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Viktor Gustafsson claims second KZ World Championship title in Le Mans
Viktor Gustafsson delivered a dominant performance at Le Mans to secure his second FIA Karting KZ World Championship victory.
By Michael de Vries - 2026-09-20T19:19:00.000Z - 3 min read
Viktor Gustafsson secured his return to the pinnacle of gearbox karting by capturing the Mondokart.com FIA Karting KZ World Championship at Le Mans. Representing the CRG Racing Team, Gustafsson put on a commanding display in front of a packed grandstand. Aside from a brief opening-lap change of position where Orlov moved past him, the Swedish driver faced minimal opposition during the final race. He steadily pulled away from the chasing pack, building a leading advantage that stretched to over four seconds by the time he took the chequered flag.
The victory adds Gustafsson's name to the world championship trophy once more, following his previous success in 2022. By taking the top step in Le Mans, he joined Max Verstappen, Jarno Trulli and Fabrizio Giovanardi as a multiple winner of gearbox karting's most prestigious award. Gustafsson noted that the event unfolded more calmly than previous outings, explaining that his testing performance at Franciacorta the week prior gave him total confidence in his chassis choice. He will collect his trophy in Shanghai later this year during the official FIA Awards ceremony.
Behind the dominant winner, Emilien Denner claimed the runner-up spot for the Formula K SRP Factory Team after fighting his way through a chaotic opening lap. Denner finished just three tenths of a second ahead of Daniel Vasile, who rounded out the podium for Maranello Kart Srl. The battle for the remaining podium places provided the core entertainment of the afternoon, featuring a closely contested train of karts fighting for position. Orlov, who briefly led on the opening lap before dropping back due to a driving misstep, recovered to finish fourth after an intense late-race defence against Vasile.
The supporting categories delivered equally dramatic racing across the weekend's schedules. In the FIA Karting World Cup for KZ2, Markus Kajak converted his front-row start into a victory to seal the title for the Formula K SRP Factory Team. Kajak managed a tense closing phase of the race where teammate Arthur Lehouck closed to within striking distance, but the Estonian driver held firm to win by nearly two seconds. Alois Girardet completed the KZ2 podium for the CRG Racing Team after fending off reigning European Champion Kimi Tani on the final tour.
The International Super Cup for KZ2 Masters saw Anthony Abbasse write his name into the record books by becoming the first driver to secure the cup multiple times. Racing for CPB Sport, the French driver converted his pole position into a race victory despite early pressure from veteran competitor Davide Fore. Fore looked set to challenge for the win before a mechanical failure forced his retirement from the race. Angelo Lombardo crossed the line second for Maranello Kart Srl, while Daniel Bray inherited the final step of the podium after Thomas Mich suffered a late mechanical issue on the final lap.
The event concluded a competitive weekend of gearbox racing at the Le Mans International Karting circuit, with attention now turning toward the upcoming FIA Karting World Cup in Viterbo, Italy. That event will showcase the OK-N and OK-NJ categories as the 2026 international karting season moves toward its final stretch.