Original Kart

"KF2" redirects here. For the video game, see Killing Floor 2.

OK

Category	Kart racing
Region	International
Affiliations	CIK-FIA
Inaugural season	1981;44 years ago (1981) (as Intercontinental A)
Drivers' champion	Ethan Jeff-Hall (World, 2024) Joe Turney (European, 2024)
Teams' champion	CRG-IAME (World, 2024) Kart Republic-IAME (European, 2024)
Official website	Official website

Original Kart (OK) is a kart racing class for drivers aged 14 and over, sanctioned by the CIK-FIA. OK is the primary direct-drive class in FIA championships.

The class was originally called Intercontinental A (ICA), first introduced in 1981 at the European Championship as a secondary direct-drive class to Formula K. The class was first contested at the World Cup in 2006. In 2007—after 26 seasons of racing—ICA was replaced by KF2 and became the primary class in 2010, replacing KF1 at the World Championship. The KF2 class was renamed to KF upon the demise of KF1 in 2013, and was replaced by OK regulations in 2016.

OK is contested as the primary direct-drive class at the Karting World Championship and the Karting European Championship.

History

Intercontinental A (1981–2006)

In 1981, Intercontinental A (ICA) was introduced alongside Formula K as a secondary direct-drive class for the European Championship.

Stefano Modena completed back-to-back ICA European Championships in 1984, a feat that would not be repeated until Andrea Kimi Antonelli under OK regulations in 2021.

The ICA World Cup was introduced in 2006, the final year of ICA regulations, won by French driver Mike Courquin.

KF2/KF (2007–2015)

In January 2007, the CIK-FIA decided to replace the 100 cc water-cooled two-stroke ICA engines with 125 cc Touch-and-Go (TaG) water-cooled two-stroke KF2 engines, producing 34–36 hp (25–27 kW). Now the secondary class to KF1—which had replaced Formula A—the KF2 class karts used hand-operated front brakes via a lever. The chassis had to be CIK-approved, with a minimum weight of 160 kg and 158 kg for national and international events, respectively. KF2 karts were equipped with an electric starter and a centrifugal clutch. The engine was limited to 15,000  rpm.

In 2010, karts of the KF2 category were mandated at the Karting World Championship as the primary direct-drive category, alongside the European Championship, replacing KF1 in both. ^[1] KF1 returned to the World Championship in 2011 and 2012, reverting KF2 back to World Cup status, but met its demise at the end of the 2012 season. With the end of KF1 regulations, KF2 became known as simply KF and returned to the World Championship as the primary class once more.

Original Kart (2016–present)

In 2016, Original Kart (OK) regulations replaced KF in the direct-drive category, after its perceived failure within the kart racing community and restrictive regulations resulted in reduced entries at international competitions. ^[2] OK karts had much of the electronics removed, and had to be push-started.

Specification

Original Kart (OK)

There are eight main technical features of the OK regulations: ^[3]

• 125 cc direct-coupled, water-cooled two-stroke, mixed-lubrication engine.

• Valve inlet in the piston skirt.

• Screw carburettor with a maximum diameter of 24 mm.

• Maximum speed (limiter) of 16,000  rpm.

• Power valve at the exhaust.

• Single rear brake with hydraulic control.

• Premium tyres, medium gum compound.

• Minimum weight 150 kg, driver included.

Engines, chassis, bodywork, brakes and tyres are subject to the homologation system put in place by the CIK-FIA. Each year, the tyres and the fuel for each category, as well as the KZ and KZ2 carburettor, are chosen after a call for tenders.

Champions

See also: List of international kart racing champions § KF / KF2 (2007–2015), and List of international kart racing champions § OK (2016–present)

OK has been contested at the European Championship since 1981 and the World Championship/World Cup since 2006, becoming the primary direct-drive class in 2010.

Italian driver Lorenzo Travisanutto is the only driver to win multiple OK World Championships. Notable OK World Champions include 2020–21 Formula E World Champion Nyck de Vries and Formula One driver Lando Norris.

Italian Formula One drivers Stefano Modena and Andrea Kimi Antonelli are the only drivers to win multiple OK European Championships. Notable OK European Champions include Formula One World Drivers' Champions Michael Schumacher and Max Verstappen.

By year

Key

*	Driver has competed in Formula One
†	Formula One World Drivers' Champion
‡	FIA World Champion in an auto racing discipline

Year	World Championship				European Championship				Year
	World Champion [a]	Chassis	Engine	Tyres	European Champion	Chassis	Engine	Tyres
1981	ICA regulations created for the European Championship								1981
	Not held				Peter De Bruijn	Tecno	Parilla
1982					Josef Bertzen	Zipkart	Parilla		1982
1983					Stefano Modena *	DAP	DAP		1983
1984					Stefano Modena * (2)	DAP	DAP		1984
1985					Jukka Virtanen	Birel	Parilla		1985
1986					Linus Lundberg	Dino	Dino		1986
1987					Michael Schumacher†	CRG	Parilla		1987
1988					Martijn Koene	Tony Kart	Rotax		1988
1989					Jos Verstappen *	Swiss Hutless	Rotax		1989
1990					Eddy Coubard	Dino	Rotax		1990
1991					Daniele Parrilla	Birel	Rotax		1991
1992					Oliver Fiorucci	Merlin	Atomik		1992
1993					Arnaud Sarrazin	Tecno	Rotax		1993
1994					Narcis Callens	Biesse	Fox		1994
1995					Arnaud Leconte	Tecno	Rotax		1995
1996					Ludovic Veve	Biesse	Rotax		1996
1997					Alessandro Balzan	Top-Kart	Comer		1997
1998					Julien Poncelet	CRG	CRG		1998
1999					Stefano Fabi	Top-Kart	Comer	B	1999
2000					Julien Menard	Tony Kart	Vortex		2000
2001					Jean-Philippe Guignet	Tony Kart	Vortex	V	2001
2002					Jonathan Thonon	CRG	Maxter	V	2002
2003					Nicola Bocchi	CRG	Maxter	V	2003
2004					Kévin Estre ‡	Sodi	TM	V	2004
2005					James Calado ‡	Tony Kart	Vortex	B	2005
2006	ICA mandated at the World Cup								2006
	Mike Courquin	Sodi	TM	V	Nicola Nolé	CRG	TM	V
2007	ICA replaced by KF2								2007
	Michael Ryall	Birel	TM	D	Will Stevens *	Tony Kart	Vortex	D
2008	Oliver Rowland	Tony Kart	Vortex		Flavio Camponeschi	Tony Kart	Vortex		2008
2009	David da Luz	Zanardi	Parilla		Jordan Chamberlain	Tony Kart	TM		2009
2010	KF2 becomes the primary direct-drive class and upgraded to World Championship status								2010
	Nyck de Vries *‡	Zanardi	Parilla	B	Nicolaj Møller Madsen	Energy Corse	TM	B
2011	KF2 replaced by KF1 at the World Championship and downgraded to World Cup status [b]								2011
	Loris Spinelli	Tony Kart	Vortex	V	Sami Luka	Intrepid	TM	B
2012	Felice Tiene	CRG	BMB	V	Ben Barnicoat	ART	Parilla	V	2012
2013	KF2 renamed to KF and upgraded to World Championship status								2013
	Tom Joyner	Zanardi	TM	V	Max Verstappen †	CRG	TM	V
2014	Lando Norris *	FA Kart	Vortex	D	Callum Ilott	Zanardi	Parilla	B	2014
2015	Karol Basz	Kosmic	Vortex	V	Ben Hanley	Mad-Croc	TM	V	2015
2016	KF replaced by OK								2016
	Pedro Hiltbrand	CRG	Parilla	V	Pedro Hiltbrand	CRG	Parilla	V
2017	Danny Keirle	Zanardi	Parilla	LC	Sami Taoufik	FA Kart	Vortex	LC	2017
2018	Lorenzo Travisanutto	Kart Republic	Parilla	B	Hannes Janker	Kart Republic	Parilla	B	2018
2019	Lorenzo Travisanutto (2)	Kart Republic	Parilla	LC	Lorenzo Travisanutto	Kart Republic	Parilla	LC	2019
2020	Callum Bradshaw	Tony Kart	Vortex	LC	Andrea Kimi Antonelli *	Kart Republic	Parilla	LC	2020
2021	Tuukka Taponen	Tony Kart	Vortex	MG	Andrea Kimi Antonelli * (2)	Kart Republic	IAME	MG	2021
2022	Matheus Morgatto	Kart Republic	Parilla	MG	Kean Nakamura-Berta	Kart Republic	IAME	MG	2022
2023	Kirill Kutskov	Kart Republic	IAME	MG	René Lammers	Parolin	TM	MG	2023
2024	Ethan Jeff-Hall	CRG	IAME	M	Joe Turney	Kart Republic	IAME	M	2024
Year	World Champion [a]	Chassis	Engine	Tyres	European Champion	Chassis	Engine	Tyres	Year
	World Championship				European Championship
Source: [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]

By driver

table

Notes

1. Italics indicates years contested as a World Cup, not an FIA World Championship: 2006–2009, 2011–2012.
2. KF2 remained the primary direct-drive class at the European Championship in 2011 and 2012.

See also

• KF1 – the primary direct-drive class from 2003 to 2012
• OK-Junior – the junior direct-drive class
• KZ – the primary gearbox class
• KZ2 – the secondary gearbox class
• Superkart – 250cc kart racing class
• CIK-FIA
• List of kart racing championships

References

1. CIK-FIA World Karting Championship For Drivers Zuera (ESP) – 16-19.09.2010 - KartCafe, 16 September 2010
2. "Official presentation of the new 2016 engines at PF Intl". FIA. 16 June 2015. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
3. "FIA Karting - Categories" . Retrieved 21 September 2024.
4. "FIA Karting - History". FIA Karting. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
5. "FIA Karting - Calendar". FIA Karting. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
6. "Vroom Kart International #175 - January 2016". Vroom International Karting. January 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
7. "Automobile Championships - Motorsport Top 20". Motorsport Top 20. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
8. "FIA Karting European OK Championship - Driver Database". Driver Database. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
9. "FIA Karting European KF Championship - Driver Database". Driver Database. Retrieved 18 September 2024.

External links

• FIA Karting