FAT Karting League | PH Competes

There are plenty of surreal moments in parenting, but watching my six-year-old step into a kart and tear off around a circuit is right up there. The last time she was moving at any real speed, it was her balance bike wobbling down the driveway. And now, thanks to the FAT Karting League, she’s on track – properly on track – with other kids in full race gear.

It’s been a whirlwind. F1 Academy last year was a fantastic introduction to karting for my eldest girl, who even qualified for the local rounds of the British Indoor Karting Championships. But she had never driven outdoors. Meanwhile, my younger daughter (aged six and determined not to be left behind) was desperate to get behind the wheel. Enter Rob Smedley’s FAT Karting League.

We’d written about Rob’s mission before, making karting cheaper and more accessible, and given I’m still trying to keep a Twin Cam Escort rally-fit (which is an ongoing battle with my wallet), it seemed a no-brainer. Affordable, arrive-and-drive, and designed to develop young drivers, was it as good as it sounded?

We arrived at Shenington Kart Track near Banbury between two named storms. The sky was blue, the air was crisp, and the track was ice-cold. The morning briefing split the kids into three groups: Bambinos (6-9 years old), Cadets (8-13), and Juniors (12-17). The instructors (proper karting racers with experience) led them off to walk the track, though in the conditions, skating would be more accurate. 

Following the Bambinos, it quickly became apparent that a bunch of six- and seven-year-olds are easily distracted. The instructor was patiently explaining racing lines, but half of them were too busy challenging each other to impromptu sprints. Still, amongst the chaos, you could spot the ones who were listening, those already forming a bit of a racer’s mindset.

Most of these kids had never sat in a kart before, so the first step was getting comfortable in the seat, checking the pedal reach, and understanding the controls. A few of the older ones struggled to fit and were bumped up to Cadets. Realistically, Bambino is a programme mainly for six- and seven-year-olds unless your eight-year-old is on the smaller side.

And then, suddenly, they were off. It wasn’t quite the carnage I expected, although a couple of them did drive straight into the barriers at turn one. But a few laps in, and they were finding their rhythm. Sessions were around eight minutes long, and then it was back in for a debrief. This is where the real learning happens. The instructors focus on one key element, maybe a particular corner, braking technique, or where to position the kart. 

The coaching is solid, though I’d love to see more one-on-one sessions like F1 Academy runs. Some kids are naturally confident, others (and their parents) might need a bit more prompting to get the full benefits. Having an instructor check in individually could make a huge difference.

One of the biggest draws of the FAT Karting League is the affordability and ease of entry. No kit to buy, everything provided (though plenty of kids had their own race suits), and Rob’s emphasis on reliability is clear. He’s applied F1-style metrics to kart reliability, aiming for just one failure every 48 races. In fairness, the team running the karts did a solid job at keeping everything running smoothly. If anything went wrong, Anita, the parent liaison, was on hand to sort things out or offer extra track time. 

We were at the first session of the year, so there were some first-day hiccups, but overall, it felt well organised. Now that I know what to expect, I’d be able to help my daughters get even more out of it next time.

The end goal? A fully-funded F4 seat. There’s a progression path in place to get there, where the team have put in place a ’15-point plan’ in what they call the ‘ready to race program’, this translates into getting a kid who’s never raced before to being able to compete in a championship, another way FAT Karting League are trying to help anyone get into motorsport. In practice on the track this translates to karts with settings from Level 1 (beginner) to Level 4 (race-ready). Outdoor karting is very different from indoor, so I started both girls at Level 1 for confidence-building. The instructors decide who moves up based on data from the karts, and kids receive a certificate via email grading them on Lap Times, Awareness, Discipline, and Kart Control. 

Lap times were a bit sluggish to start with, partly because my girls were actually obeying yellow flags (a rare trait among young racers). It would be brilliant to have female instructors who understand these subtle differences, as girls often follow instructions to the letter, while boys just send it regardless.

Kate had a great morning session, while Lottie (being older) stayed on for the afternoon and progressed to Level 2. The level settings are locked per session, which makes sense for safety, but as a competitive dad watching from the sidelines, I’d love some indication of who’s on what power setting. Otherwise, you spend half the time wondering why some kids aren’t flat out when, in reality, they’re just on a lower setting.

Padraig Harrington once said that the best way to get kids into sport is to stop early. Don’t tire them out, leave them wanting more, even disappoint them slightly by making them leave before they’re ready. Then take them out for food. It’s a great way to keep their enthusiasm high, and that’s exactly what I did with my youngest, just the morning session, then off for a meal. She was buzzing, already asking when we could go again. 

If you’re thinking of trying it yourself, we’ve secured up to 25 per cent off your first full FAT Karting League test day, just fill in the form here and mention PISTONHEADS when prompted. 

Upcoming test days are being held at Whilton Mill near Daventry and Shenington Circuit near Banbury and for those considering a more committed approach, the Regional Championship 2025 season pass for Bambino starts from £1,460 for nine rounds. However, if you include practice sessions, the total cost is closer to £4,200 for the season. This guarantees entry to all nine Practice and Race events.

 But be warned, you may be dealing with a six-year-old who now spends every car journey nagging you with, “when can I go karting again?”