# KZ (karting)

KZ is a kart racing class for drivers aged 15 and over, sanctioned by the CIK-FIA. KZ is the primary gearbox class in FIA championships.
The class was originally called Formula C (FC), first introduced in 1974 at the European Championship as the first gearbox class in international kart racing. FC was contested at the World Championship from 1983 until 2000. In 2002—after 28 seasons of racing—FC was replaced by Super-ICC (S-ICC) and downgraded to World Cup status. In 2007, Super-ICC was replaced by KZ1 and renamed to KZ in 2013, when it returned to the World Championship.
KZ is currently contested as the primary gearbox class at the Karting World Championship and the Karting European Championship.

## History
### Formula C (1974–2001)

In 1974, Formula C (FC) was introduced as a 125 cc gearbox class for the European Championship, the first of its kind. FC was first held at the World Championship in 1983, remaining there until 2000.

### Super-ICC (2002–2006)

In 2002, Super-ICC (S-ICC) regulations replaced FC, being downgraded to World Cup status.

### KZ1/KZ (2007–present)

KZ1 replaced S-ICC in 2007. In 2013, KZ1 was renamed to KZ, returning to the World Championship.

## Specification
### KZ

There are eight main technical features of the KZ regulations, sharing the same specification as KZ2 except for chassis and brakes, which are open in KZ, as well as minimum weight:
* 125 cc direct-coupled, water-cooled two-stroke, mixed-lubrication engine.
* Valve inlet in the piston skirt.
* Carburettor with a maximum diameter of 30 mm.
* Manual clutch.
* Six-speed sequential gearbox.
* Front and rear brakes with hydraulic foot control.
* Premium tyres, medium gum compound.
* Minimum weight 170 kg, driver included.
Engines, chassis, bodywork, brakes and tyres are subject to the homologation system put in place by the CIK-FIA. Each year, the tyres and the fuel for each category, as well as the KZ and KZ2 carburettor, are chosen after a call for tenders.

## Champions

KZ has been contested at the European Championship since 1974 and the World Championship/World Cup since 1983.
Gianluca Beggio holds the record for most KZ World Championships, with five. Notable KZ World Champions include four-time Formula One World Drivers' Champion Max Verstappen and two-time World Touring Car Champion Gabriele Tarquini. Verstappen is the only driver to win a CIK-FIA gearbox championship and the Formula One World Drivers' Championship.
Gianfranco Baroni and Francesco Laudato hold the joint-record for most KZ European Championships, each with four.

### By year

Key :
| * | Driver has competed in Formula One |
| † | Formula One World Drivers' Champion |
| ‡ | FIA World Champion in an auto racing discipline |
| Year | World Championship | World Championship | World Championship | World Championship | European Championship | European Championship | European Championship | European Championship | Year |
| Year | World Champion | Chassis | Engine | Tyres | European Champion | Chassis | Engine | Tyres | Year |
| 1974 | FC regulations created for the European Championship | FC regulations created for the European Championship | FC regulations created for the European Championship | FC regulations created for the European Championship | FC regulations created for the European Championship | FC regulations created for the European Championship | FC regulations created for the European Championship | FC regulations created for the European Championship | 1974 |
| 1974 | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Aad van Daalen | Landia | Yamaha | | 1974 |
| 1975 | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Ben van Velzen | Mach1 | Yamaha | | 1975 |
| 1976 | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Gianfranco Baroni | All Kart | BMC | | 1976 |
| 1977 | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Gianfranco Baroni (2) | All Kart | BMC | | 1977 |
| 1978 | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Gianfranco Baroni (3) | All Kart | BMC | | 1978 |
| 1979 | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Giancarlo Vanaria | Kalì Kart | Pavesi | B | 1979 |
| 1980 | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Frank Leuze | Mach1 | KZH | | 1980 |
| 1981 | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Gianfranco Baroni (4) | Birel | BMC | | 1981 |
| 1982 | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Alessandro Piccini | All Kart | Morbidelli | | 1982 |
| 1983 | FC mandated at the World Championship and replaced by ICC at the European Championship | FC mandated at the World Championship and replaced by ICC at the European Championship | FC mandated at the World Championship and replaced by ICC at the European Championship | FC mandated at the World Championship and replaced by ICC at the European Championship | FC mandated at the World Championship and replaced by ICC at the European Championship | FC mandated at the World Championship and replaced by ICC at the European Championship | FC mandated at the World Championship and replaced by ICC at the European Championship | FC mandated at the World Championship and replaced by ICC at the European Championship | 1983 |
| 1983 | Gianni Mazzola | Birel | Balen | D | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | | 1983 |
| 1984 | Gabriele Tarquini‡ | Kalì Kart | Balen | D | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | 1984 |
| 1985 | Piermario Cantoni | Kalì Kart | Balen | D | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | 1985 |
| 1986 | Fabrizio Giovanardi | Tony Kart | Pavesi | B | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | 1986 |
| 1987 | Alessandro Piccini | DAP | Pavesi | VEGA | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | 1987 |
| 1988 | Peter Rydell | All Kart | Pavesi | D | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | 1988 |
| 1989 | Gianluca Giorgi | Kalì Kart | Kalì Kart | D | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | 1989 |
| 1990 | Alessandro Piccini (2) | Birel | Pavesi | B | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | 1990 |
| 1991 | Alessandro Piccini (3) | Birel | Pavesi | D | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | 1991 |
| 1992 | Danilo Rossi | Kalì Kart | Pavesi | D | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | 1992 |
| 1993 | Alessandro Piccini (4) | Kalì Kart | Pavesi | D | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | 1993 |
| 1994 | Jarno Trulli* | Tony Kart | Pavesi | D | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | 1994 |
| 1995 | Gianluca Beggio | Biesse | TM | VEGA | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | 1995 |
| 1996 | FC mandated at the European Championship | FC mandated at the European Championship | FC mandated at the European Championship | FC mandated at the European Championship | FC mandated at the European Championship | FC mandated at the European Championship | FC mandated at the European Championship | FC mandated at the European Championship | 1996 |
| 1996 | Gianluca Beggio (2) | Biesse | TM | B | Alessandro Piccini (2) | CRG | Pavesi | B | 1996 |
| 1997 | Gianluca Beggio (3) | Birel | TM | B | Gianluca Beggio | Birel | TM | B | 1997 |
| 1998 | Gianluca Beggio (4) | Birel | TM | B | Gianluca Beggio (2) | Birel | TM | B | 1998 |
| 1999 | Francesco Laudato | Birel | TM | D | Ronnie Quintarelli | Tony Kart | Vortex | B | 1999 |
| 2000 | Gianluca Beggio (5) | Birel | TM | B | Francesco Laudato | Birel | TM | B | 2000 |
| 2001 | FC removed from the World Championship | FC removed from the World Championship | FC removed from the World Championship | FC removed from the World Championship | FC removed from the World Championship | FC removed from the World Championship | FC removed from the World Championship | FC removed from the World Championship | 2001 |
| 2001 | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Alessandro Piccini (3) | CRG | TM | B | 2001 |
| 2002 | FC replaced by S-ICC | FC replaced by S-ICC | FC replaced by S-ICC | FC replaced by S-ICC | FC replaced by S-ICC | FC replaced by S-ICC | FC replaced by S-ICC | FC replaced by S-ICC | 2002 |
| 2002 | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Francesco Laudato (2) Sauro Cesetti | Birel Kosmic | TM Vortex | B B | 2002 |
| 2003 | S-ICC mandated at the World Cup | S-ICC mandated at the World Cup | S-ICC mandated at the World Cup | S-ICC mandated at the World Cup | S-ICC mandated at the World Cup | S-ICC mandated at the World Cup | S-ICC mandated at the World Cup | S-ICC mandated at the World Cup | 2003 |
| 2003 | Robert Dirks | Birel | TM | VEGA | Alessandro Manetti | CRG | Pavesi | D | 2003 |
| 2004 | Ennio Gandolfi | Birel | TM | VEGA | Francesco Laudato (3) | Birel | TM | VEGA | 2004 |
| 2005 | Francesco Laudato | Birel | TM | VEGA | Francesco Laudato (4) | Birel | TM | VEGA | 2005 |
| 2006 | Davide Forè | Tony Kart | Vortex | VEGA | Roberto Toninelli | BRM | TM | VEGA | 2006 |
| 2007 | S-ICC replaced by KZ1 | S-ICC replaced by KZ1 | S-ICC replaced by KZ1 | S-ICC replaced by KZ1 | S-ICC replaced by KZ1 | S-ICC replaced by KZ1 | S-ICC replaced by KZ1 | S-ICC replaced by KZ1 | 2007 |
| 2007 | Jonathan Thonon | CRG | Maxter | D | Alessandro Manetti (2) | Intrepid | TM | D | 2007 |
| 2008 | Jonathan Thonon (2) | CRG | Maxter | D | Jonathan Thonon | CRG | Maxter | D | 2008 |
| 2009 | Jonathan Thonon (3) | CRG | Maxter | D | Bas Lammers | Intrepid | TM | D | 2009 |
| 2010 | Bas Lammers | Intrepid | TM | D | Bas Lammers (2) | Intrepid | TM | D | 2010 |
| 2011 | Jonathan Thonon (4) | CRG | Maxter | D | Paolo De Conto | Energy Corse | TM | D | 2011 |
| 2012 | Bas Lammers (2) | Praga | Parilla | B | Jorrit Pex | CRG | TM | B | 2012 |
| 2013 | KZ1 renamed to KZ and upgraded to World Championship status | KZ1 renamed to KZ and upgraded to World Championship status | KZ1 renamed to KZ and upgraded to World Championship status | KZ1 renamed to KZ and upgraded to World Championship status | KZ1 renamed to KZ and upgraded to World Championship status | KZ1 renamed to KZ and upgraded to World Championship status | KZ1 renamed to KZ and upgraded to World Championship status | KZ1 renamed to KZ and upgraded to World Championship status | 2013 |
| 2013 | Max Verstappen† | CRG | TM | B | Max Verstappen† | CRG | TM | B | 2013 |
| 2014 | Marco Ardigò | Tony Kart | Vortex | B | Rick Dreezen | Zanardi | Parilla | B | 2014 |
| 2015 | Jorrit Pex | CRG | TM | B | Flavio Camponeschi | Tony Kart | Vortex | B | 2015 |
| 2016 | Paolo De Conto | CRG | TM | VEGA | Marco Ardigò | Tony Kart | TM | VEGA | 2016 |
| 2017 | Paolo De Conto (2) | CRG | TM | VEGA | Paolo De Conto (2) | CRG | TM | B | 2017 |
| 2018 | Patrik Hájek | Kosmic | Vortex | LC | Jorrit Pex (2) | CRG | TM | LC | 2018 |
| 2019 | Marijn Kremers | Birel ART | TM | B | Jorrit Pex (3) | Kart Republic | TM | B | 2019 |
| 2020 | Jérémy Iglesias | Formula K | TM | VEGA | Marijn Kremers | Ricciardo | TM | VEGA | 2020 |
| 2021 | Noah Milell | Tony Kart | Vortex | MG | Riccardo Longhi | Birel ART | TM | MG | 2021 |
| 2022 | Viktor Gustafsson | CRG | TM | LC | Paolo Ippolito | Kart Republic | IAME | LC | 2022 |
| 2023 | Paolo Ippolito | Kart Republic | IAME | LC | Danilo Albanese | Kart Republic | IAME | LC | 2023 |
| 2024 | Giuseppe Palomba | Sodi | TM | D | Lorenzo Travisanutto | Parolin | TM | D | 2024 |
| Year | World Champion | Chassis | Engine | Tyres | European Champion | Chassis | Engine | Tyres | Year |
| Year | World Championship | World Championship | World Championship | World Championship | European Championship | European Championship | European Championship | European Championship | | Year |
| Source: ||||||||||

### By driver

table