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Macau Circuit Prepares to Crown FIA Karting Asia-Pacific Champions
Forty-four drivers from sixteen countries gather at the Circuit of Macau Coloane to battle for inaugural continental titles and World Cup slots.
By Michael de Vries - 2026-09-08T14:16:00.000Z - 3 min read
Karting competitors from across the Asia-Pacific region are descending upon the historic Circuit of Macau Coloane this weekend to contest the inaugural FIA Karting Arrive and Drive Asia-Pacific Championship. Running from September eleventh to thirteenth, the event marks a notable return for international karting at the ten-corner layout, which last hosted an FIA competition a decade ago when Tom Leuillet claimed victory in 2016. Forty-four drivers representing sixteen different countries form the combined junior and senior grids, all aiming to secure the first-ever continental titles under this specific format.
The stakes extend beyond regional glory this weekend. Top finishers across the junior and senior categories will earn a lucrative position at the upcoming Arrive and Drive World Cup scheduled to take place in Malaysia later this year. This championship represents the second of three continental events on the current calendar, following the European titles decided in Poland earlier this summer and preceding the final South American leg in Brazil this coming October. FIA Karting Commission President Akbar Ebrahim noted that the arrive-and-drive framework aims to bring more affordable and accessible international competition closer to global communities.
Strict technical regulations are enforced to ensure an entirely level playing field among competitors. Every driver will pilot a Kosmic Mercury Chassis outfitted with a two-stroke Vortex SV engine, utilizing Vega Option XH4 slick tyres and Vega Q6 wet tyres throughout the weekend. Initial distribution of chassis and engines is determined via a randomized ballot, and equipment will be actively swapped among participants as the event progresses. All sessions, including the decisive Sunday finals, are broadcast live and free on the official FIA Karting YouTube channel.
The competitive schedule begins with free practice on Friday before transitioning into two distinct sprint races on Saturday. Drivers in both age groups are divided into two distinct groups, with a random draw establishing starting positions for the first six-minute sprint. The second sprint race introduces a reverse grid format where the initial polesitter is relegated to the rear of the field. Points accrued across both sprint races and subsequent qualifying heats will ultimately determine the starting order for Sunday afternoon's finals, where juniors will race across twenty kilometres and seniors will cover twenty-five.
In the senior category, familiarity with the arrive-and-drive structure provides a distinct advantage for competitors such as Seira Kojima and Kiaan Shah, both of whom previously competed in the inaugural World Cup in Malaysia. Kojima finished fourth in the junior final last year, positioning her among the early favourites alongside Conrad Garrow, the 2025 ROK Cup Asia junior winner. Local interest remains high with Macanese drivers Si Lun Vernice Lao, Chi Leong Lou, and Henrique Quintela Borges representing their home territory, while a six-strong contingent travels from Hong Kong.
The junior grid features John Han, who currently leads the standings in the 2026 FIA Karting Academy Trophy Junior with a thirty-eight-point advantage heading into the final round in Italy. Alana Gurney also enters as a prominent favourite, having won the 2025 FIA Girls on Track Rising Stars Junior edition after standing out among eighty-two candidates. Gurney is joined by fellow Australian Vincent Ter Horst and four Chinese entrants, including Liu Bowen, who narrowly missed out on victory earlier this year at the same Macanese venue.
Organisers and local officials have expressed enthusiasm for the return of high-level karting to the region. The Automobile General Association Macao-China has provided crucial organisational support to revive the venue's championship pedigree. With competitors utilizing identically prepared machinery and facing a demanding ten-corner layout, the weekend promises intense tactical racing across the sprint and final encounters before the historic trophies are awarded on Sunday afternoon.