Le Mans Driver Academy (LDA) Karting Course for 12 – 17yr Olds
The Le Mans Driver Academy is the best place to start your racing career or develop confidence behind the wheel. Every school term, we offer a 9-week program that covers multiple areas of driving and what it takes to further your racing journey. Our LDA classes run on Wednesday and Thursday after school and the sessions go for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. The program includes theory and practical programs at our team HQ, plus the opportunity to put what you have learned into practice by driving on our Penrite track, which is the most technical track at Le Mans.
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LDA is a great pathway for children to learn and develop! Not just driving skills, but teamwork and practical skills to help any aspiring driver. With emphasis on a fun, safe, and inclusive environment, we are confident that all participants will be excited to attend each week, who wouldn’t want to drive go karts as an after school activity!
The Le Mans Driver Academy is a program for 12-17 year olds, aimed at developing driving skills and providing a great opportunity to explore the fun and excitement of racing in a safe environment.
For children under 12, we have the Rookie Driver Development program, aimed at 8-11 year olds and offers a similar curriculum for the younger racers looking for a fun way to start racing.
Rooke Drivers Development 8-11 Years oldWhat is covered in our 9 week Karting course for juniors?
Our Program is designed to progress and build on your child’s learning each term! Meaning they will obtain a wide range of knowledge and skills whilst seeing improvements in their racing from term to term. We will always cover the Safety & Standards of racing in our first week. This serves as an introduction for new drivers and the team, while reminding our previous participants of the importance of safe driving.
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The Le Mans Driver Academy sessions are run on the Penrite Track, in our 200cc Sprint Karts. Given it’s Melbourne, we deal with all weather conditions. This gives the kids an advantage by gaining experience in and a better understanding of driving conditions and the variables they may face as we operate in most weather conditions. Of course safety is our top priority and our Marshal team are trained and experienced, our go karts are European made to the highest quality standards and we utilise a race safety system to control the karts when required.
Every week we start with a theoretical component in class, learning about varying skills and topics that are required to be a successful driver. Each session contains plenty of driving with varying drills and a strong focus on fun yet challenging activities.
The Driver Academy provides fantastic value, with each session including the opportunity to get on track and put the topics from the classroom into practice! The best way to develop is by getting plenty of laps in on our 200cc Sprint Karts. Each week we aim to have at least 30 minutes on track, developing real world skills to help with not just racing, but also driving on the road when the time comes.
At the end of term presentation everyone will receive a certificate in recognition of their hard work. We have regular prizes for sportsmanship, fairness and dedication during the weekly sessions and we promote an inclusive, safe and fun environment.
Contact Us To JoinWhat is covered during the Driver Academy program
- Safety & Standards
- Racing Lines & Consistency
- Braking Techniques
- Race Starts & Race Craft
- Motorsport Fitness & Mindset
- Qualifying Tips
- Individual & Team Racing
- Wet Weather Driving
- The Mechanics of Karting
- Plus much more!
Term 1 2026 is fully booked!
Enquire via (03) 8787 8741 or driveracademy@lemansgokarts.com.au to join the Term 2 waitlist.
CONTACT US FOR MORE INFOLDA can be booked using AfterPay!
A Fun, Safe & Inclusive After School Activity!
Experienced Coaches Running LDA
The LeMans Driver Academy is lead by our experienced coaches who are passionate about racing. Our team of course have working with children checks completed and the safety of our participants is our top focus.
We strive to create a fun, inclusive environment to learn driving skills and create fantastic friendships! LDA is the perfect program to learn fundamental driving skills for both road and racing applications.
In 2025 we’re excited to welcome a wide range of guest specialty coaches to assist our regular LeMans coaching team, providing expert advice, training and guidance to all LDA participants.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I’ve participated in Le Mans Driver Academy before– should I sign up again?
We may be biased, but definitely yes! Every term will have new drills so there’ll be new things to learn. It is valuable to continue building on the skills, our LDA team spend time getting to know each competitor, so we have lots of repeat enrollments. Plus, practice makes perfect when it comes to shaving seconds off your PB lap time.
What do you get when you enroll?
If you’ve enrolled in the full eight-week term for the first time, then we’ll have a welcome pack for you. We’re working on the 2025 updates at the moment!
Will I be able to race if I am under 18?
Our LDA program is where the next generation of racing superstars from 12-17 years start to learn their race craft, and it is a feeder to our Junior Race League. Your LDA experience will be a great help if you decide to participate in any of the JRL events at Le Mans throughout the year. Under 12? Check out our Rookie Driver Development program.
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