The karting market - France

1.1 Definition and Introduction

Karting is a motor sport practiced on a racing track using a kart which is a small single-seater car with four wheels, without bodywork, gearbox or suspension.

Karting practice takes two main forms: leisure or competition. The first of these two forms is intended for people who occasionally rent karts for racing sessions. Friendly challenges can also be organized. On the other hand, competitive karting is a real sport that requires a license from the FFSA (French Federation of Automotive Sports) or UFOLEP (French Union of Secular Physical Education Works). There are also two types of circuits, namely indoor and outdoor.

The global karting market is growing. As such, it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.2% until 2022. The first kart ever to be built was made in the United States in 1956. However, Europe soon took an interest in this sport and Kart World championships are being organized since 1964 by the CIK (Commission Internationale de Karting).

In France, leisure go-karting has been widely democratized among people looking for thrills, with maximum safety and at a reduced cost. The FFSA counts more than 50,000 licensees for all its sports in France (the number of licensees for karting alone is estimated at more than 15,000) and 5 million people have already tried it. In addition, we count 350 go-karting venues in France according to EY Barometre. The number of licensees, however, is going down as karting schools fail to convert amateur users and due to the cost of owning a kart.

The market is very fragmented with independent practice sites and some franchises, especially in the Indoor Karting segment with K1Speed for example (leading karting company worldwide).   

New trends have been observed in the practice of this sport, especially regarding the ecological transition with the development of electric karts and the implementation of collection systems for the recovery and recycling of tires.