Titles, a Macau ticket, an F4 test and World Championship entries are on the line as the COTFA UK Series explodes this weekend at Whilton Mill.
2026 marked the start of a new journey for RGMMC, the UK, and the Champions of the Future Academy Program. This week, at the Midlands-based Whilton Mill circuit, known and loved amongst British drivers for its unpredictable, rollercoaster layout, the first chapter of that new era concludes.
Sitting in the heart of England, Whilton Mill hosts a 1,200-metre track with 13 turns, including a first corner that literally sends drivers into Oblivion, with drivers battling the bite of the front end on entry as they are pushed downhill and onwards round a circuit that opened its doors in 1991. Now, for the final test on the UK Series calendar, the grids of Mini 60, OK Junior and OK-N Senior will race to claim some of the biggest prizes any international karting series has to offer.
No matter which drivers come out on top, history will be made as the first full season of OK Junior, OK-N Senior and Mini 60 racing in UK history is completed.
Minis battle for glory
On a circuit previously conquered by drivers like Oliver Bearman and Arvid Lindblad in their cadet days, the two most obvious favourites for the title, as well as a ticket to the Champions of the Future Academy Program Macau 2027 event, are Chester Forkes, Larkhall Final 1 winner, and Bodhi Batch, PFI Final 1 winner. The pair have gone head-to-head over the past 12 months on numerous occasions across all different corners of Europe, but now stay on home soil to test each other once more.
Juniors could be anyone's game
Tied on points at the top of the table are Lucien Smith and Sukhmani Khera, with 340 points to their names. With two Final wins at Larkhall, Smith is certain to head to Whilton with an abundance of confidence. Having completed many laps round Whilton, there is no doubt Lucien will know where to position his kart on the entry to corners like "Christmas" and "The Boot," but Sukhmani "Sugars" has a similar level of circuit knowledge. It would be unfair, however, to count out Colbe Pattison, who sits just 36 points behind the leading duo and is no stranger to Whilton Mill. For this trio, the opportunity to race at the FIA World Karting Championships is on the line, and the racing will undoubtedly reflect this.
Whitticombe just needs to get the job done
For Whitticombe, the chance to race at the FIA World Karting Championships, just like he did in 2024 at Paul Fletcher International, is on the horizon, as is the opportunity to test in F4, an opportunity provided by Argenti Motorsport. After winning every Senior Final to take place this year, there are only two more opportunities remaining for another driver in the field to show what they're made of. For Whitticombe, the challenge is simple in theory, but with drivers like Eva Morris, who is a regular challenger at this track, the game isn't over just yet.
The series has now reached its last event of the year at the famous Whilton Mill. In 2026, RGMMC built a season-long structure in the UK using Mini 60, OK-N Junior and OK-N Senior machinery, a concept never done before. Now the end is near, but the action this weekend is only just getting started.
Friday practice will reveal more before separate race days on Saturday and Sunday, streamed live on YouTube. With international talent, prizes, and titles at stake, Whilton Mill will deliver.