [4]
(*) indicates the years the World Championships were held as a World Cup
Note: World Championship status from 1983 to 2000, and from 2012 onwards. World Cup status from 2003 onwards till 2012
Year | World Champion | Chassis | Engine | Tyre | Second place | Third place | Location | Class |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1968 | Amedeo Pacitto | Tecno | BM | Carlise | Milano Pista Rosa | CIK-FIA Junior World Cup | ||
1969 | D. Carlsson | Ilhe | Sirio | Kalmar | CIK-FIA Junior World Cup | |||
1970 | Alan Lane | Barlotti | Komet | CIK-FIA Junior World Cup | ||||
1971 | Marc Wouters | Taifun | Parilla | Horrem | CIK-FIA Junior World Cup | |||
1972 | Derek Bliss | Zip | Komet | Vojens | CIK-FIA Junior World Cup | |||
1973 | Alain Prost | Birel | Parilla | Oldenzaal | CIK-FIA Junior World Cup | |||
1974 | Felice Rovelli | Birel | Parilla | Rye House, Hoddesdon | CIK-FIA Junior World Cup | |||
1975 | Adrian Wepfer | BM | BM | Fulda | CIK-FIA Junior World Cup | |||
1976 | Andrea de Cesaris | Sirio | Sirio | Wohlen | CIK-FIA Junior World Cup | |||
1977 | Paolo Bandinelli | Sirio | Sirio | Le Creusot | CIK-FIA Junior World Cup | |||
1978 | Stefano Modena | Birel | Parilla | Mondercange | CIK-FIA Junior World Cup | |||
1979 | Thomas Glauser | Birel | Parilla | Fano | CIK-FIA Junior World Cup | |||
1980 | Bernd Schneider | Birel | Parilla | Michel Vacirca | Thomas Danielsson | Le Creusot | CIK-FIA Junior World Cup | |
1981* | Michel Vacirca | AllKart | PCR | Kerpen | CIK-FIA Junior World Cup (ICA) | |||
1982* | Romeo Deila | Birel | PCR | Parma | CIK-FIA Junior World Cup (ICA) | |||
1983* | Frank van Eglem | Tecno Kart | Parilla | Kerpen | CIK-FIA Junior World Cup (ICA) | |||
1984* | Andrea Gilardi | Birel | PCR | Yvan Muller | Roberto Colciago | Laval | CIK-FIA Junior World Cup (ICA) | |
1985* | Andrea Gilardi | Birel | PCR | Michael Schumacher | Allan McNish | Le Mans | CIK-FIA Junior World Cup (ICA) | |
1986* | Fabrizio de Simone | Birel | Parilla | Jesolo | CIK-FIA Junior World Cup (ICA) | |||
1987* | Jan Magnussen | Tony Kart | Parilla | Laval | CIK-FIA Junior World Cup (ICA) | |||
1988* | Gianluca Malandrucco | CRG | Parilla | Pomposa | CIK-FIA Junior World Cup (ICA) | |||
1989* | Jan Magnussen | Tony Kart | Rotax | Saragozza | CIK-FIA Junior World Cup (ICA) | |||
1990* | Jérémie Dufour | Sodikart | Dino | Jarno Trulli | Lonato | CIK-FIA Junior World Cup (ICA) | ||
1991* | Sébastien Philippe | Sodikart | Dino | Alessio Falchi | David Terrien | Laval | CIK-FIA Junior World Cup (ICA) | |
1992** | Bruno Balocco | Mike 1 | Parilla | Mikael Santavirta | René van Ameyden | Göteborg | CIK-FIA Junior World Cup (ICA) | |
1993** | Ennio Gandolfi | Kali | Parilla | Johan Agrell | Danilo Miotto | CIK-FIA Junior World Cup (ICA) | ||
1994** | Giorgio Pantano | CRG | Rotax | Alexander Müller | Philip Cloostermans | CIK-FIA Junior World Cup (ICA) | ||
1995** | James Courtney | Tony Kart | Vortex | B | Vitantonio Liuzzi | Alessandro Piccolo | Braga | CIK-FIA Junior World Cup (ICA) |
1996** | Fernando Alonso | Mach 1 | Parilla | B | Jimmy van der Ende | Riko Fürtbauer | Genk | CIK-FIA Junior World Cup (ICA) |
2009* | Giuliano Maria Niceta | Top Kart | Vortex | Vega | Jake Dennis | Pierre Gasly | Sarno-Napoli | KF3 CIK-FIA World Cup |
2010* | Alexander Albon | Intrepid | TM | D | Max Verstappen | Callan O'Keeffe | Braga | KF3 CIK-FIA World Cup |
2010 | Jake Dennis | Top Kart | WKE | LeCont | Matias Köykkä | Adam Stirling | 3-venue series Wackersdorf, Alcañiz, Val d'Argenton | U18 KF3 |
2011* | Charles Leclerc | Intrepid | TM | Vega | Callan O'Keeffe | Harrison Scott | Sarno-Napoli | KF3 CIK-FIA World Cup |
2011 | Matthew Graham | Zanardi | WKE | LeCont | Pyry Ovaska | Anthoine Hubert | multiple-venue series | U18 KF3 |
2012* | Luca Corberi | Kosmic | Vortex | Vega | Callum Ilott | Slavko Ivanovic | Zuera | KF3 CIK-FIA World Cup |
2012 | Henry Easthope | Sodikart | WKE | LeCont | Charles Leclerc | Anthoine Hubert | 3-venue series | U18 KF3 |
2013 | Alessio Lorandi | Tony Kart | Parilla | LeCont | Leonardo Pulcini | Robert Shwartzman | 2-venue series | KF-Junior (KFJ) KF3 |
2014 | Enaam Ahmed | FA Kart | Vortex | Vega | Mick Schumacher | Mauricio Baiz | Essay | KF-Junior (KFJ) KF3 |
2015 | Logan Sargeant | FA Kart | Vortex | LeCont | Clément Novalak | Caio Collet | La Conca | KF-Junior (KFJ) KF3 |
2016 | Victor Martins | Kosmic | Parilla | Vega | David Vidales | Théo Pourchaire | Sakhir | OK-Junior (OKJ) |
2017 | Dexter Patterson | Exprit | TM | LeCont | Chris Lulham | Harry Thompson | Brandon | OK-Junior (OKJ) |
2018 | Victor Bernier | Kosmic | Parilla | Vega | Gabriele Minì | Gabriel Bortoleto | Kristianstad | OK-Junior (OKJ) |
2019 | Thomas ten Brinke | FA Kart | Vortex | LeCont | Rafael Câmara | Kajus Siksnelis | Alahärmä | OK-Junior (OKJ) |
2020 | Freddie Slater | Kosmic | Vortex | MG | Tuukka Taponen | Harry Burgoyne, Jr. | Portimão | OK-Junior (OKJ) |
2021 | Kean Nakamura-Berta | Exprit | TM | MG | Freddie Slater | Anatoly Khavalkin | Campillos | OK-Junior (OKJ) |
2022 | Enzo Tarnvanichkul | Tony Kart | Vortex | Vega | Adam Hideg | Jan Przyrowski | Sarno | OK-Junior (OKJ) |
2023 | Dries van Langendonck | Exprit | TM | Vega | Christian Costoya | Scott Lindblom | Franciacorta | OK-Junior (OKJ) |
2024 | Kenzo Craigie | Kart Republic | IAME | Maxxis | James Anagnostiadis | Rocco Coronel | Brandon | OK-Junior (OKJ) |
(*) indicates the years the event status was as a World Cup and not FIA World Championship
(**) Note: From 1992 - 1996 the Junior World Championships were held as the CIK-FIA Five Continents Cup Junior A
Year | Champion | Chassis | Engine | Tyre | Second place | Third place | Class |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | Lee Kyu-ho | LN | IAME | Maxxis | Zsombor Kovacs | Heitor Dall Agnol Farias | OK-N |
Year | Champion | Chassis | Engine | Tyre | Second place | Third place | Class |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2013 | Dorian Boccolacci | Energy Corse | TM | B | Alexandre Arrue | Daniel Bray | KZ2 Supercup |
2014 | Ryan Van Der Burgt | DR | Modena | B | Lorenzo Camplese | Menno Paauwe | KZ2 Supercup |
2015 | Thomas Laurent | Tony Kart | Vortex | LeCont | Joel Johansson | Alberto Cavalieri | KZ2 Supercup |
2016 | Pedro Hiltbrand | CRG | Maxter | Vega | Fabian Federer | Benjamin Törnqvist Persson | KZ2 Supercup |
2017 | Alex Irlando | Sodikart | TM | B | Benjamin Törnqvist Persson | Riccardo Longhi | KZ2 Supercup |
2018 | Matteo Viganò | Tony Kart | Vortex | B | Daniel Bray | David Vidales | KZ2 Supercup |
2019 | Émilien Denner | Sodikart | TM | B | David Vidales | Emil Skärås | KZ2 Supercup |
2020 | Simone Cunati | Birel | TM | Vega | Giuseppe Palomba | Giacomo Pollini | KZ2 Supercup |
2021 | Lorenzo Travisanutto | Parolin | TM | MG | Senna van Walstijn | David Trefilov | KZ2 Supercup |
2022 | Arthur Carbonnel | CRG | TM | LeCont | Cristian Bertuca | Arvid Lindblad | KZ2 Supercup |
2023 | Niels Tröger | Maranello | TM | LeCont | Alex Powell | Daniel Vasile | KZ2 Supercup |
Year | World Champion | Chassis | Engine | Tyre | Location | Class | Stroke |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1988 | Emmanuel Collard | CRG | Rotax | Laval | Formula A | 100 cc | |
1989 | Gert Munkholm | PCR | Atomik | Valence | Formula A | 100 cc | |
1990 | Danilo Rossi | CRG | Rotax | Jesolo | Formula A | 100 cc | |
1991 | Alessandro Manetti | Tony Kart | Rotax | B | Le Mans | Formula A | 100 cc |
1992 | Nicola Gianniberti | Tony Kart | Rotax | Vega | Ugento | Formula A | 100 cc |
1993 | David Terrien | Sodi Kart | Rotax | Vega | Laval | Formula A | 100 cc |
1994 | Marco Barindelli | HAASE | Rotax | Vega | Cordoba | Formula A | 100 cc |
1995 | Gastao Fraguas | Tony Kart | Italsistem | B | Valence | Formula A | 100 cc |
1996 | Jean-Christophe Ravier | Tony Kart | Vortex | Valence | Formula A | 100 cc | |
1997 | James Courtney | Tony Kart | Vortex | B | Salbris | Formula A | 100 cc |
1998 | Ruben Carrapatoso | Tony Kart | Vortex | Formula A | 100 cc | ||
1999 | Franck Perera | Tony Kart | Vortex | Formula A | 100 cc | ||
2000 | Colin Brown | Top Kart | Parilla | Braga | Formula A | 100 cc |
Year | World Champion | Chassis | Engine | Tyre | Location | Class | Stroke |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1983 | Martin Hines | Zip Kart | Rotax | B | 3-venue series | Formula E (SuperKart) | 250 cc |
1984 | Lennart Bohlin | Zip GP | Rotax | B | 4-venue series | Formula E (SuperKart) | 250 cc |
1985 | Poul V. Petersen | PVP | Rotax | 3-venue series | Formula E (SuperKart) | 250 cc | |
1986 | Wade Nelson | Rotax | Formula E (SuperKart) | 250 cc | |||
1987 | Eric Gassin | Nissag | Rotax | 4-venue series | Formula E (SuperKart) | 250 cc | |
1988 | Poul V. Petersen | PVP | Rotax | Le Mans | Formula E (SuperKart) | 250 cc | |
1989 | Tim Parrot | Rotax | Le Mans | Formula E (SuperKart) | 250 cc | ||
1990 | Tim Parrot | Rotax | Le Mans | Formula E (SuperKart) | 250 cc | ||
1991 | Martin Hines / Perry Grondstra | Zip Kart/ Zip Kart | Rotax/ Rotax | B / B | 3-venue series | Formula E (SuperKart) | 250 cc |
1992 | Martin Hines | Zip-Eagle | Rotax | B | Formula E (SuperKart) | 250 cc | |
1993 | Perry Grondstra | Rotax | B | Formula E (SuperKart) | 250 cc | ||
1994 | Perry Grondstra | Rotax | B | Formula E (SuperKart) | 250 cc [4] | ||
1995 | Trevor Roberts | Rotax | Formula E (SuperKart) | 250 cc |
Kart racing or karting is a motorsport discipline using open-wheel, four-wheeled vehicles known as go-karts or shifter karts. They are usually raced on scaled-down circuits, although some professional kart races are also held on full-size motorsport circuits. Karting is commonly perceived as the stepping stone to the higher ranks of motorsports, with most Formula One drivers—including Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, Kimi Räikkönen, Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, Nico Rosberg, and Max Verstappen—having begun their careers in karting.
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