Karting Africa puts F1 in sight

by PEDRO AGOSTO
LUANDA – A new continental karting championship aimed at developing Africa’s next generation of Formula 1 drivers will take a major step forward next month when 39 young racers descend on Benguela, Angola.

The Karting Africa Showrun, organised by South African development team WORR Motorsport and the Angola Motor Sports Federation, will take place on 10 and 11 October as part of the Angolan National League.

Organisers describe it as the biggest karting showrun ever staged in Africa.

The event will provide a first glimpse of the proposed Karting Africa Cup, a five-round championship scheduled to visit different African countries in 2027.

Representatives from 14 national motorsport authorities are expected to attend, alongside senior FIA officials, as organisers begin shaping the series.

WORR Motorsport founder and head coach Wesleigh Orr wants the championship to become a defining competition for young African drivers.

“We want our drivers to have a championship that is held in the same esteem as the African Cup of Nations in soccer,” Orr said.

Drivers from South Africa, Angola, Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, Madagascar, Seychelles, Namibia, Ghana, Botswana, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Eswatini are expected to compete, creating an unusually broad continental field.

Ensuring the championship remains genuinely pan-African will be a priority. Organisers plan to limit entries from individual countries during the inaugural season, preventing the grid from becoming dominated by a single nation. Entries are due to open in November.

The series will also use standardised equipment, including new Karting Africa chassis, identical engine specifications and kart sizes across categories.

The aim is to reduce the financial and technical disparities that can determine results in karting and put greater emphasis on driver ability.

For Orr, the bigger objective is to reduce the need for Africa’s most promising young racers to travel overseas to find high-level competition.

The organisers hope a strong continental championship can create a pathway towards international recognition, including opportunities to be noticed by Formula 1 teams.

If successful, Karting Africa could offer young drivers something currently scarce: a competitive route from grassroots racing to the global stage without first having to leave Africa.

– CAJ News