All about karting

The first league of German Kart racing consists of four grade series, the German Kart Championship (DKM/OK), the German Junior Kart Championship (DJKM/OK-Junior), the German Shifter Kart Championship (DSKM/KZ2) and the DMSB Shifter Kart Cup (DSKC/KZ2). The best international elite drivers meet during the course of these four series, initiated by the German Motor Sport Union e.V. (DMSB), and fight for the German Championship title. Within the racing season, the DKM is at the most state-of-the-art racetracks in Germany and the bordering countries. During a total of ten ranked races, the drivers fight for victories, cups and championship points. 

In addition to exciting kart racing, the DKM proves its qualities due to a professional and experienced organizational team. Unique throughout the world in kart racing is Video-Race-Control, which records all incidents on the tracks with numerous cameras and thereby offers the persons responsible a chance to inflict penalties for unfair behavior. 

In the year 2012 the DKM set new standards with Video-Livestream. All five racing weekends were transmitted to the World Wide Web via satellite, impressing audiences all around the world.

The German Kart Championship (DKM) is Germany’s highest Kart racing grade and is seen as a steppingstone for new motorsports-talents. This has proven to be true again and again throughout the past years. The most famous examples are 8-times Formula-1-Worldchampion Michael Schumacher, his brother Ralf Schumacher as well as youngsters Nico Hülkenberg, Formula-1-four-times-Worldchampion Sebastian Vettel and racedriver Timo Glock. All of them celebrated their first big victories in the DKM. Internationality has always played a huge role: since the 90ies, the starting field has always been manned with the most world-beating talents, making the DKM one of the strongest kart racing series in the world. 

Age: 13 years and up (Year regulation)
Licence: ITE & ITF
Chassis: optional by OK-regulations
Engines: optional by OK-regulations​​​​​​​
Gear unit: direct drive
Cubic capacity: 125 ccm
RPM: 16.000 U/min
Power: approx. 35 HP​​​​​​​
Speed: 160 km/h
Overall weight: 145 kg

In the year 2002, the German Junior Kart Cup was replaced by the DJKM, which doesn’t fall short in any way. Talented newcomers from Europe, Asia and America have become aware of the significance of this newcomer class and are therefore fighting for the German Junior Championship title in front of a huge audience. Due to the simultaneous taking place of the DKM, the youngsters are able to look over their more experienced colleagues’ shoulders and learn the tools of the trade of a kart driver under best conditions. This concept has proven to work during the past. Fast juniors were also able to satisfy after their rise to the German Kart Championship.

Age: 12 - 14 years (Year regulation)
License: ITG Chassis: optional by OK-Junior-regulations
Engines: optional by OK-Junior-regulations
Gear unit: directly powered
Cubic capacity: 125 ccm
Engine speed: 14000 r.p.m.
Performance: approx. 25 HP
Speed: 140 km/h
Overall weight: 145 kg

Every motorsports-fan’s heart beats faster when the fastest driving field of the German Kart Championship starts its races. The drivers of the German Shifter Kart Championship rush over the asphalt with six gears and regularly take the audience’s breath away. Similar to the DKM, DJKM and DSKM, the starting field satisfies with a high quality. In the past, as many as four reigning and former Kart-World- and European Champions were at the start.

Age: 14 years and up (Year regulation)
License: ITE Chassis: optional by KZ2-regulations
Engines: optional by KZ2-regulations
Gear unit: 6-speed transmission
Cubic capacity: 125 ccm
Engine speed: 14000 r.p.m.
Performance: approx. 45 HP
Speed: 180 km/h
Overall weight: 175 kg

In 2016, the DMSB Shifterkart Cup is going to celebrate its premiere. Next to the German Shifterkart Championship, the Cup is going to be the “second” league of shifterkart racing. Ambitious semi-professional race drivers and aspiring youngsters get the chance to prove themselves in the best surroundings and to gather experiences. To participate in the cup there are special regulations: Only drivers who haven’t gained any points at the EM (KZ and KZ2) during the past two years and who haven’t qualified for the final phase of a KZ WM are allowed to start. Moreover, the top ten drivers of the previous year’s DSKM are not allowed to start at the DMSB Shifterkart Cup. On the other hand the five best drivers of the DSKC won’t be allowed to compete at the cup again the following year but have to switch to the DKM or DSKM.

Age: 14 years and up (Year regulation)
License: ITE
Chassis: optional by KZ2-regulations
Engines: optional by KZ2-regulations
Gear unit: 6-speed transmission
Cubic capacity: 125 ccm
Engine speed: 14000 r.p.m.
Performance: approx. 45 HP
Speed: 180 km/h
Overall weight: 178 kg