| Fionn McLaughlin | |
| Birth Date: | 29 October 2007 |
| Birth Place: | Magherafelt, Northern Ireland |
| Current Series: | Karting OK |
| Nationality: |  Irish |
| First Year: | 2023 |
| Current Team: | Kart Republic (VDK Racing) |
| Engine: | IAME |
| Titles: | Irish Karting Championship British Karting Championships IAME International Finals |
| Title Years: | 2016 2022 2022 |
Fionn McLaughlin (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, McLaughlin competed in the CIK-FIA European Championships finishing 7th overall in his first year in the category. He also competed in the 2023 FIA Karting World Championship.
McLaughlin began his karting career at the age of five in the Bambino category. By ages seven and eight, he was competing and winning in various championships throughout Ireland, earning multiple race wins. At age nine, he progressed to compete in the (cadet class 9-12 years old) British Karting Championships for Tony Kart Strawberry racing team.
At age ten, McLaughlin continued in the cadet UK British Karting Championships, breaking into the top ten drivers and contributing to chassis development.
In 2019, aged 11, McLaughlin, in his 3rd year at the British Karting Championships, he would place in the top 10 across multiple race weekends and finish 14th overall in the championship.[1]
In his final year in the cadet class in 2020, McLaughlin claimed multiple race victories and finished in the top three in various British Karting Championships.[2]
Aged 13, McLaughlin moved up to the Junior category racing in the British Karting Championships and the Iame Euro Series. He would go on to claim four podium finishes in the British [3] & European Championships, finishing 4th[4] 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[5] in the British Karting Championships & International British O Plate Championship. Fionn would also claim Vice Champion[6] at the Iame world finals held in Le Mans, France.
In 2023, McLaughlin was invited to sign with the professional karting team, Kart Republic, racing as part of the VDK Team, based in Belgium. He would become the first Irish driver in history to compete in the CIK-FIA European Championship finishing 7th[7] overall in the Championship.
In 2023, McLaughlin would also compete in the FIA World Karting championship claiming pole position in his group.[8] [9] Fionn would also claim three heat wins across the weekend[10] narrowly missing out on winning[11] the final due to an engine failure. In the same year Fionn claimed 4th[12] position in the Iame X30 European championships. Fionn would also compete at the Iame world games in Portimão, Portugal claiming 5th position.
He won the FIA Academy Champions of the Future race in Abu Dhabi, finishing first with a significant lead.
In 2024, it is planned that McLaughlin will compete in the OK CIK-FIA OK European Championship, FIA OK World Championship, IAME X30 European Championship and IAME X30 World Karting Championship. He will also be preparing to compete FIA Formula 4 in 2025.[13]
| Season | Series | Team (s) | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Tullyallen Karting Championship | MCL Racing | 2nd |
| Ulster Cup Championship | 3rd | ||
| 2017 | LGM Championship | Tony Kart (Strawberry Racing) | 27th |
| 2018 | LGM Championship | Tony Kart (Strawberry Racing) | 23rd |
| 2019 | LGM Championship | Tony Kart (Strawberry Racing) | 21st |
| 14th | |||
| 2020 | UKC Championship | Fusion Motorsport | 2nd |
| British Grand Prix | 2nd | ||
| 2021 | Junior IAME European Championship | Fusion Motorsport | 4th |
| British Karting Championships | 8th | ||
| 2022 | British Karting Championships | Fusion Motorsport | 2nd |
| British Kart Masters Grand Prix | 6th | ||
| British O Plate Championship | 2nd | ||
| IAME X30 European Championship | 18th | ||
| IAME International Finals | 2nd | ||
| 2023 | OK Champions of the future | VDK Racing | 16th |
| 7th | |||
| FIA OK World Championship | 19th | ||
| IAME X30 European Championship | 4th | ||
| Champions of the Future | 1st |