Fionn McLaughlin

Fionn McLaughlin
McLaughlin at the FIA Karting World Championships in England, 2024
NationalityRepublic of Ireland Irish
Born (2007-10-29) 29 October 2007 (age 17)
Magherafelt, Northern Ireland
F4 British Championship career
Debut season2025
Current teamHitech Pulse-Eight
Starts0
Wins0
Podiums0
Poles0
Fastest laps0


Fionn McLaughlin (born 29 October 2007) is an Irish racing driver, who is set to compete in the F4 British Championship in 2025 for Hitech Pulse-Eight.

He is a member of the Red Bull Junior Team.

Career

Karting career

In 2019, McLaughlin finished 14th overall in the IAME Cadet class of the British Karting Championships.[1] The following year he competed in both Britain and Europe. In Italy he competed for Dino Chiesa's Kart Republic team.[2]

In 2021, McLaughlin moved up to the junior category, winning at the PF International Kart Circuit[3] and finishing 4th overall in the IAME Euro Series.[4] The following year he came 2nd in the 2022 British IAME Junior X30 Championship[5] and finished 2nd in the IAME world finals held in Le Mans, France.[6][7]

2023

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[8] overall in the Championship.

In 2023, McLaughlin would also compete in the FIA World Karting championship claiming pole position in his group.[9][10] He would also claim three heat wins across the weekend[11] narrowly missing out on winning[12] the final due to an engine failure. In the same year Fionn claimed 4th[13] 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.

2024

In 2024, McLaughlin competed in the CIK-FIA European Karting Championship and the CIK-FIA World Karting Championship, finishing 6th overall in both.

McLaughlin claimed 3rd overall in the OK Champions of the Future Euro Series,[14] claiming a race win in the 4th round of the championship, which took place in Kristianstad. He would also claim 2nd place overall in the X30 IAME Euro Series.[15][16]

Single seater career

Following a shootout in Formula 4 and GP3 cars between 11 invited drivers at Jerez in August 2024, McLaughlin was chosen to be a member of the Red Bull Junior Team.[7][17]

Formula 4

For 2025, McLaughlin is set to compete both in the Formula Winter Series[18] and the F4 British Championship with Hitech Pulse-Eight.[19][20]

Karting record

Karting career summary

Season Series Team (s) Position
2016 Tullyallen Karting Championship — Honda Cadet MCL Racing 1st
Ulster Cup Championship — Honda Cadet 3rd
2017 LGM Series — IAME Cadet Strawberry Racing 35th
2018 LGM Series — IAME Cadet Strawberry Racing 23rd
2019 Kartmasters British Grand Prix — IAME Cadet Strawberry Racing 18th
British Karting Championships — IAME Cadet 14th
2020 Trofeo Andrea Margutti — 60 Mini Team Driver Racing Kart 8th
Kartmasters British Grand Prix — IAME Cadet Fusion Motorsport 2nd
IAME Euro Series — X30 Junior 5th
2021 IAME Winter Cup — X30 Junior Fusion Motorsport 4th
British Karting Championships — X30 Junior 8th
2022 IAME Winter Cup — X30 Senior Fusion Motorsport 23rd
LGM Series — X30 Junior 28th
Kartmasters British Grand Prix — X30 Junior 6th
British Karting Championships — X30 Junior 2nd
IAME Euro Series — X30 Senior 18th
IAME Warriors Final — X30 Junior 2nd
2023 IAME Euro Series — X30 Senior VDK Racing 4th
CIK-FIA European Championship — OK 7th
CIK-FIA World Championship — OK 19th
Champions of the Future — OK 16th
IAME World Finals — X30 Senior 5th
2024 IAME Winter Cup — X30 Senior VDK Racing 34th
CIK-FIA European Championship — OK 6th
CIK-FIA World Championship — OK 6th
Champions of the Future — OK 3rd
IAME Euro Series — X30 Senior 2nd

Racing record

Racing career summary

Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position
2025 F4 British Championship Hitech Pulse-Eight
Formula Winter Series

References

  1. ^ "Championship Standings". Motorsport Timing UK. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  2. ^ Savage, Claire (29 December 2020). "Teen karting star hoping to follow in slipstream of Lewis Hamilton". Belfast Live. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  3. ^ McMullan, Michael (6 September 2021). "Top spot on the podium for Magherafelt's Fionn McLaughlin". www.derrynow.com. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  4. ^ "IAME EURO SERIES 2021 - Genk Results". www.apex-timing.com. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  5. ^ "Championship Standings 2022". British Kart Championships. Archived from the original on 13 May 2024. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  6. ^ "Giltaire & Stilp, X30 Winners at IAME World Final". Kart Sport News. 24 October 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  7. ^ a b "NI driver, 16, to be part of Red Bull Academy". BBC. 7 August 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  8. ^ "2023 FIA Karting European Championship Standings". FIA Karting. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  9. ^ "Fionn McLaughlin (VDK Racing – KR – IAME) FIA Karting World Championship OK 2023 Franciacorta". Youtube. TKART. 6 October 2023. Retrieved 13 May 2024.[unreliable source?]
  10. ^ "FIA Karting - World Championship Qualifying in Franciacorta gets off to a flying start". FIA. 6 October 2023. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  11. ^ "FIA Karting - Tough battles in the Qualifying Heats at Franciacorta". FIA. 7 October 2023. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  12. ^ "2023 FIA Karting European Championship Standings". FIA Karting. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  13. ^ "Euro Series Round 4" (PDF). Iame Euro Series. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  14. ^ "Champions Of The Future" (PDF). Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  15. ^ "Iame Euro Series" (PDF).
  16. ^ Wood, Ida (25 August 2024). "New Red Bull junior McLaughlin denied karting title in dramatic final". Formula Scout. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  17. ^ Wood, Ida (7 August 2024). "Red Bull signs karters Scott Lindblom and Fionn McLaughlin as juniors". Formula Scout. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  18. ^ Hilgenberg, Mart (4 November 2024). "FWS: Hitech GP announces Formula Winter Series debut". Winter Series by GEDLICH Racing. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  19. ^ "McLaughlin to British F4". Hi-Tech GP. 13 November 2024. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  20. ^ Wood, Ida (13 November 2024). "Red Bull junior Fionn McLaughlin joins Hitech for karts to cars switch". Formula Scout. Retrieved 21 November 2024.