FUTURE STARS HEADING TO WHERE IT ALL BEGAN FOR OSCAR PIASTRI

Before becoming a household name in Formula 1, Oscar Piastri honed his racing skills at the Oakleigh Go-Kart Racing Club circuit, located in the South-Eastern suburb of Clayton, Melbourne.

This weekend, the Oakleigh circuit will host a round of the prestigious SP Tools Australian Kart Championship presented by Castrol for the first time, attracting the best young drivers from Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and the USA.

Piastri is just one of many drivers who developed their craft on the challenging Oakleigh track before achieving significant success in karting and other motorsport categories. The current McLaren F1 driver also claimed victory in the opening round of the 2015 Championship at Port Melbourne, ultimately finishing third in the elite junior category standings behind Reece Sidebottom and Zane Morse.

This year’s KA2 class is set for an exciting conclusion as New South Wales driver Lewis Cordato enters the fifth and final round sandwiched between Queenslanders Isaac McNeill and Ky Burke in the standings, setting up a thrilling contest.

These three drivers are among nearly 400 competitors who will take on the Oakleigh circuit across eight categories, catering to a wide range of ages and performance levels.

Piastri’s journey to Formula 1 underscores the significant role that karting plays in nurturing future stars, with the Australian Kart Championship recognised as one of the most successful national championships in the world.

This season, Brad Jenner further solidified his legacy in Australian karting by securing his fifth Australian Championship. Over the past decade, the 30-year-old has competed in 34 rounds of the X30 class, claiming 11 wins and consistently finishing inside the top two in the standings for the past five years.

Practice sessions kick off on Thursday afternoon, followed by qualifying on Friday, heat races on Saturday, and the all-important finals on Sunday. The Oakleigh Go-Kart Club, located on Deals Road, Clayton, offers free

All of the weekend’s racing action will be streamed live from 8am Saturday on Watch My Sport Live, available by clicking here.

The 2024 Champions will be crowned at a Gala Awards Dinner on Sunday night at the Melbourne Exhibition and Events Centre.