Karting Australia’s proposal to include kart racing at the 2032 Brisbane Olympics remains an on-going discussion at various levels locally and internationally and has the full support of Motorsport Australia, it was revealed at the SP Tools Australian Kart Championship gala dinner over the weekend in Melbourne.

Karting Australia CEO, Kelvin O’Reilly said although it may appear to be a tough road to hoe, the Olympics pitch was part of Karting Australia’s continued commitment ‘to drive progress in the sport.’ 

“We initiated with the FIA through (former President) Jean Todt back in August 2021 the concept of Karting being in the Brisbane 2032 Olympics,” O’Reilly told the 500 attendees. “We did so with the support of Motorsport Australia. (The Olympics) is a tough one, it is a hard one, but I’m committed to it, our Board is committed to it and it is one that I feel is worth pursuing.”

As agreed by Todt, KA’s proposal is that kart racing is in a unique position to be gender balanced, youth centred, environmentally responsible and highlights motorsport’s global footprint – in addition to supporting the popularity of motorsport in Australia.

Although largely under the radar, the proposal was last publicly raised in October 2023 by Mick Doohan – the Chair of the Australian Motor Sports Council (which combines the five peak bodies of motorsport in Australia) at the Parliamentary Friends of Motorsport gathering at Queensland Parliament House in Brisbane.

The talk of motorsport, specifically karting, appearing at the Olympics has been a source of discussion internationally for some time. Pre-Olympics, motoring activities took place at the fore-runner – the 1900 World Fair in Paris. 

In 2018, FIA Karting Commission Chair, Felipe Massa proposed karting for this year’s Paris Olympics, however the IOC went in other directions, including the likes of breakdancing.

The sport had been considered for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, however was rejected last year instead for Flag Football (effectively touch American Football) and 20/20 Cricket. Exhibition events have become the norm of Olympics for nearly three decades now.

With many of the country’s best karting tracks in Queensland – the Brisbane Olympics would appear to be the perfect place to introduce the sport into the global quadrennial.

Karting took place in the Junior Olympics in 2018 with recently appointed Williams Grand Prix Formula 1 driver, Franco Colapinto from Argentina, winning the gold medal in the two person team that comprised both a female and male driver.

Also in O’Reilly’s end of season “State of the Union” address, the former 2.0 Litre Super Touring boss and Supercars Entrants Group (then TEGA) CEO and Chair declared the peak body’s desire to revive the Race of Stars invitational concept, which was formerly held on the Gold Coast in the leadup to the Gold Coast Supercars race. 

Throughout its tenure, the Race of Stars featured the likes of five time karting World Champion, Davide Fore and – at the time – World Champion – Paolo De Conto and a 13-year-old Juan Manuel Correa as a Lotus Junior – before he went on to Formula racing. 

The five rounds of the 2024 SP Tools Australian Kart Championship, presented by Castrol received around 2000 entries in total and set new records for female participation with 25 female entrants across the Championship and welcomed drivers from New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, the United States and Sweden.

“Testament to the Championship over the decade it has been in operation is the number of Australians performing on the world stage – we have Oscar Piastri in Formula 1 and next year, Jack Doohan will be the first Australian Kart Championship Champion to graduate into motorsport’s highest category, plus a multitude across elite categories through Europe, Asia and the United States,” said O’Reilly. 

Of the 500 attendees at the Karting Australia gala were Motorsport Australia President Andrew Fraser, Motorsport Australia CEO Sunil Vohra, former F1 Race Director and KA Deputy Chair, Michael Masi, Board Member and former Australian Grand Prix CEO, Andrew Westacott and Supercars Race Director, James Taylor along with various luminaries from the industry, sponsor group and KA Board.

Representatives of the David Coulthard-led More than Equal program – former W-Series racer Sarah Moore and former British Cycling high performance leader, Tom Stanton were in Australia to take in the Australian Kart Championship and the presentation evening.