Mülsen/Munich. The German Kart Championship (DKM) made a strong start to the 2026 season this past weekend. Under excellent weather conditions and partly summer-like temperatures, drivers, teams, and spectators experienced an intense race weekend at Arena E in Mülsen.

A total of 152 participants competed across five classes. The first winners of the season were Daniel Stell (KZ2), Roman Meister (Mini), Henri Möhring (OK-N Junior), Constantin Papst (OK-N), and Manuel Kastl (KZ2 Cup).

The 1,315-meter circuit delivered exactly what it promised: close slipstream battles, numerous overtaking maneuvers, and decisions in several classes that were only settled in the closing laps. The new class structure, featuring the OK-N Junior and OK-N categories, successfully passed its first major test.

KZ2: Strong comeback secures victory for Daniel Stell

The KZ2 weekend began with a statement from Markus Kajak (Formula K SRP Factory Team), who set the fastest time in qualifying. Eventual winner Daniel Stell (Kartshop Ampfing) initially placed sixth.

The balance of power shifted during the heats: Marek Skrivan (TB Racing Team) won the first heat, while Jayden Thien (CS Competition) claimed victory in the second and took the overall lead. Stell had already shown his pace with the fastest lap in Heat 1 — a performance that would later prove decisive.

In Sunday’s Super Heat, Emilien Denner (Formula K SRP Factory Team) took the lead and secured pole position for the final. He initially led the race, followed by Dion van Werven, Thien, Stell, and Kajak. After a technical failure for the leader, the field was reshuffled.

Stell capitalized, took the lead, and pulled away decisively in the second half of the race. Kajak moved up to second and defended his position ahead of Thien, who completed the podium in third while also setting the fastest lap. Van Werven and Dawid Liwinski (MP Kartracing) rounded out the top five.

“The season couldn’t have started better. We had some issues yesterday and worked on the chassis overnight — it paid off today. Cheb will be interesting; it’s new territory for all of us,” said Stell after his opening victory.

Mini: Roman Meister keeps his nerve in the Final

The youngest drivers in the Mini class were closely matched from the start. Albert Poulsen (Poulsen Motorsport) from Denmark secured pole position. After several lead changes throughout the heats and Super Heat, Roman Meister (TB Racing Team) started the final from pole — despite not winning any of the heats.

The final remained tightly contested. Maddox Mason (Lanari Racing Team) initially took the lead before Leo Klok (CRG Holland) moved ahead. Poulsen, Michael Kolar (RACE ACADEMY z.s.), and Meister stayed close behind.

As positions changed multiple times, Meister fought his way back to the front and took the lead at a crucial moment. Klok, by contrast, dropped out of podium contention late in the race and finished fourth.

Meister secured the win, with Poulsen and Kolar crossing the line just fractions behind. The fastest lap was set by Lion Osaj (Arena E Team) in sixth place.

“The start wasn’t perfect, and I lost several positions, but I found my rhythm again, fought back to the front, and managed to win,” said the young TB Racing Team driver.

OK-N Junior: Henri Möhring turns the Final in his favor

With 32 drivers, the OK-N Junior class was one of the strongest fields of the weekend. Carlos Nees (Nees Racing) secured pole position and won the first heat.

In the second heat, Petr Mikes (Sumako Team Z.S.) took over the lead and held it into the final. However, the Czech driver lost ground early in the decisive race and was unable to fight for victory.

At the front, a duel developed between Mattao Mason (Lanari Racing Team) and Henri Möhring (Dörr Motorsport). Möhring took the lead during the race and gradually pulled away.

Behind him, the battle for the podium remained open until the final lap. Mason held onto second, while Gustav Christensen (CRG Holland) moved up to third late in the race. Rossi finished fourth and set the fastest lap, followed by Sebastian Brand (Arena E Team) in fifth.

“It was great fun battling with the others. We had some really good and fair fights over the past two days. Now I’m looking forward to continuing in Cheb,” said Möhring.

OK-N: Dominant performance by Constantin Papst

The OK-N category had a clear benchmark in Constantin Papst (TB Racing Team). The German driver set the fastest time in qualifying and remained unbeatable throughout the weekend, winning every session in Mülsen.

“We had very strong pace from the beginning and maintained it throughout the weekend. A big part of this success is thanks to my mechanic and team for providing a race-winning kart,” said Papst.

Behind him, positions were quickly settled in the final. Jakub Kamenik (Lanari Racing Team) secured second place, finishing in Papst’s slipstream. Ben Goetz (Ebert Motorsport) completed the podium in third and set the fastest lap.

Martina Rumlenova (MVM Racing) finished fourth, followed by Lias Erbersdobler (Dörr Motorsport) in fifth.

KZ2 Cup: Manuel Kastl triumphs in the largest field

With 48 starters, the KZ2 Cup was the largest class of the weekend. The path to the final was intense, with four groups and six heats determining the 36 finalists.

Rookie Oliver Staedtler (Formula K SRP Factory Team) was the standout performer on Saturday, taking pole position and winning all three heats. Manuel Kastl (CS Competition) followed closely with two heat wins and turned the tide on Sunday by winning the Super Heat to secure pole position for the final.

At the start of the final, Staedtler dropped back significantly, forcing him into a recovery drive. Kastl seized the opportunity, while Marc Gerstenkorn (Mach1 Motorsport), Eric Wess, Pavel Vimmer (TB Racing Team), and Iliyan Yankov (Formula K SRP Factory Team) stayed within striking distance.

Kastl maintained control at the front and secured the win.

“I had a good start, which laid the foundation for the victory. We want to build on this and head to the next race with confidence,” said Kastl.

Gerstenkorn finished second, Wess held third, and Staedtler recovered to ninth place while setting the fastest lap.

Next stop: Cheb

Following a successful season opener in Mülsen, the DKM now looks ahead to its next highlight. From May 29 to 31, the championship heads to Cheb in the Czech Republic for the second round.

It will mark the first appearance of Germany’s premier karting series at the 1,202-meter circuit, promising more excitement. For many drivers and teams, the track near the German border will be new territory — potentially reshuffling the competitive order.