Motor racing has never been part of the Olympics, but with sufficient momentum, karting could debut in Brisbane in 2032. Here’s why it should.
The Olympics have just concluded, and over the past few weeks, your feeds were likely filled with breakdancing, racewalking, and trampoline highlights. Shoutout to Raygun, by the way. But amid all the unusual and quirky events in this year’s Olympics, one thing you didn’t see in Paris was auto racing.
Auto racing has never really taken off at the Olympics, though it’s not for lack of trying. At the 1900 Summer Olympics, Renault founder Louis Renault and about a dozen other drivers competed around France in two-seat Citroëns and Peugeots. Renault claimed the gold and a substantial ₣4,000 cash prize. A second “Olympic Rally” occurred during the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, where British racing driver Betty Haig in a Singer Le Mans and Swiss driver Paul Abt in a Riley Falcon both earned gold medals.
Unfortunately, while the International Olympic Committee (IOC) acknowledges these races happened, they don’t recognize either as official events. And there hasn’t been another effort to bring motorsports to the Olympics in the 88 years since.
In 2001, it seemed like all hope was lost for motor racing in the Olympics. The IOC nearly banned the sport in its updated charter, with a single line in Chapter 5 stating: “Sports, disciplines, or events in which performance depends essentially on mechanical propulsion are not acceptable.” Fortunately, the IOC removed that rule in 2016, and the revised 2023 charter makes no mention of it.
At first, I considered exploring why Formula 1-style racing isn’t part of the Olympics. Imagine the world’s best drivers in single-seat race cars competing on a track. However, top-tier motorsports would be prohibitively expensive at the Olympic level, difficult to regulate, and not every country would have the resources to field a spec vehicle, even those with some of the world’s top drivers.
So, what’s the next-best solution? Go-karts.
Many modern professional drivers began their careers in go-karts. Before earning three F1 championships, Max Verstappen secured multiple karting titles. Charles Leclerc, Fernando Alonso, Lando Norris, Lewis Hamilton, and Logan Sargeant all started as go-kart champions.
But this isn’t a new concept, clever as it may be. Go-kart racing—referred to as Olympic Motorsport—made its debut at the Summer Youth Olympic Games in 2018. Six teams of two racers competed in electric karts. Although no medals were awarded, current Formula 2 driver Franco Colapinto and his teammate Maria Garcia Puig claimed the (theoretical) gold.
Since then, F1’s governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), has been advocating to bring go-kart racing to the Olympics. The FIA submitted a bid for karting to be included in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, but it was ultimately passed over, along with kickboxing and karate.
But there’s still hope.
The FIA plans to push for karting to be included in the 2032 Summer Olympics in Brisbane, Australia. While this means another eight years of waiting, it also presents the best opportunity yet to see go-karts compete at an Olympic level.
“The possibility of karting being included in the official Olympic program is already a promising first step. It motivates us to keep working on refining an offering that fits the unique format of this competition, so we can present a bid again in the future.”
—FIA Spokesperson via InsideTheGames.
Fingers crossed.
Go-karts would be an ideal solution for Olympic racing. The concept is relatively straightforward (in theory). Each kart would need to meet an agreed-upon, Olympic-approved standard, and every country would provide a team of mechanics, engineers, and other personnel to manage their vehicles. Unlike F1-style cars, karts are significantly cheaper and much easier to standardize.
The next challenge would be securing venues. The Youth Olympic Games used the go-kart track at the Autodromo de Buenos Aires Oscar y Juan Galvez in 2018. For the 2024 Paris Olympics, the karting track at Circuit Paul Ricard could serve as the host for all races, simplifying logistics and ensuring everything runs smoothly.
But there’s a second, more exciting option: a road course winding through the streets of the host city. While logistically challenging, crazier things have been done in the name of Olympic competition. Just picture the world’s best drivers speeding down the Rue de Rivoli in Paris or racing around the iconic Place de l’Étoile.
Next, each country would need to select its drivers. Like many Olympic events outside of perhaps basketball, the competitors would likely be young, talented, but relatively unknown kart racers from around the globe. This would offer massive recognition for emerging drivers looking to make their mark on a larger stage—an undeniably positive outcome.
But again, there’s an even more exciting option.
Imagine taking the world’s best professional drivers and pitting them against each other in an Olympic-style go-kart competition. If all drivers were eligible, we could draw from major series like F1, Formula E, IndyCar, NASCAR, and the World Endurance Championship. The top 10 countries, based on theoretical qualifying, would enter the event. Similar to the Race of Champions or the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, a total of 20 drivers would compete in a multi-race, knockout-style series to determine the medalists.
So let’s have some fun with this. Here’s my dream team lineup for each country (apologies if your driver or country didn’t make it into my hypothetical go-kart Olympics):
- Australia: Daniel Ricciardo & Oscar Piastri
- Brazil: Sergio Pietro Fittipaldi & Sergio Sette Camara
- France: Esteban Ocon & Pierre Gasly
- Great Britain: Lando Norris & Lewis Hamilton
- Germany: Nico Hulkenberg & Pascal Wehrlein
- Japan: Takuma Sato & Yuki Tsunoda
- Mexico: Pato O’Ward & Sergio Perez
- Netherlands: Max Verstappen & Nyck De Vries
- Spain: Carlos Sainz & Fernando Alonso
- United States: Kyle Larson & Logan Sargeant
Now, imagine Kyle Larson and Lewis Hamilton battling wheel to wheel on the final lap around the Arc de Triomphe, or Verstappen and De Vries trading paint beneath the Eiffel Tower, while enthusiastic French spectators cheer them on with baguettes in hand. It sounds like a fever dream I’ve had.
Auto racing is definitely gaining traction with the IOC, which is great news—and not just on the Junior Olympic stage. In 2021, the IOC and FIA collaborated on the Olympic Virtual Series, where pro gamers from around the world competed in a multi-race Gran Turismo tournament. Italy’s Vallerio Gallo took home the (virtual) gold, and we might see more virtual Olympic events in the future.
