Rear Wheel Guards To Be Mandatory

The new rear wheel guards that were tested in race conditions recently will become mandatory for FIA Karting international competition in 2026.

In what can only be described as amusing timing, these devices will be compulsory from April 1st.

The FIA will be recommending their ASNs (eg, Karting Australia) to make them mandatory across all classes for 2027 – but at this stage it will be a recommendation only.

The FIA Karting statement is below.

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At its meeting on 16th October 2025, the FIA World Motor Sport Council (CMSA) adopted a series of decisions that will shape the future of international karting, marked by a renewed commitment to innovation, safety and sustainable development.

Major advances for e-karting

The FIA has taken a new step forward by adopting technical and homologation regulations for the Junior and Senior categories of e-karting, complementing the specifications for Mini e-karting introduced in 2023.

The new provisions set out, in particular:

• A maximum voltage of 60V;
• The requirement to position the battery centrally, under the steering column;
• A maximum power output of 23 kW in Junior and 28 kW in Senior;
• New standards for the homologation of e-drivetrain systems.

Akbar Ebrahim, President of the FIA Karting Commission, said:

“Electric karting represents a major opportunity to support the growth of karting worldwide. These new regulations will open up new opportunities for organising events and championships around the world. With the launch of the new electric categories, the first continental ‘Arrive & Drive’ championships and an FIA Karting calendar that is unprecedented in its scope, 2026 promises to be a landmark year for the discipline.”

In addition, the Homologation Regulations have been adapted:

The use of high voltage (above 60 V DC or 30 V AC) under the approved equipment regime (to be distinguished from homologated equipment) remains possible, provided that it is strictly limited to “Arrive & Drive” programmes, under the sole responsibility of the manufacturer or supplier of the system.

Sporting decisions

Penalties in Qualifying sessions

From now on, in the event of an incident during Qualifying sessions, only the best performance of the driver at fault may be cancelled (and no longer the three best), in addition to a five-second penalty, except in special cases provided for in the regulations.

Protection of young drivers’ education

In order to limit the impact of competitions on education, only national Group 3 category events lasting three days or less will be taken into account in the National Karting Ranking (NKR).

Reduction in tyre allocation in the 2026 FIA Karting Championships and Cups for gearbox categories

In 2026, the number of tyre sets allocated per driver for Free Practice and warm-ups will be reduced to three in all gearbox categories. From 2027 onwards (due to a new tyre homologation period and new calls for tenders), the plan and ambition is to align all FIA categories to two sets of tyres for Free Practice and warm-ups, instead of the current four sets.

New Qualifying structure in the event of high participation

In order to avoid limiting the number of entrants while maintaining a realistic race schedule, when a competition has more than 108 drivers, they will be divided into two independent groups for the Qualifying Phases before the Final.

Technical decisions

Increased safety: rear wheel guards mandatory

Rear wheel guards, a new safety device designed to limit the risk of lift-off during incidents, will become mandatory from 1st April 2026 for all FIA Karting competitions, with gradual implementation as follows:

• 01.04.2026 – Mandatory in FIA Karting competitions
• 01.04.2026 – Mandatory in Karting competitions included in the International Sporting Calendar and using CIK-FIA homologated engines; recommended in all other international competitions in Group 2 categories. Depending on product availability, also recommended in national competitions in Group 3 [Mini] categories in support of competitions included in the International Sporting Calendar.
• 01.01.2027 – Mandatory in all competitions included in the International Sporting Calendar.
• 01.01.2027 – Recommendation made to ASNs to make this safety device mandatory in all categories, including Group 3 or similar.
• 31.12.2027 – End of production of rear wheel guards with this homologation.

Clarification on radiators in KZ/KZ2

The regulations now specify that multiple radiators are permitted in KZ/KZ2, but their position on the chassis is strictly regulated.

Circuit regulations

Generalisation of FIA light panels

Illuminated signs for karting, whether compliant with FIA standard 3506-2024 or not approved by the FIA, are mandatory for new Grade 1 and 2 circuits approved in 2025, as well as for existing Grade 1 and 2 circuits whose licence is renewed in 2025.

Light panels for karting circuits that comply only with FIA standard 3506-2024 will be mandatory from 1st January 2026 for new circuits. “New” refers to newly built circuits, pre-existing circuits that have never been homologated by the CIK-FIA before, or circuits whose CIK-FIA licence has expired more than three years ago. 

Circuits whose CIK-FIA licence is issued or renewed in 2025 must use illuminated signs for karting circuits that comply with the FIA 3506-2024 standard by 1st January 2029 at the latest.

FIA Karting calls for tenders for the coming seasons

Results of the calls for tenders for the exclusive supply of fuel, tyres and karts for the FIA Karting Championships, Cups and Trophies for the 2026 to 2028 seasons.

The following have been designated as sole suppliers:

• ETS Racing Fuels (Haltermann Carless France S.A.S), for the supply of 100% sustainable fuel during the 2026 to 2028 seasons;
• MG (MG Indústria e Comércio S/A), for the supply of tyres for the 2026 FIA Karting World Cup – OK-NJ; 
• Vega S.R.L., for the supply of tyres during the 2026 FIA Karting Academy Trophy – Junior;
• LeCont S.R.L., for the supply of tyres during the 2026 FIA Karting Championships and Cups in the KZ, KZ2 and KZ2 Masters categories;
• OTK Kart Group S.R.L., for the supply of complete karts (Kosmic-Vortex-Vega) for the FIA Karting Asia-Pacific Arrive & Drive Championships – Junior and Senior for the 2026 and 2027 seasons.