Paraguayan driver Sebastián Galeano, 13, departed on Monday, May 18, for Genk, Belgium, where he will represent Paraguay in the first round of the 2026 FIA Karting Academy Trophy. The competition, organized by the International Automobile Federation (FIA), is one of the most important in world formative karting and provides identical chassis and engines to all participants, ensuring that the driver's talent is the differentiator.
Galeano was selected jointly by the Karting Club Paraguayo (KCP) and the Touring y Automóvil Club Paraguayo (TACPy). The young driver arrives at the challenge after a promising start to the year in the Argentine Rotax Junior Max Championship, where he achieved wins and podiums that served as preparation for his debut in the Old Continent.
Galeano's European calendar includes three rounds: Belgium (Genk), from May 21 to 24; Italy (Sarno), from July 2 to 5; and Italy (Viterbo), from October 8 to 11, 2026. He will compete in the Junior Academy Trophy category (ages 12 to 14), which brings together 54 drivers. The classification is determined by the sum of points from qualifying and final rounds, with no discards.
Created in 2010, the FIA Karting Academy Trophy has established itself as an essential tool for detecting and training young motorsport talents. Each year, the concept offers drivers from over 40 countries the opportunity to compete on equal terms, with identical equipment supplied by CIK-FIA in partnership with the OTK Kart Group. Since 2025, the Senior category (ages 14 to 16) has also been introduced, allowing up to 36 drivers to continue their progression.