The InEVitable
The InEVitable
MotorTrend
How Do We Get More Kids Racing? Ferdi Porsche & Rob Smedley - F.A.T. Karting League
1 hour 7 minutes Posted Oct 24, 2025 at 1:00 pm.
Opening: Why it costs $1.5 million to chase an F1 dream
Welcome to The InEVitable Podcast
Meet Ferdi Porsche and Rob Smedley
What is the FAT Karting League?
The real cost of getting into motorsport
How FAT makes racing affordable for families
Arrive-and-drive: democratizing karting
Season format and global hubs (UK, Midwest, California)
From expensive elitism to merit-based competition
The origin of the “FAT” brand and its ice-race roots
Ferdi & Rob’s vision: Fun over speed
Designing electric race karts from scratch
Why electric power evens the playing field
Data, telemetry, and finding the next generation of drivers
Building a path from karting to F4 and F3
Bringing FAT Karting to the U.S. and beyond
Girls in motorsport and global talent growth
Sim racing and digital training for young drivers
FAT Ice Race Montana and expanding car culture
Closing thoughts and how to get involved
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Show notes
In Episode 118 of The InEVitable, MotorTrend hosts Ed Loh and Jonny Lieberman sit down with two racing powerhouses — Ferdi Porsche, great-grandson of Ferdinand Porsche, and Rob Smedley, former Ferrari race engineer to Felipe Massa — to talk about FAT Karting League, a bold effort to democratize motorsport. Karting has always been the entry point for Formula 1 hopefuls — but at costs reaching over $1.5 million for families, the dream has been out of reach for most kids. FAT Karting aims to change that with arrive-and-drive electric karts, fixed budgets, data-driven coaching, and a truly merit-based system that makes motorsport accessible again. Ferdi and Rob explain how the league works, why they’re bringing racing to new generations worldwide, and how their mission extends from karting to F4, F3, and beyond. They also share details about the upcoming FAT Ice Race in Montana, global expansion plans, and why fun over speed might just be the future of car culture.
Guests:
Ferdi Porsche, Founder, FAT International / FAT Karting League
Rob Smedley, Co-founder & CEO, FAT Karting League; former Ferrari F1 Race Engineer
Hosts:
Ed Loh & Jonny Lieberman | MotorTrend
 
📍 Recorded in Los Angeles 🌐
More info: fat-karting-league.com | fat-international.com