At the occasion of the 2024 FIA General Assemblies week in Kigali, Rwanda, the FIA has announced the creation of an unprecedented Global Karting Plan that establishes a clearer and more accessible pathway into and throughout the FIA Karting system. Karting is the entry point for the vast majority of motor sport competitors, and the plan focuses on increasing accessibility to the discipline that will provide equal opportunities to drivers all over the world.
Through a gradual implementation phase over the next three years, with the first steps taken already in 2025, including first editions of the arrive and drive world cup as well as the Karting Excellence Centre selection.
Empowering ASNs to grow national competitions
The FIA Global Karting Plan has a core focus on providing National Sporting Authorities (ASNs) with the framework and tools to develop their activities at a local level. Central to this will be the creation of an FIA Karting Task Force – a dedicated group that is responsible for supporting ASNs with expertise and best practice regarding the implementation of the FIA’s initiatives. The scope of the taskforce will be to visit and support between three and five ASNs per continent each year.
The National Karting Ranking (NKR) system, which has grown rapidly over the past years with over 1000 drivers registered in 2024, will receive another boost with the introduction of FIA President’s Medals that will be awarded to each ASN that adopts the system. The NKR system creates an integral link between national-level karting and FIA competitions, and these medals will give a boost in recognition to drivers who perform on-track but may not have the opportunity to compete at the international FIA levels.
Up to three medals will be awarded to each ASN that participates in the NKR system, with the winners guaranteed a pathway to progress through another key element of the FIA Global Karting Plan.
Karting Excellence Centre to prepare stars of the future
A Karting Excellence Centre is being created, with its first implementation in 2025. It will provide one-week educational programmes that teach drivers the fundamental skills – centred on driving, technical, physical and mental development – to help them succeed in the highly-competitive world of motor sport.
Ensuring that there is tangible, long-term progression for the young drivers who undergo training at the Excellence Centre, there will, at the end of each year, be a selection phase that serves as the final and unifying step in the different pathways throughout the FIA karting structure. During this selection, the winners will compete on equal terms for significant prizes across six days.
The drivers will be evaluated within the four core areas taught at the Excellence Centre – the top junior driver will receive financial support to continue their development in the FIA Karting system, while the best senior driver will receive financial support to progress into a national Formula 4 Championship – Certified by FIA.
Arrive and Drive adds to existing ecosystem
The Global Karting plan will create an alternative pathway for young drivers that will be based on the arrive and drive concept, designed to complement the existing ecosystem of competitions based on manufacturer and team models.
These arrive and drive competitions can be held from the club and commercially-organised level, through to ASN and promoter-run national and regional events, and finally FIA international levels. They will feature single-make karts with spec chassis and engines.
This parallel pathway simultaneously allows equal opportunities for both the mechanical enthusiast who enjoys the complexity of optimising and maintaining the machinery, as well as those who do not have the interest or competences to engage on the mechanical side.
FIA President, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, said: “Karting is absolutely critical to the future of all motor sport. If you look now at our World Championships, all of the drivers who did not come through the grassroots pathways, and now with a truly global plan, we have shown that we are committed to increasing accessibility and opportunities, ensuring diversity and equality in motor sport. Karting is a sport which is open to all.”
FIA Karting Commission President, Akbar Ebrahim, said: “Karting’s unique importance in the motor sport pyramid means we must ensure its strong future. I am delighted to have launched this new Global Karting Plan that will continue to build on the strong foundations already in place, and help to eliminate economic barriers and expand participation all over the world. We are dedicated to broadening the base of the karting pyramid and welcoming new talent into the sport.” – www.fia.com
