Why the ladder matters
Karting is where drivers learn racecraft: wheel-to-wheel battles, overtaking, defending, reading a race, and dealing with the pressure of a grid. Each step up the ladder brings bigger grids, faster drivers and more to learn, so there's no need to rush.
Getting started
- From age 6. Competitive karting can start from a driver's 6th birthday in the Bambino class.
- Go Karting starter pack (£59 at the time of writing), which includes your first kart licence.
- ARKS test. New drivers pass a test with the Association of Racing Kart Schools before applying for a competition licence. Our ARKS guide explains how it works.
- Parents need a licence too. For under-18s, the parent or guardian applies for an Entrant Kart PG licence.
- Kit: an approved helmet, CIK-homologated suit, gloves and boots. A rib protector is recommended. See our race gear guide.
Source: Motorsport UK, Karting.
Classes by age
Classes are grouped roughly by age. The exact age and weight rules for each class are in the Motorsport UK Kart Race Yearbook, and some championships vary them slightly.
| Group | Typical ages | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Bambino | 6 to 8 | MightE Bambino, IAME Bambino, Comer C50 |
| Cadet | 8 to 13 | Honda Cadet, Micro MAX, IAME Waterswift, MightE Cadet |
| Junior | 12 to 17 | Junior MAX, Inter MAX, Junior X30, Junior TKM |
| Senior | 16+ | Senior MAX, Rotax 177, Senior X30, Senior TKM, KZ2 (gearbox) |
Check your class regulations. For more on each class, see our kart classes table.
The ladder in short
Club racing
Most kart circuits have a club running monthly race meetings. It's the best place to learn: affordable, friendly, and full of people who'll help. Find a track near you.
National championships
Series that travel around the country, with bigger and faster grids. The British Kart Championships crown the official British champions.
Motorsport UK British Kart Championships
Run by Motorsport UK, where official British karting champions are crowned. 2026 venues included Warden Law, PF International, Kimbolton, Whilton Mill and Silverstone.
British IAME Championships
- IAME Bambino
- Waterswift Restricted
- Waterswift
- Junior X30
- Senior X30
British Rotax Championships
- Micro MAX
- Inter MAX
- Junior MAX
- Senior MAX
- Rotax 177
British Honda Championship
- Honda Cadet
British Gearbox Championship
- KZ2
National owner-driver championships
Owner-driver means you bring your own kart. These series travel to circuits around the country.
Super One Series
One of the longest-running national karting series in the UK. Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button both raced in it on their way to Formula 1. Follow our Super One 2026 season vlogs. Classes change between seasons, and the 2026 programme included:
- MightE Bambino
- MightE Cadet
- MightE Super Cadet
- Honda Cadet
- IAME Bambino
- IAME Waterswift Restricted
- Micro MAX
- Inter MAX
- Junior MAX
- Senior MAX
- Rotax 177
- IAME X30 classes
- TKM classes
- C50 and other special categories where offered
The Kart Championship (TKC)
- Classes
- MightE Bambino, Honda Cadet, Micro MAX, MightE Cadet, Inter MAX, Rotax Junior Primo, Rotax Junior MAX, Rotax Senior MAX
- 2026 venues
- Warden Law, PF International, Whilton Mill (twice), Rowrah, Shenington
A national championship over six rounds, open to all Motorsport UK licensed drivers, with a winter series too. Races are streamed, and the series is followed in the Driven Dreams documentary. Watch our TKC 2026 and TKC 2025 playlists.
National Kart Cup (NKC)
Known for a friendly atmosphere, good value and close racing. Its competitions include:
- NKC Main Championship
- North–South Challenge Cup
- Midlands Double Cup
- Andy Wagstaff Cup
- Inter MAX Championship
- Junior Rotax Championship
- Senior Rotax Championship
- Rotax 177 Championship
- Junior X30 Championship
- Senior X30 Championship
- Junior TKM Championship
- Senior TKM Championship
Ultimate Karting Championship (UKC)
- Engines
- Rotax, from Micro MAX and Mini MAX to Junior and Senior MAX
- Run with
- JAG Rotax UK, under a Motorsport UK permit
Now run as the R.M.C Ultimate Karting Championship, and one of the official qualifying series for the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals.
Other national series
- Champions Kart Club
- Daniel Ricciardo Series (DRS)
- Tillotson T4 UK Series
- Northern Karting Federation Super 4
- British Superkart Championship
- Retro Kart Championship
- Access Karting National Karting Series
- FP4 Karting Championship
- Formula 210 Challenge
- Independent Kart Racing Championship
- Motorsport UK Champions of the Future Academy programme
F100 championships are no longer listed, as the class is now defunct.
Arrive-and-drive and rental championships
FAT Karting League (FKL)
Formerly the Global Karting League (GKL)
A nationwide electric arrive-and-drive competition for drivers aged 5 to 17.
- Regional competitions
- UK national competition
- Bambino categories
- Cadet categories
- Junior categories
- World Finals qualification
- FAT Karting League World Finals
Daniel Ricciardo Series (DRS)
- DRS Cadet Arrive-and-Drive Championship
- DRS Cadet weight-category competitions
- DRS 100 Junior Championship
- DRS 125 Senior Championship
Club100 Racing
- Club100 Sprint Championship
- Club100 Lightweight Championship
- Club100 Heavyweight Championship
- Club100 Clubman Championship
- Club100 60-Minute Championship
- Club100 Endurance Championship
- Club100 Quadrant Team Championship
- Club100 Experience Championship
- Club100 Rotax Racing Club competitions
- Rotax Racing Club Team Trophy
- Rotax Racing Club International Finals
Southern Rental Kart Championship (SRK)
Separate championships visiting rental-kart circuits across southern England and Wales.
- SRK Sprint Championship
- SRK Challenge Championship
- SRK Endurance Championship
- SRK Junior Championship
- SRK Cadet Championship
Club 73 Karting
- Club 73 Karting Championship
- Club 73 Midweek Championship
- Club 73 Weekend Championship
- Club 73 Endurance competition
- Club 73 Youth Cup / Junior Championship
- Club 73 Overall / Super Pro Championship
- Club 73 Pro Championship
- Club 73 Clubman+ Championship
- Club 73 Clubman Championship
- Club 73 Masters Championship
- Club 73 Steve Bateman Cup
Elite Karting Series (EKS)
- EKS National Championship
- EKS Northern Championship
- EKS Southern Championship
- EKS Silverstone Championship
- EKS Junior Championship
- EKS Lightweight Championship
- EKS Heavyweight Championship
- EKS Team Championship
- EKS two-stroke competitions
Indoor and rental-kart competitions
National indoor and rental
- British Indoor Karting Championship (BIKC)
- British Rental Kart Championship (BRKC)
- TeamSport Members' Championships
- TeamSport Grid Series
- TeamSport adult, cadet and junior leagues
- Sodi World Series UK Sprint Cup
- Sodi World Series UK Endurance Cup
- Sodi World Finals UK qualification
- Formula Fast championships
- Absolutely Karting championships
- Capital Karts competitions
- Full Throttle Raceway championships
- Raceworld championships
- Rogue Racing competitions
- Other independent indoor championships
Daytona Motorsport
- Daytona DMAX Championship
- Daytona SODI Championship
- Daytona N35 Championship
- Daytona InKart Championship
- Daytona Junior Championship
- Daytona Junior Sprint Championship
- Daytona Team Endurance Championship
- Jamie Chadwick Series
- Daytona 3, 6, 10 and 24-hour races
Independent (IKR) and historic karting
Access Karting
An independent, low-cost national owner-driver series.
- Access Karting National Karting Series
- GX-UK Junior
- GX-UK Senior
- GX-UK Clubman
- GX-UK Endurance
- 100-UK Junior
- 100-UK Senior
- 115-UK
- Prokart Endurance
- Associated Mod160 competitions
- Access Karting Festival
- Access Karting plate competitions
Independent and IKR competitions
- Independent Kart Racing Championship
- Independent Kart Racing Winter Series
- Access Karting National Karting Series
- Retro Kart Championship
- FP4 Karting Championship
- Formula 210 Challenge
- Four-Stroke Karting Association competitions
- Clay Pigeon IKR Championship
- Hooton Park Indikart Series
- Rye House independent competitions
- Local independent championships
- Independent Bambino, Cadet, Junior, Senior and gearbox competitions
Retro Kart Championship
Classic and historic kart racing for direct-drive and gearbox machinery.
- Historic to pre-2000 direct-drive karts
- Historic gearbox karts
- 125 gearbox
- Formula 210
- Formula 250
- Other eligible period classes
British Historic Kart Club
A Motorsport UK-recognised club running historic events and activities, rather than a championship.
- Historic kart meetings
- Demonstrations
- Practice events
- Historic kart displays
- Historic kart revival meetings
Other historic and classic karting
- Vintage Kart Club events
- Historic direct-drive competitions
- Historic gearbox competitions
- Classic kart demonstrations
- Classic kart revival meetings
- Historic kart festivals
- Historic kart display and practice events
Prokart and endurance
Endurance championships and races
- British Prokart Endurance Championship (BPEC)
- British Prokart Sprint Championship
- European Prokart Endurance Championship UK rounds
- Access Karting GX-UK Endurance and Prokart Endurance
- Club100 Endurance and Quadrant Team Championships
- Club 73 Endurance competition
- SRK Endurance Championship
- Daytona Team Endurance Championship
- Teesside 24-Hour Championship
- Teesside British 24-Hour Race
- Teesside 6 and 12-hour competitions
- British 24-Hour Kart Race
- Endurance Karting League (EKL)
- COVKARTSPORT endurance competitions
- Sodi World Series Endurance Cup
- Karting Events for Charity endurance races
- BUKC 24-Hour Race
- Local 2, 3, 6, 12 and 24-hour races
Gearbox and Superkart
Gearbox and Superkart competitions
- Motorsport UK British KZ2 Championship
- NKF Super 4 KZ2 Championship
- NKF Super 4 Formula 250 / Superkart Championship
- British Superkart Championship
- British Superkart Grand Prix
- Superkart UK Cup
- Formula 125 Open Championship
- Formula 210 Challenge
- Formula 250 National Championship
- Formula 250 International Championship
- Division 1 Superkart competitions
- F450 National Championship
- Long-circuit Superkart championships
- Superkart club championships
Universities, schools and youth
British Universities Karting Championship (BUKC)
- BUKC Main Championship
- BUKC Rookie Championship
- BUKC Intermediate competitions
- BUKC Graduates Championship
- BUKC 24-Hour Race
- BUKC qualification events
National Schools Karting Association (NatSKA)
- NatSKA National Sprint Championship
- NatSKA National Endurance Championship
- NatSKA regional championships
- NatSKA individual class championships
Other youth competitions
- British Schools Karting Championship, when scheduled
- Motorsport UK Girls on Track karting events
- FIA Girls on Track qualification competitions
- Jamie Chadwick Series
- Junior Sodi World Series competitions
- BIKC Cadet and Junior competitions
- FAT Karting League youth categories
- SRK Junior and Cadet Championships
- Club 73 Youth Cup / Junior Championship
- Access Karting junior competitions
Plates, festivals and one-off events
Standalone meetings rather than championships. A strong result at one of the big ones gets noticed.
Major events
- Kartmasters British Grand Prix
- British Kart Grand Prix
- Rotax O Plate
- IAME O Plate
- Honda Cadet O Plate
- TKM O Plate
- Rotax Festival
- TKM Festival
- Shenington SuperPrix
- British Superkart Grand Prix
- PF Challenge Cup
- TVKC Winter Series
- IAME Winter Cup
- Rotax Winter Cup
- BIKC National Final
- British Rental Kart Championship
- Sodi World Finals UK qualifiers
- Rotax Racing Club International Finals
- Rotax Racing Club Team Trophy
- Access Karting Festival and plate competitions
- Regional championships
Regional and club championships
Where most drivers start racing. Individual circuits also run members' leagues, winter series and standalone races that change during the season, so check with your local club.
Scotland
National and regional
- Scottish Kart Championship
- Scottish Super Series
- Association of Scottish Kart Clubs Championship
- Scottish National Championship
- Scottish Plate competitions
Cults Kart Club, Castle Kennedy near Stranraer
- Cults Kart Club Championship
- Cults Summer Series
- Cults GP Plate
- Cults O Plate
- Cults Classic Historic Weekend
- Cults historic direct-drive competitions
- Cults historic gearbox competitions
The Cults Summer Series is a separate three-round competition, with races held during selected rounds of the main club championship.
Other Scottish championships
- West of Scotland Kart Club Championship
- Larkhall club championships
- East of Scotland Kart Club Championship
- Grampian Kart Club Championship
- Boyndie club championships
- Golspie Kart Club Championship
- Crail karting competitions
- North of Scotland regional competitions
Northern England
- Northern Karting Federation Championship
- NKF Super 4 Championship
- Cumbria Kart Racing Club Championship
- Rowrah club championships
- Warden Law / Karting North East Championship
- Teesside Owner-Driver Sprint Championship
- Teesside endurance competitions
- Three Sisters club championships
- Hooton Park Championship
- Hooton Park Indikart Series
- Fulbeck Kart Club Championship
- Tockwith competitions
- Wombwell / South Yorkshire Kart Club Championship
Midlands
- Trent Valley Kart Club Championship
- PF International club competitions
- Whilton Mill Kart Club Championship
- Whilton Mill Academy Championship
- Shenington Kart Racing Club Championship
- Shenington Winter Championship
- Hunts Kart Racing Club Championship
- Kimbolton club championship
- Rissington Kart Club Championship
- Midland Karting Championship
- Midlands inter-club competitions
Southern England
- Bayford Meadows Kart Club Championship
- Buckmore Park Kart Club Championship
- Forest Edge Kart Club Championship
- Camberley Kart Club Championship
- Clay Pigeon Kart Club Championship
- Clay Pigeon IKR Championship
- Dunkeswell Kart Club Championship
- Mansell Raceway competitions
- Lydd Kart Club Championship
- Ellough Park club championships
- Red Lodge Karting Championship
- Rye House Kart Raceway Championship
- Hunts / Kimbolton Championship
- Shenstone competitions
- Southern regional inter-club championships
- Southern Rental Kart Championship competitions
- Access Karting competitions
Wales
- Welsh Kart Championship
- Llandow Kart Club Championship
- Glan-y-Gors Kart Club Championship
- South Wales Karting Championship
- Welsh inter-club competitions
- Welsh rental-kart championships
- Welsh endurance competitions
- SRK competitions held in Wales
- FAT Karting League Welsh competitions
- Access Karting competitions held in Wales
Northern Ireland
- Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Kart Championship
- Ulster Karting Club Championship
- Nutts Corner championships
- Northern Ireland regional club series
- Northern Ireland gearbox competitions
- Northern Ireland Superkart meetings
- Northern Ireland indoor championships
- Northern Ireland rental-kart championships
Sources: Motorsport UK, The Kart Championship, JAG Rotax, National Kart Cup and the organisers' own information. Championships change their classes and calendars each year, so always check the current regulations. Spotted something missing? Let us know.
Thinking about cars?
Junior car racing opens at 14, so most families start thinking about it in the last couple of years of Junior karting. There's no rule that says you have to race at national level first, but the more racecraft your driver has, the quicker they'll get up to speed in a car.
Karting to Cars
Our sister site covers the move up: when to do it, the ARDS test, licences, junior and senior car championships, and real costs.
Read the pathway guide →