 |
 |
 A sprint race at a karting event | |
| Highest governing body | CIK-FIA |
|---|---|
| First played | 1950s |
| Characteristics | |
| Team members | Yes |
| Mixed-sex | Yes |
| Type | Motorsport |
| Equipment | Kart |
| Venue | Kart circuit |
| Presence | |
| Country or region | Worldwide |
| World Championships | FIA Karting World Championship |
Kart racing or karting is a motorsport discipline using open-wheel, four-wheeled vehicles known as go-karts or shifter karts. They are usually raced on scaled-down circuits, although some professional kart races are also held on full-size motorsport circuits. Karting is commonly perceived as the stepping stone to the higher ranks of motorsports, with most Formula One drivers—including Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, Kimi Räikkönen, Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, Nico Rosberg, and Max Verstappen—having begun their careers in karting.
Karts vary widely in speed, and some (known as superkarts) can reach speeds exceeding 160 kilometres per hour (100 mph), while recreational go-karts intended for the general public may be limited to lower speeds.