The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the global governing body for motor sport and the federation for mobility organisations worldwide, has today announced the details of the 2026 FIA Karting Shootout.
The Shootout, part of the FIA Global Karting Plan, is a comprehensive on-track and off-track assessment of this season’s most successful karting drivers and is designed to raise racing standards whilst offering emerging drivers a funded pathway to progress in the sport. With lucrative financial prizes for the winners to support their continued development, the Shootout makes FIA Karting more globally and financially accessible to drivers with the most potential to become future champions.
Held in Athens, Greece over 30 November – 4 December, the Shootout will invite the highest-placed drivers in the 2026 FIA Karting Arrive and Drive and Academy Trophy competitions, the more affordable entry points for young drivers competing in FIA Karting. The junior and senior drivers will be assessed by independent judges over the four days primarily on their racing potential on track but also their sporting knowledge and response to fitness, nutritional and media training.
The on-track assessment will be carried out at the SFi Karting Circuit in Athens where OTK has been selected as the official kart supplier. In addition to an evaluation of their lap times, their racecraft and racing intuition, the drivers will also be marked on their ability to respond and adapt to technical data and feedback from the sporting experts on site.
Meanwhile, the drivers will also receive a comprehensive education and training programme delivered in conjunction with Formula Medicine to support them to develop as healthy and race-ready drivers. Covering physical fitness, nutrition and media training delivered by the FIA, each driver will be assessed on their abilities and response to the training, holistically recognising the various attributes modern racing drivers require.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the FIA, said:
“The FIA Karting Shootout is a key pillar of our FIA Global Karting Plan, designed to identify, support, and develop the most promising young talent from FIA Karting pathways. By bringing together the winners of the FIA Arrive & Drive and Academy Trophy programmes for a combination of on-track and classroom assessment, we are rewarding excellence on and off the track.
“Through a comprehensive package of sporting and financial support, including opportunities to compete at FIA Karting events and progress to higher levels of competition, this initiative provides talented drivers with a clear pathway for continued development and success in international karting”
Akbar Ebrahim, President of the FIA Karting Commission, said:
“Our combined on-track and off-track assessment will reward well-rounded and promising drivers with enormous potential and enable their progression in the sport as they continue to grow and develop. I look forward to the second edition in Greece this year and wish all the drivers competing the very best of luck”
The 2026 FIA Karting Shootout will be the second edition of the concept following its debut at the end of the 2025 season last year, held in Valencia, Spain. Junior winner Valerio Viapiana received a significant financial contribution to support his step up into the senior, or Original Kart (OK) category this year, where he raced with Tony Kart and secured a podium finish in the Mülsen round of the European Championship. Meanwhile, senior winner Yuzuki Sato won 250,000 euros to compete in an FIA-certified Formula 4 championship and has this year competed in the Spanish F4 Championship.
The 2026 FIA Karting Shootout winners will receive free tyres, fuel and entries for up to 5 FIA Karting events in 2027 plus a financial contribution to a team competing in FIA Karting of 6,000 euros per event or alternatively they may opt for a free drive in one of the 2027 FIA Arrive and Drive Continental Championships and the FIA Arrive and Drive World Cup for 2027.
