September 15, 2026 RNW Staff 0

Next World Champion to be Crowned During Unmissable Weekend of Karting Action in Le Mans

Le Mans will this weekend (17-20 September) host what will be a gripping showdown to decide some of the most coveted titles in karting when the Mondokart.com FIA Karting World Championship (KZ) returns to the Le Mans Karting International circuit in France.

Across the KZ, KZ2 and KZ2 Masters categories returning and reigning world champions, emerging stars and a former Formula 1 driver feature on one of the most talented and experienced entry lists in karting.

The 1400m karting circuit, which sits just metres from the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit, sets the scene for what will be an unmissable weekend of world class karting as 230 drivers pursue their quests to write their names in the motor sport history books and clinch the coveted 2026 gearbox karting titles.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the FIA, said: “Good luck to all drivers competing in the FIA Karting KZ World Championship this weekend. I’m delighted to see new and returning drivers will be competing in the gearbox categories this weekend as our sport continues to grow and we write a new name into the motorsport history books as the latest FIA World Champion.

“It is fitting that one of the most prestigious titles in karting will be awarded at the Le Mans circuit which has so much rich motorsport history. My thanks to the ACO and FFSA for their organisation and support hosting this flagship event on the FIA Karting calendar.”

Joining the bumper schedule this weekend is also a Handikart race organised and officiated by the Fédération Française du Sport Automobile (FFSA). The Handikart Champions Cup offers drivers with disabilities a prestigious competition and a global platform to showcase their immense racing skill and talent.

All of the action will be available to watch LIVE and FREE on the FIA Karting YouTube Channel.

Mondokart.com FIA Karting World Championship – KZ

A flagship event of the Karting season, the KZ World Championship has over the years produced nail-biting racing, epic track battles and crowned worthy champions who have raised the coveted FIA World Champion trophy and secured their place in motor sport history.

Since the creation of the gearbox World Championship, drivers including Max Verstappen, Jarno Trulli and Fabrizio Giovanardi have secured the illustrious title before going on to cement their status as motor sport legends. This weekend, a new champion will emerge with the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of some of our sport’s greatest drivers.

Defending his World Championship title is Senna Van Walstijn who memorably secured the title in Franciacorta last year. However, after a difficult European season this year after finishing in 11th place in Genk, the Dutch driver will be looking to reset in time for his championship defence this weekend.

However, Van Walstijn isn’t the only driver hoping to regain their World Champion title. 2024 World Champion Giuseppe Palomba, 2023 World Champion Paolo Ippolito, 2022 World Champion Viktor Gustafsson and 2015 World Champion Jorrit Pex will all line up on one of the most experienced and decorated grids in FIA Karting in what will be sure to make unmissable viewing as we get underway from Friday.

Looking to convert his 2026 KZ European title into his first world title is Emilien Denner. Denner, who started the final round of the European Championship in seventh place to go on to claim the title, has all the potential to secure the most prestigious title in gearbox karting on home soil if he can repeat his masterful and dominant performance from Sarno earlier this summer.

Other frontrunners from this year’s European Championship include runner-up Danilo Albanese who finished 11 points shy of the title, race winner from round one Adrian Malheiro Suñe and Stan Pex who finished the championship in fourth place.

After debuting in the KZ category this year following his success in KZ2 as the 2025 European Champion and World Cup winner, Maksim Orlov will be looking to build upon his respectable seventh place finish in Genk earlier this year as he settles into the KZ category.

No strangers to the world of FIA Karting, David Trefilov, Matteo Spirgel, Pedro Hiltbrand and Tom Leuillet all bring decades of karting experience between them and relying on their wise shoulders to secure a track advantage in Le Mans.

Others to watch include Lorenzo Camplese who narrowly missed out on the title in 2021, 2020 European Champion Marijn Kremers and Lorenzo Travisanutto who secured the OK World Champion title in 2018 before winning the KZ2 World Cup in 2021and European KZ title in 2024.

FIA Karting World Cup – KZ2

Leading the 122-strong entry list for the KZ2 category is freshly crowned 2026 KZ2 European Champion Kimi Tani. After scoring a maximum haul of points in the final round of the Championship in Sarno, Tani will be looking to extend this momentum when he takes to the Le Mans circuit this week.

Matheus Morgatto finished 13 points shy of Tani in the standings and enters this weekend an early favourite. The 2022 OK World Champion is a proven racer with enormous potential to challenge for the win and become the fifth winner of the FIA Karting KZ2 World Cup.

Hot on their tails, however, will undoubtedly be Elie Goldstein who took a joyful win at his home race in Genk, Belgium earlier this year in the European Championship, with added significance as the grandson of karting legend François Goldstein.

Noah Wolfe, who finished third in the KZ2 World Cup in Franciacorta last year, will be hoping to finish higher on the podium this year as the British driver faced a challenging European season after failing to pick up points during the first round in Belgium.

Maximillian Schleimer who secured third position in the KZ2 European Championship and fourth spot in the World Cup last year has been on form this season and challenging for the leading places as a serious contender this weekend.

Meanwhile, favourite to take a home victory is Arthur Lehouck who has impressed this year after taking pole position in Genk before a shakier race weekend in Sarno. His potential to light up the timing screens leaves him as a serious challenger with the added benefit of a local crowd behind him.

Teo Blin has been unfortunate so far this season with two DNF’s in the KZ2 category which haven’t reflected his great potential which has already rewarded him with a Super Heat pole position in Belgium this year which he was unlucky to not convert into a race win.

Niklas Schaufler, who ended the OK European Championship in fifth place, joins the KZ2 grid as a popular figure in the paddock. The Austrian returned to karting this year after a spell in Formula 4 last year and will compete in the gearbox karting categories for the first time in Le Mans.

Jindrich Pesl makes the leap from OK to KZ2 this weekend as the young driver takes his first laps in the gearbox categories following the end of the OK and Junior European Championship in Sweden last month. He is joined by Filippo Sala who has competed in both the OK and KZ2 categories this season, finishing just outside he top 10 in both of his FIA Karting KZ2 races.

Others to watch include Genis Civico Espona who took fourth place in the European Championship this season, Simas Baciuska who transitioned from the FIA Karting Academy Trophy to KZ2 this year and Tom Spirgel who is in his first year of gearbox racing after aged 15.

International Super Cup – KZ2 Masters

A total of 76 KZ2 Masters drivers challenge for the FIA Karting International Super Cup this weekend, a category reserved for drivers aged 35 and over with immense experience in karting, reflecting their passion for the karting discipline which this year celebrates 70 years since the first kart was invented in California by Art Ingels and Lou Borelli.

Since its creation in 2022, the International Super Cup has been awarded four times with three of the previous winners competing in Le Mans to win the cup for a second time. Davide Fore, Anthony Abbasse and reigning winner Angelo Lombardo will all take their places on the grid and as the three podium finishers last year they are undoubtedly the ones to beat this weekend.

Formula 1 legend Rubens Barrichello returns to the world of karting having last raced during the 2016 FIA Karting World Championship in Kristianstad, where he placed in 24th position in the KZ category. Announcing his entry with Birel Art, the former Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 driver said “I’m really proud and happy to see my name on a Birelart kart. I’m very proud of this work and this project. I have a very, very good relationship with Italy and with the Birel family… and we will do our very best, both for Birelart and for the Barrichello brand!”

Stian Paulsen, a driver synonymous with touring car racing having competed in the TCR International Series and European Touring Car Cup, returns to his karting roots in the KZ2 Masters category this weekend. Paulsen has been competing in the Norwegian KZ2 championship over the past couple of years building up to his challenge for the 2026 FIA Karting International Super Cup.

Impressing in the build-up race held at the Le Mans circuit last month were Johan Renaux, Joey Hanssen and Jeroen Bos who all displayed pace to challenge the leading trio of Fore, Abbasse and Lombardo and will be hoping to cause an upset when they take to the track.

Others to watch include reigning KZ2 Masters European Champion Antonio Piccioni, 2024 KZ2 Masters European Champion Riccardo Nalon, Rasmus Haugaard who has been racing in the gearbox category for almost two decades and Brazil’s Andre Nicastro, who was one of the top drivers in international Karting in the late 1990s, notably finishing on the podium at the 1998 CIK-FIA World Championship and winning the CIK-FIA North American Championship title in 1997.