Original Kart

Original Kart, commonly abbreviated as OK, is a kart racing class for drivers aged 14 and over, sanctioned by the CIK-FIA. OK is the primary direct-drive class in FIA championships.

The class was originally called Intercontinental A (ICA), first introduced in 1981 at the European Championship as a secondary direct-drive class to Formula K. The class was first contested at the World Cup in 2006. In 2007—after 26 seasons of racing—ICA was replaced by KF2 and became the primary class in 2010, replacing KF1 at the World Championship. The KF2 class was renamed to KF upon the demise of KF1 in 2013, and was replaced by Original Kart (OK) regulations in 2016.

OK is currently contested as the primary direct-drive class at the Karting World Championship and the Karting European Championship.

History

Intercontinental A (1981–2006)

In 1981, Intercontinental A (ICA) was introduced alongside Formula K as a secondary direct-drive class for the European Championship.

Stefano Modena completed back-to-back ICA European Championships in 1984, a feat that would not be repeated until Andrea Kimi Antonelli under OK regulations in 2021.

The ICA World Cup was introduced in 2006, the final year of ICA regulations, won by French driver Mike Courquin.

KF2/KF (2007–2015)

In January 2007, the CIK-FIA decided to replace the 100 cc water-cooled two-stroke ICA engines with 125 cc Touch-and-Go (TaG) water-cooled two-stroke KF2 engines, producing Template:Cvt. Now the secondary class to KF1—which had replaced Formula A—the KF2 class karts used hand-operated front brakes via a lever. The chassis had to be CIK-approved, with a minimum weight of 160 kg and 158 kg for national and international events, respectively. KF2 karts were equipped with an electric starter and a centrifugal clutch. The engine was limited to 15,000 rpm.

In 2010, karts of the KF2 category were mandated at the Karting World Championship as the primary direct-drive category, alongside the European Championship, replacing KF1 in both.<ref>CIK-FIA World Karting Championship For Drivers Zuera (ESP) – 16-19.09.2010 - KartCafe, 16 September 2010</ref> KF1 returned to the World Championship in 2011 and 2012, reverting KF2 back to World Cup status, but met its demise at the end of the 2012 season. With the end of KF1 regulations, KF2 became known as simply KF and returned to the World Championship as the primary class once more.

Original Kart (2016–present)

In 2016, Original Kart (OK) regulations replaced KF in the direct-drive category, after its perceived failure within the kart racing community and restrictive regulations resulted in reduced entries at international competitions.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> OK karts had much of the electronics removed, and had to be push-started.

Specification

Original Kart (OK)

There are eight main technical features of the OK regulations:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• 125 cc direct-coupled, water-cooled two-stroke, mixed-lubrication engine.

• Valve inlet in the piston skirt.

• Screw carburettor with a maximum diameter of 24 mm.

• Maximum speed (limiter) of 16,000 rpm.

• Power valve at the exhaust.

• Single rear brake with hydraulic control.

• Premium tyres, medium gum compound.

• Minimum weight 150 kg, driver included.

Engines, chassis, bodywork, brakes and tyres are subject to the homologation system put in place by the CIK-FIA. Each year, the tyres and the fuel for each category, as well as the KZ and KZ2 carburettor, are chosen after a call for tenders.

Champions

OK has been contested at the European Championship since 1981 and the World Championship/World Cup since 2006, becoming the primary direct-drive class in 2010.

Italian driver Lorenzo Travisanutto is the only driver to win multiple OK World Championships. Notable OK World Champions include 2020–21 Formula E World Champion Nyck de Vries and Formula One driver Lando Norris.

Italian Formula One drivers Stefano Modena and Andrea Kimi Antonelli are the only drivers to win multiple OK European Championships. Notable OK European Champions include Formula One World Drivers' Champions Michael Schumacher and Max Verstappen.

By year

Key

Template:Asterisk	Driver has competed in Formula One
Template:Dagger	Formula One World Drivers' Champion
Template:Double dagger	FIA World Champion in an auto racing discipline

Year	World Championship				European Championship				Year
	World ChampionTemplate:Efn	Chassis	Engine	Tyres	European Champion	Chassis	Engine	Tyres
1981	ICA regulations created for the European Championship								1981
	Not held				Template:Flagicon Peter De Bruijn	Template:Flagicon Tecno	Template:Flagicon Parilla
1982					Template:Flagicon Josef Bertzen	Template:Flagicon Zipkart	Template:Flagicon Parilla		1982
1983					Template:Flagicon Stefano ModenaTemplate:Asterisk	Template:Flagicon DAP	Template:Flagicon DAP		1983
1984					Template:Flagicon Stefano ModenaTemplate:Asterisk (2)	Template:Flagicon DAP	Template:Flagicon DAP		1984
1985					Template:Flagicon Jukka Virtanen	Template:Flagicon Birel	Template:Flagicon Parilla		1985
1986					Template:Flagicon Linus Lundberg	Template:Flagicon Dino	Template:Flagicon Dino		1986
1987					Template:Nowrap	Template:Flagicon CRG	Template:Flagicon Parilla		1987
1988					Template:Flagicon Martijn Koene	Template:Flagicon Tony Kart	Template:Flagicon Rotax		1988
1989					Template:Flagicon Jos VerstappenTemplate:Asterisk	Template:Nowrap	Template:Flagicon Rotax		1989
1990					Template:Flagicon Eddy Coubard	Template:Flagicon Dino	Template:Flagicon Rotax		1990
1991					Template:Flagicon Daniele Parrilla	Template:Flagicon Birel	Template:Flagicon Rotax		1991
1992					Template:Flagicon Oliver Fiorucci	Template:Flagicon Merlin	Template:Flagicon Atomik		1992
1993					Template:Flagicon Arnaud Sarrazin	Template:Flagicon Tecno	Template:Flagicon Rotax		1993
1994					Template:Flagicon Narcis Callens	Template:Flagicon Biesse	Template:Flagicon Fox		1994
1995					Template:Flagicon Arnaud Leconte	Template:Flagicon Tecno	Template:Flagicon Rotax		1995
1996					Template:Flagicon Ludovic Veve	Template:Flagicon Biesse	Template:Flagicon Rotax		1996
1997					Template:Flagicon Alessandro Balzan	Template:Flagicon Top-Kart	Template:Flagicon Comer		1997
1998					Template:Flagicon Julien Poncelet	Template:Flagicon CRG	Template:Flagicon CRG		1998
1999					Template:Flagicon Stefano Fabi	Template:Flagicon Top-Kart	Template:Flagicon Comer	Template:Bridgestone	1999
2000					Template:Flagicon Julien Menard	Template:Flagicon Tony Kart	Template:Flagicon Vortex		2000
2001					Template:Nowrap	Template:Flagicon Tony Kart	Template:Flagicon Vortex	VEGA	2001
2002					Template:Flagicon Jonathan Thonon	Template:Flagicon CRG	Template:Flagicon Maxter	VEGA	2002
2003					Template:Flagicon Nicola Bocchi	Template:Flagicon CRG	Template:Nowrap	VEGA	2003
2004					Template:Flagicon Kévin EstreTemplate:Double dagger	Template:Flagicon Sodi	Template:Flagicon TM	VEGA	2004
2005					Template:Flagicon James CaladoTemplate:Double dagger	Template:Flagicon Tony Kart	Template:Flagicon Vortex	Template:Bridgestone	2005
2006	ICA mandated at the World Cup								2006
	Template:Flagicon Mike Courquin	Template:Flagicon Sodi	Template:Flagicon TM	VEGA	Template:Flagicon Nicola Nolé	Template:Flagicon CRG	Template:Flagicon TM	VEGA
2007	ICA replaced by KF2								2007
	Template:Flagicon Michael Ryall	Template:Flagicon Birel	Template:Flagicon TM	Template:Dunlop	Template:Flagicon Will StevensTemplate:AsteriskTemplate:Double dagger	Template:Flagicon Tony Kart	Template:Flagicon Vortex	Template:Dunlop
2008	Template:Flagicon Oliver Rowland	Template:Flagicon Tony Kart	Template:Flagicon Vortex		Template:Flagicon Flavio Camponeschi	Template:Flagicon Tony Kart	Template:Flagicon Vortex		2008
2009	Template:Flagicon David da Luz	Template:Flagicon Zanardi	Template:Flagicon Parilla		Template:Flagicon Jordan Chamberlain	Template:Flagicon Tony Kart	Template:Flagicon TM		2009
2010	KF2 becomes the primary direct-drive class and upgraded to World Championship status								2010
	Template:Nowrap	Template:Nowrap	Template:Nowrap	Template:Bridgestone	Template:Nowrap	Template:Nowrap	Template:Flagicon TM	Template:Bridgestone
2011	KF2 replaced by KF1 at the World Championship and downgraded to World Cup statusTemplate:Efn								2011
	Template:Flagicon Loris Spinelli	Template:Flagicon Tony Kart	Template:Nowrap	VEGA	Template:Flagicon Sami Luka	Template:Flagicon Intrepid	Template:Flagicon TM	Template:Bridgestone
2012	Template:Flagicon Felice Tiene	Template:Flagicon CRG	Template:Flagicon BMB	VEGA	Template:Flagicon Ben Barnicoat	Template:Flagicon ART	Template:Nowrap	VEGA	2012
2013	KF2 renamed to KF and upgraded to World Championship status								2013
	Template:Flagicon Tom Joyner	Template:Flagicon Zanardi	Template:Flagicon TM	VEGA	Template:Flagicon Max VerstappenTemplate:Dagger	Template:Flagicon CRG	Template:Flagicon TM	VEGA
2014	Template:Flagicon Lando NorrisTemplate:Asterisk	Template:Nowrap	Template:Nowrap	Template:Dunlop	Template:Flagicon Callum Ilott	Template:Flagicon Zanardi	Template:Flagicon Parilla	Template:Bridgestone	2014
2015	Template:Flagicon Karol Basz	Template:Flagicon Kosmic	Template:Flagicon Vortex	VEGA	Template:Flagicon Ben Hanley	Template:Flagicon Mad-Croc	Template:Flagicon TM	VEGA	2015
2016	KF replaced by OK								2016
	Template:Nowrap	Template:Flagicon CRG	Template:Flagicon Parilla	VEGA	Template:Flagicon Pedro Hiltbrand	Template:Flagicon CRG	Template:Flagicon Parilla	VEGA
2017	Template:Flagicon Danny Keirle	Template:Flagicon Zanardi	Template:Flagicon Parilla	LC	Template:Flagicon Sami Taoufik	Template:Flagicon FA Kart	Template:Nowrap	LC	2017
2018	Template:Nowrap	Template:Nowrap	Template:Flagicon Parilla	Template:Bridgestone	Template:Flagicon Hannes Janker	Template:Nowrap	Template:Flagicon Parilla	Template:Bridgestone	2018
2019	Template:Nowrap	Template:Nowrap	Template:Flagicon Parilla	LC	Template:Flagicon Lorenzo Travisanutto	Template:Nowrap	Template:Flagicon Parilla	LC	2019
2020	Template:Flagicon Callum Bradshaw	Template:Flagicon Tony Kart	Template:Flagicon Vortex	LC	Template:Flagicon Andrea Kimi AntonelliTemplate:Asterisk	Template:Nowrap	Template:Flagicon Parilla	LC	2020
2021	Template:Flagicon Tuukka Taponen	Template:Flagicon Tony Kart	Template:Flagicon Vortex	MG	Template:Nowrap	Template:Nowrap	Template:Flagicon IAME	MG	2021
2022	Template:Flagicon Matheus Morgatto	Template:Flagicon Kart Republic	Template:Flagicon Parilla	MG	Template:Nowrap	Template:Nowrap	Template:Flagicon IAME	MG	2022
2023	Template:Flagicon Kutskov Kirill	Template:Flagicon Kart Republic	Template:Flagicon IAME	MG	Template:Flagicon René Lammers	Template:Nowrap	Template:Flagicon TM	MG	2023
2024	Template:Flagicon Ethan Jeff-Hall	Template:Flagicon CRG	Template:Flagicon IAME	M	Template:Flagicon Joe Turney	Template:Nowrap	Template:Flagicon IAME	M	2024
Year	World ChampionTemplate:Efn	Chassis	Engine	Tyres	European Champion	Chassis	Engine	Tyres	Year
	World Championship				European Championship
Source:<ref name="FIA">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation										CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="FIAK">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Vroom">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="MST20">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="OK">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="KF">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>

By driver

table

See also

• KF1 – the primary direct-drive class from 2003 to 2012
• OK-Junior – the junior direct-drive class
• KZ – the primary gearbox class
• KZ2 – the secondary gearbox class
• Superkart – 250cc kart racing class
• CIK-FIA
• List of kart racing championships

External links

• FIA Karting