The 60 cc Minikart class originated in Italy in 1984, making its competitive debut at the Torneo delle Industrie, which was won by Luca Donati. The class remained a fixture of that event in the years that followed. Through the late 1990s and 2000s, Mini categories spread across Europe at the national level: the Minime category appeared in France, where future Formula One drivers Jules Bianchi, Pierre Gasly, Charles Leclerc, and Esteban Ocon contested it at a national level. In the Benelux region, the Mini class became a starting point for Max Verstappen, who would go on to become a four-time Formula One World Drivers' Champion.
The Mini category reached the Andrea Margutti Trophy in 2010, with Alessio Lorandi winning that debut appearance. The Rotax Max Challenge introduced a Mini Max class at its Grand Finals in 2016. Throughout the 2010s, numerous future Formula One prospects emerged through Mini competition, including Kimi Antonelli, Gabriel Bortoleto, Isack Hadjar, Arvid Lindblad, Nikita Mazepin, and Logan Sargeant.
In 2020, the CIK-FIA formally recognised the 60 Mini class to coordinate and unify the various national Mini categories under a single technical regulation. CIK-FIA president Felipe Massa emphasised the importance of drivers developing their craft on a level playing field. The recognition established 60 Mini as the feeder category to OK-Junior and OKN-Junior on the international karting ladder. That same year, ACI Sport recognised the derivative Mini Group 3 (Gr.3) class, which uses IAME 60 Mini engines.
In 2023, the CIK-FIA introduced the Mini-XS class for drivers under the age of 10. ACI recognised this variant as Mini U10 for Gr.3 regulations, and it made its international debut at the FIA Motorsport Games in 2024.
As 60 Mini grew in prominence, concerns arose about the safety of very young drivers competing in increasingly fast karts. Test data from Kalì Kart in 2024 showed a 60 Mini kart at Franciacorta reaching top speeds of 106–108 km/h (66–67 mph), with cornering speeds exceeding those of OK-Junior karts. The CIK-FIA responded by significantly reducing permissible engine performance, with those limits also requested from ACI Sport's Gr.3 category. The performance reduction prompted some young drivers to switch to the less restricted OKN-Junior class. Commentators noted that the rapid progression of young drivers — from Mini to Formula One in under seven years in cases such as Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Arvid Lindblad — reflected a broader acceleration of the junior motorsport pathway.
60 Mini karts use 60 cc engines, with multiple manufacturers active in the homologated class. Engine, chassis, and safety equipment are all subject to CIK-FIA approval. The class does not yet host a Karting World Championship or Karting European Championship, distinguishing it from the senior OK and KZ classes in terms of the FIA's formal championship calendar.
60 Mini's formal recognition by the CIK-FIA cemented its place as the first rung of international karting competition, providing a structured and regulated environment for the youngest competitors. Its alumni list — already containing numerous Formula One race winners and champions — underscores both the class's quality as a developmental category and the speed at which talent now moves through the motorsport pyramid.