The FIA has just confirmed that karting will make its official debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. After years of discussions and at the instigation of the President of the International Karting Commission (CIK-FIA), Akbar Ebrahim, supported by CIK-FIA Vice-President John Ryan, this major step forward for motor sport has been approved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The event will also benefit from the support of the European Commission as part of the energy transition for motor sports. Karting is a great school of life for young people, as well as the best way to learn about driving and racing, being the base of the FIA pyramid model.
Three categories for an unprecedented competition
Olympic karting will be contested in three distinct categories: a men’s category, a women’s category and an e-sport category, where one driver per nation will accumulate points according to the results of races on the track or on the simulator. Each national federation will have to nominate three representatives, each of whom will play a crucial role in accumulating points for the overall ranking.
Bonuses will be awarded to drivers who finish their races without touching a single opponent, thus rewarding mastery, clean driving and respect for sporting rules. A new system, developed by APEX (FIA Karting’s official timekeeper), is based on a transponder currently under development, capable of detecting collisions between karts and pinpointing who is at fault. We can only hope that this future super-transponder will be used in all international and national competitions.
We already covered it in February, in this article: ‘Safety and sportsmanship: ten years on, where do we stand?’, mentioning the recurring problem of penalties for incorrectly positioned spoilers. Read the article here.
A format inspired by the biggest competitions
The races will follow a well-established format, inspired by the major International Karting Championships approved by the FIA. Each category will begin with Free Practice to allow drivers to learn the circuit, followed by Timed Qualifying sessions. Then come the Qualifying Heats to determine the starting grid for the Prefinals. Finally, the Finals will determine the Olympic gold, silver and bronze medallists.
At the same time, the e-sport competition will follow the same schedule, with Qualifying and Finals contested on an official simulator designed by Sony, guaranteeing an experience as faithful as possible to real racing.
An exceptional urban circuit
The Olympic circuit, a few details of which have been revealed, will be specially designed for the event and built around the legendary Staples Center in Los Angeles. This urban circuit, which will be unveiled a few days before the competition, will combine fast sections, tight bends and a straight line for high-speed overtaking.
Technology and innovation at the service of karting
The chassis suppliers have not yet been announced. FIA Karting has indicated that it will have to wait for the results of the 2027 World Championships to determine which manufacturers will be selected.
In terms of powertrains, Tesla is in the process of finalising an electric motor specially designed for karting, in collaboration with engineers from the FIA’s Development Department. Featuring an advanced energy recovery system inspired by Formula E, this motor promises impressive acceleration while respecting the ecological standards of the IOC’s specifications.
To add a strategic dimension, each driver will have an ‘Olympic Boost’ mode, which can be activated once per race by a body movement detected by on-board sensors. A gesture that is well known to drivers seeking to optimise their aerodynamics.
Worldwide media coverage
The IOC, in partnership with its international broadcasters, will be offering live coverage with on-board cameras and much more detailed analyses than those used in current competitions. In addition to the super-transponder, biometric monitoring of the drivers will provide instant data on their heart rate, stress levels and mental state.
A legendary final in prospect
To celebrate this Olympic premiere, an exceptional exhibition race will be organised. As promised by the organisers, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will take on the two Olympic champions in each category on the track. For his part, Max Verstappen will take part in an e-sport Super Final against the Olympic champion in the discipline. As a reward for this Super Final, a 24-carat gold helmet, specially designed by Cartier, will be awarded to the ‘Super Olympic Champion’: the driver who has achieved the absolute best performance, whether on the track or in e-sport, and who has managed to beat one or more of the invited F1 drivers.
With this announcement, the excitement is sure to be at its peak in the world of karting. Several experts in the discipline are already whispering that the 2032 Olympics could see the introduction of a synchronised version of karting, inspired by artistic swimming. For the moment, it’s impossible to know more. Other, even more daring rumours point to an Olympic circuit with a compulsory springboard, just to guarantee an even more spectacular spectacle.
After this historic breakthrough for karting, the question remains: what will be the next motor sport to join the Olympic Games? Drifting on an electric scooter already looks set to make a splash at the Brisbane 2032 Summer Games…
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