Viktor Gustafsson is KZ World Champion again – second title at Le Mans
Viktor Gustafsson is the 2026 KZ World Champion. Four years after his first World Championship title, the Swede won again at Le Mans in France. Racing with CRG Racing Team, he won the final by just over four seconds.
From pole position to the world title
Gustafsson and CRG Racing Team had the pace throughout the World Championship weekend and secured pole position for the final. The Swede took control of the race and gradually built a gap to the chasing pack.
At the finish, the gap to runner-up Emilien Denner of France was just over four seconds. Romania’s Daniel Vasile took third place.
- Winner: Viktor Gustafsson, Sweden.
- Second: Emilien Denner, France.
- Third: Daniel Vasile, Romania.
The victory makes Gustafsson a two-time KZ World Champion. Both titles have come at the same circuit: Le Mans in 2022 and 2026.
A Swedish championship tradition since 1968
Gustafsson’s second title adds to a Swedish karting history spanning several generations. Back in 1968, Thomas Nilsson from Gothenburg became World Champion, two years after winning the Swedish Championship.
Since then, Swedish drivers have won world titles in several senior karting classes:
- 1968 – Thomas Nilsson: World Champion in 100 cc.
- 1988 – Peter Rydell: World Champion in Formula C.
- 1996 – Johnny Mislijevic: World Champion in Formula Super A.
- 2021 – Noah Milell: KZ World Champion on home soil in Kristianstad.
- 2022 – Viktor Gustafsson: KZ World Champion at Le Mans.
- 2026 – Viktor Gustafsson: KZ World Champion at Le Mans.
That makes six world titles won by five Swedish drivers in karting’s senior World Championship classes. The three most recent have come in KZ, with Noah Milell’s home victory followed by Gustafsson’s two titles in France.
From club karting to the top international level
Sweden has karting clubs, circuits and competitions at several levels, where young drivers can start racing and develop step by step. Karting is also the foundation of the motorsport pyramid, as the FIA regularly highlights.
Milell and Gustafsson are Swedish examples showing that karting also has its own top international level to aim for. With two world titles, Gustafsson has now written another chapter in Sweden’s championship history.
All of us at Radne congratulate Viktor Gustafsson on his second KZ World Championship title!
