A number of leading Australian kart racers will be in action at key events across the globe this weekend, starting today in Asia then into Europe tonight.

The opening round of the FIA Karting Academy Trophy begins this weekend at Val D’Argenton in France with Karting Australia’s representative being Bundaberg racer, Ky Burke.

He’s been accompanied to France by Calicorse (Burke’s Australian team) Team Principal, Cian Fothergill. An Australian karting champion in his own right, Fothergill guided Jay Kostecki to a win in last weekend’s SP Tools Australian Kart Championship in Cadet 12.

The Academy Trophy was a happy hunting ground for the Australian representative in last year’s campaign, with Max Walton ending the three round affair on the podium.

The Academy Trophy features a control chassis, engine and tyres allocated to the competitors, each nominated specifically by their respective national bodies.

The French event doubles as the second round of the Mondokart European Karting Championship with a number of Australians entered through the OK and OK-Junior categories.

Fresh from a podium in the Champions of the Future event, Lewis Francis heads up the Australians in the premier senior single gear category, OK, with European based Xavier Avramides and Dante Vinci joining Francis.

In OK-Junior, WSK Super Masters Mini champion, William Calleja will line up against fellow European based Australian, James Anagnostiadis – who returns to the Prema team.

In Asia, Kobe McInerney will take part in the IAME Asia Series in Thailand. McInerney has had an astonishing return to form after last year spending several months on the sideline after broken bones suffered in a mountain biking accident. His major event return was in the KA Summer Series last December, where he won and has started 2024 with a win and second place in the Australian Kart Championships and currently sits second.

Speedcafe.com/karting will carry livestreaming from the FIA Karting Academy/European Championship event on Saturday and Sunday from 5:45pm and 6pm AEST respectively (subject to change).