Champions of the Future
Champions of the Future is a kart racing competition organised by the RGMMC Group and sanctioned by FIA Karting. Founded in 2020, COTF is one of 11 competitions on the international kart racing calendar in classes.
Initially a two-round series in OK and —with single-round finals in KZ2 and 60 Mini—the championship has since expanded to all eight classes across the: Euro Series, Shifters, and Academy Program, the latter supported by F1 Academy. COTF also hosted the one-off Winter Series at Franciacorta in 2022. COTF is set to expand to national series in 2026, hosting a British title with Motorsport UK, an Emirati title, a Macanese title, and an American title.
The Euro Series and Shifters events traditionally take place in the two weeks prior to a World or European Championship round at the same circuit. Notable former champions include Nikita Bedrin, Arvid Lindblad, Rafael Câmara, Freddie Slater, Alex Powell, and Dries Van Langendonck. Luna Fluxá is the only female driver to win a title.
History
Background (1962–2019)
The Commission Internationale de Karting was founded in 1962 by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile to govern the rising international sport of kart racing. The inaugural CIK-FIA World Championship was hosted two years later at the Pista d'Oro in Rome, which again held the event in 1965. The began its homologation of distinct classes in the discipline in 1974, when the first 125 cc gearbox category was created for the European Championship: Formula C. The 100 cc direct-drive category was clarified in 1976, when Formula Europe was introduced to control technical evolutions and costs. The direct-drive classes were adapted in 1981, when the 135 cc Formula K, 100 cc Intercontinental A, and Junior Intercontinental A were introduced to the World Championship, European Championship, and World Cup, respectively.By 2020, there were five classes: OK, the primary senior direct-drive class; , the under-15 direct-drive class; KZ, the primary gearbox class; KZ2, the secondary gearbox class; and 60 Mini, the under-12 international class. Rotax was founded in 1920 as an internal combustion engine manufacturer and entered the FK class in 1983, later founding the Rotax Max Challenge in 2000. Italian American Motor Engineering was founded as a kart manufacturer in 1968 as a merger between Parilla and Komet; it began operating its single-design championships, the IAME Series, in 2007. The Switzerland-based RGMMC Group had been established in 2004, later becoming the promoter of Rotax events in 2006, IAME events in 2016, and events in 2018. Across 2018 and 2019 with the latter, RGMMC promoted six World Championships, two World Cups, and eight European Championships.
Championship beginnings (2020–2023)
2020: Debut during COVID-19 pandemic
COTF was founded in 2020 by the RGMMC Group to promote and develop four classes—OK,, KZ2, and 60 Mini. Its inaugural round at Wackersdorf on 7–10 May was delayed and cancelled amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, as was the Kristianstad round on 25–28 June, leaving Zuera as the debut circuit of the series on 16–19 July. Over 170 drivers entered in preparation for the opening round of the European Championship that month. The second and final round was held on 1 November at Portimão in the OK and classes, serving as direct preparation for the World Championship one week later. The inaugural champions were Nikita Bedrin, Arvid Lindblad, Paolo Ippolito, and Dmitry Matveev.2021–2022: Introduction of Euro Series and Academy Program
The 2021 season was contested in OK and across three rounds at Genk, Zuera, and Campillos. The latter round replaced the Franciacorta and Castelletto rounds—which were cancelled due to logistical challenges—and provided support for the upcoming World Championship. Rafael Câmara and reigning World Champion Freddie Slater claimed the championships in OK and, respectively. Prior to the 2022 season, the one-off Champions of the Future Winter Series was held at Franciacorta in: OK, won by Tomass Štolcermanis;, won by Maciej Gładysz; and KZ2, won by Simo Puhakka. The regular season was re-branded as the Champions of the Future Euro Series—held over four rounds timetabled by factory-backed teams at Portimão, Zuera, Kristianstad, and Franciacorta—and won by British drivers Joe Turney and Nathan Tye.File:F4 Italy 2024 Mugello Alex Powell.jpg|thumb|right|Alex Powell won the OK Euro Series in 2023.|alt=Alex Powell behind the wheel of the Tatuus F4-T421 in the 2024 Italian F4 Championship at Mugello
In 2023, COTF founded the Champions of the Future Academy Program in collaboration with F1 Academy, a single-round event at Al Forsan—the series' first expansion beyond continental Europe—in the recently established low-cost and classes, as well as 60 Mini. F1 Academy sponsored the entries of three female drivers in each class, which Fred Smith of Road & Track opined "could completely alter the access women have to Formula One" within a decade. Austin Gale, James Anagnostiadis, and Dan Allemann were the inaugural winners. The five-round Euro Series was held at Valencia, Třinec, Rødby, Cremona, and Franciacorta—each preceding rounds of the European and World Championships and won by Alex Powell in OK and Lewis Wherrell in. The Třinec round marked the first appearance of competition in the Czech Republic since the 1990s. TKART described the series that year as "a must" for the leading international drivers and teams.
Expansion into eight classes and national series (2024–present)
2024–2025: Establishment of gearbox classes
With the creation of Champions of the Future Shifters in 2024, COTF expanded into all eight classes: OK,, KZ, KZ2, ,,, and 60 Mini. The one-round championship at Portimão was won by 2020 World Champion Jérémy Iglesias in KZ, Daniel Vasile in KZ2, and Anthony Abbasse in. The Euro Series was again held over five rounds at Valencia, Val d'Argenton, Slovakia, Kristianstad, and PF International, being won for the second time by Turney in OK, and Dries Van Langendonck in. The COTFA was expanded to six rounds—Cremona, Valencia, Franciacorta, Dubai, Al Ain, and Al Forsain—and was won by Luna Fluxá, defending champion Anagnostiadis, and Priam Bruno. Fluxá became the fifth woman in history to win a major senior international karting title, and the first in a global championship since Susanna Raganelli in 1966. Vroomkart described the COTFA that year as an "innovative model based on inclusion, cost efficiency, and equal competition opportunities", noting its use of driver coaches from FIA Formula 2 and F1 Academy, including Isack Hadjar. It was used to scout driver talent by the Mercedes Junior Team and the Sauber Academy.The Shifters series expanded to two rounds in 2025 at Valencia and Franciacorta, won by the to-be World Champion in each category: Senna van Walstijn, Maksim Orlov, and Angelo Lombardo ; the former event was marred by controversy as 21 drivers, including six World Champions, boycotted the KZ final in a dispute with the over its mandating Dunlop tyres. Speedcafe stated that RGMMC " become the unwilling pawn in the middle of the game between the drivers and the FIA" and was unaware of the issue prior—19 of the 23 finalists withdrew or retired mid-race. The subsequently dropped Dunlop as a tyre supplier. The five-round Euro Series was claimed by two British drivers: reigning junior World Champion Kenzo Craigie and Noah Baglin, the latter overturning a 31-point deficit to William Calleja. Half of the entrants in COTFA were female, where Markas Šilkūnas was victorious over Chiara Bättig across six rounds at Portimão, Valencia, Jesolo, Slovakia, Al Ain, and Al Forsan; Conor Clancy won in as Angelina Simons ended third, whilst Italian prodigy Niccoló Perico dominated in 60 Mini.
2026: National championships
In 2026, COTFA is set to expand into the United Kingdom in collaboration with Motorsport UK, forming the four-round British Champions of the Future Academy Programme. It is also due to hold an Emirati title, held across two rounds in November 2025 and February 2026 as another feeder series to the international COTFA, and a single-round Macanese title at in January. F1 Academy are set to expand their support to nine drivers in both the British and Emirati series for a total of 27. The Champions of the Future America Series is set to debut across 10 rounds from January to September in partnership with K1 at K1 Circuit in California and Spring Mountain in Nevada.Format
The inaugural edition of COTF held four-day weekends: free practice sessions on the Thursday and Friday mornings, qualifying practice on Friday afternoon, qualifying heats on Saturday and Sunday mornings, and pre-finals/finals on the Sunday afternoon. The registration fees were per round for 60 Mini and €595 for OK,, and KZ2. By 2024, the round fees increased to €675 for the Euro Series and Shifters, with an additional €100 charge for free practice. The season fees for the arrive-and-drive Academy Program that year were €29,000 and €23,000, including a new chassis, engines, tyres, fuel, a paddock area, logistical support, travel, and accommodation.Euro Series
As of 2025, the Euro Series is held over a three-day weekend composed of free practice, time trials, qualifying heats, super heats, and the finals:- Thursday: FP + TT, QH ;
- Friday: warm-up + QH;
- Saturday: warm-up + SH, and OK final.
Shifters
As of 2025, Shifters is held over a three-day weekend composed of free practice, qualifying practice, qualifying heats, super heats, and the finals:- Thursday: FP, QP ;
- Friday: warm-up + QH;
- Saturday: warm-up + SH, KZ and KZ2 final.