Video on demand https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kavaVVGcIrY
James Anagnostiadis in action during the 2025 FIA Karting World Championship (Pic: FIA/KSP)
Australian teenager James Anagnostiadis has finished an impressive fourth in the OK category at the 2025 FIA Karting World Championship, held in Kristianstad, Sweden.
After a strong performance in the heats, Anagnostiadis started the Final from pole position and led the opening laps. He was soon overtaken and slipped back as far as seventh mid-race. Demonstrating composure and race craft, the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Junior driver seized late opportunities to climb back into fourth with one lap to go, holding the position to the chequered flag.
Victory went to Belgium’s Thibaut Ramaekers, ahead of Britain’s Joe Turney.
The result adds to a remarkable record for the Victorian, who was runner-up in the Junior category at the same event last year.
Australia’s second Senior representative, Lewis Francis, showed flashes of potential across the weekend before being classified 50th of the 105 entrants.
In the Junior category, William Calleja was one of the standout performers through the heats, finishing sixth in the intermediate classification from 109 drivers. A setback in the Super Heat dropped him to 13th on the grid for the Final, where his campaign ended in a turn one incident.
Joining him in the Junior Final was Queenslander Sebastian Eskandari-Marandi, who produced a determined drive from 33rd on the grid to finish 24th.
Recently crowned Australian Champions Liam Carr (KA2) and Braxton Regan (KA3 Junior), along with Mason Luchetti, gained valuable international experience but missed qualification for the Final.
After heartbreak in 2024, Britain’s Noah Baglin claimed redemption by securing the Junior World Championship crown.
