Draft:Fionn McLaughlin

Fionn McLaughlin
Fionn McLaughlin, (Irish: Ireland Fionn Mac Lochlainn born 29, October 2007) is an Irish karting driver competing in the OK class representing Kart Republic as part of the VDK racing team. He is a Vice Champion of the 2022 British Karting Championships and Vice Champion of the 2022 Iame World Games. In 2023 Fionn competed in the CIK-FIA European Championships finishing 7th overall in his first year in the category. Fionn also competed in the 2023 FIA Karting World Championship.

Career
Early Career

McLaughlin started his karting career at the age of 5 years old in the bambino category. Age 7 and 8, Fionn was competing and winning in various championships throughout Ireland and winning best junior performance and best cadet driver.

Age 9 due to early success in Ireland Fionn progressed to compete in the (cadet class 9-12 years old) British Karting Championships for Tony Kart Strawberry racing team.

Age 10 Fionn continued to compete in the cadet British Karting Championships having multiple top 10 finishes.

In 2019 age 11 McLaughlin now into his 3rd year at the British Karting Championships would place 1st and had the fastest lap of the winter cup championships.

In 2020 Fionn started to show his true potential at this level claiming race victories and finishing in the top 3 in various British Karting Championships.

Age 13 Fionn moved up to the Junior category racing in the British Karting Championships and the Iame Euro Series. Fionn would go on to claim 4 podium finishes in the British & European Championships, finishing 4th overall in the IAME Euro Series championship in his first year in this category.

In 2022 now age 14 McLaughlin would complete his final year racing in the UK claiming Vice Champion in the British Karting Championships & International British O Plate Championship. Fionn would also claim Vice Champion at the Iame world finals held in Le Mans, France.

2023
In 2023 Fionn was invited to sign with the professional karting team, Kart Republic, racing as part of the VDK Team, based in Belgium.

McLaughlin would become the first Irish driver in history to compete in the CIK-FIA European Championship finishing 7th overall in the Championship.

In 2023 Fionn would also compete in the FIA World Karting championship claiming pole position in his group. Fionn would also claim three heat wins across the weekend narrowly missing out on winning the final due to an engine failure. In the same year Fionn claimed 4th position in the Iame X30 European championships. Fionn would also compete at the Iame world games in Portimão, Portugal claiming 5th position out of 150 drivers.

Following this, Fionn was invited to compete in FIA Academy Champions of the Future which was held in Abu Dhabi. Fionn excelled in this race week and finished P1 overall winning the final by an impressive 5 seconds.

2024
In 2024 Fionn will compete in the OK CIK-FIA OK European Championship, FIA OK World Championship, Iame X30 European Championship and Iame X30 World Karting Championship.

Fionn will also be preparing to compete FIA Formula 4 in 2025.