Annabel turns hobby into world series

Pictures: Annabel Kennedy in action in Italy. Courtesy KSP Reportages

A “fun day out” for her dad’s birthday, kick-started the rise of North Lakes’ teenager Annabel Kennedy from hire karts to the world stage.

The student at St Benedict’s College, Mango Hill, is Australia’s representative in the new 2025 FIA Karting Academy Trophy – Senior.

It is designed for “talent from around the world to shine” with three meetings in three countries for 36 drivers from 35 nations aged 14-16.

All use identical 125cc 2-stroke karts in the one-make mixed gender championship, to “ensure the focus is on driver ability – not equipment”.

Selected by Karting Australia, Kennedy has raced in Portugal and Italy and is now preparing for round three in Denmark.

Despite being “a bit nervous” entering round one at Portimao (May 1-4), Kennedy finished 13th after starting the final in 29th - and “learned so much”.

The 16-year-old was then third, second and sixth (with an under performing engine) in the heats at Viterbo (June 5-8) to start on the front row in the final.

“Unfortunately, through no fault of my own, my tire delaminated and went flat, ultimately resulting in me retiring from the race on lap 20 of 24,” Kennedy said.

However, she led the Top Consistency table and was third in the fastest times ratings.

Kennedy is 13^th in the overall standings going into the final round in Rodby (July 31-August 3) – another stepping stone towards F4 and her ultimate goal.

“There is also F1 Academy, which is an all-female category managed by Susie Wolff, wife of Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff,” Kennedy said.

“To compete in the F1 Academy, I need at least one year of single seater experience, hence F4 being my next step. However, my main goal is Formula 1.”

If she succeeds, Kennedy will follow former FIA Academy graduates Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), Esteban Ocon (Haas) and George Russell (Mercedes) into F1.

“I love the feeling I get when I'm racing, the adrenaline, speed, and pressure,” Kennedy said.

"They force me to perform. The satisfaction after a good result makes it all worth it.

“I am very competitive and the track is an environment where that can thrive. I’m hungry to win and succeed and every weekend I only want to do that.”

Kennedy career started in a hire kart at Slideways on the Gold Coast and progressed to monthly race days, before joining Ipswich Karting Club in 2019.

She has raced in the Australian Championships for the last two years, won the Pink Plate in KA3 Junior and Senior and has multiple podium finishes at state level.

On her return from Portugal, Kennedy was second in KA3 Senior class at the Ipswich Race of Champions, behind Australian Championship leader Jett Adamson.

She next has the Queensland Championship in Cairns on July 4-6 and is in this year’s five-round Australian titles, though dates have clashed with the FIA series.