Modern karting originated in Southern California in the 1950s. American race-car builder Art Ingels, who worked at Kurtis Kraft, and Lou Borelli are credited with constructing the first kart — the Caretta-West Bend — in August 1956 in Glendale, California. The vehicle used a simple tubular frame and a small two-stroke West Bend engine.
Early development was grassroots. Ingels' prototype and home-built derivatives were driven in car parks, including at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, before organised racing emerged. The sport spread through the United States and then to Europe during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Initial engines were adapted from lawnmowers, chainsaws and motorcycles; by the 1960s dedicated manufacturers had appeared in the United States and Europe, with Italian chassis and engine producers eventually becoming especially prominent at the international level.
International competition developed during the 1960s. The first Karting World Championship was held in 1964 under the structure then associated with the Commission Internationale de Karting, which later became FIA Karting. Indoor and rental karting emerged as a commercial recreational form of the sport from the mid-1980s and expanded strongly during the 1990s.
At international level, karting is governed by the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile through FIA Karting, which oversees world and continental championships across direct-drive, gearbox and Superkart categories.
National governance varies by country. In the United Kingdom, Motorsport UK administers karting within its broader four-wheel motorsport structure and describes categories as including Cadet, Inter, Junior, Senior and Gearbox classes. In the United States, domestic karting is organised through a mixture of sanctioning bodies, national series, regional series and local clubs rather than a single national authority; principal organisations include the World Karting Association, SuperKarts! USA and the United States Pro Kart Series. In Australia, Karting Australia is recognised by Motorsport Australia as the sole body to organise, regulate and control karting nationally, and administers the Australian Kart Championship.
Sprint racing is the most common format, taking place on dedicated kart circuits with left and right turns, hairpins and short straights. Events typically consist of practice, qualifying, heat races and one or two finals. Endurance karting runs over extended distances or time periods, from around 30 minutes to 24 hours, often in team formats with driver changes and pit stops. A notable endurance venue is the Karting des 24 Heures complex at Le Mans, which includes the Circuit International de Karting.
Street karting uses temporary circuits on closed public roads. Speedway karting takes place on oval or near-oval asphalt, clay or dirt tracks, with a tradition especially associated with parts of the United States. Long-circuit and Superkart racing uses larger circuits, including full-size motor racing tracks; FIA Karting describes Superkart as a category that can fully express itself only on automobile circuits.
Karting classes are defined by combinations of driver age, engine type, chassis specification, minimum weight and transmission type. FIA Karting international categories include direct-drive, gearbox and Superkart classes. One-make series based on specific engines — such as Rotax, IAME and ROK — are widely used at national and international level. The Rotax Max Challenge operates in more than 60 countries and culminates in the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals. The ROK Cup Superfinal similarly brings together national ROK Cup qualifiers.
Karting functions as the primary entry point for drivers progressing toward formula racing. Formula One drivers including Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen and Lando Norris began their careers in karts. The sport's emphasis on racecraft, car control and mechanical sensitivity at low cost and relatively low speed makes it an effective environment for foundational driver development.
Competitive kart drivers are required to wear full-face helmets to approved motorsport standards, race suits or overalls, gloves and ankle-covering boots. Rib protectors and neck protection are also commonly used. Specific homologation standards for equipment are set out in the technical and supplementary regulations of each championship or organising body. Motorsport UK notes that leather suits are mandatory for long-circuit karting.