Several past champions have progressed to win the Formula One World Drivers' Championship, including Michael Schumacher, Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen.

The Karting European Championship was first held in 1972, running a 100cc direct-drive class won by Italian driver Gabriele Gorini, who retained his titles in 1973 and 1975.

The gearbox category has since been added, first contested in 1974 in the Formula C (FC) class and won by Dutch driver Aad van Daalen.

FK was ran from 1982 to 1990, and again in 1992, as the primary direct-drive class, until it was replaced by Formula A (FA) and its Super sub-class (FSA).

Walter van Lent became the first non-Italian ICC European Champion in 1990, and the last in the primary gearbox class until Jonathan Thonon in 2008.

The 2000 season was notable for marking the start of the fierce rivalry between CRG teammates Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, who finished first and second in that year's FA European Championship, respectively.

In 2009, the entire podium—Nyck de Vries, Carlos Sainz Jr. and Daniil Kvyat—went on to graduate to Formula One, the only time this has happened at the European Championship.

Between 2005 and 2008, Marco Ardigò won four consecutive direct-drive titles with Tony Kart, remaining the only driver to complete a four-peat in the European Championship as of 2024.

In 2017, Spanish-born Moroccan driver Sami Taoufik became the first non-European champion in a primary class, winning the OK European Championship with FA Kart.

The 2020 Superkart European Championship, originally scheduled to be hosted at Le Mans–Bugatti, was cancelled amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, ending its 18-year tenure under the CIK-FIA banner.

The KZ2-Masters class debuted at the 2024 KZ European Championship as a senior gearbox division, limited to drivers aged 35 and above.

The gearbox and direct-drive European Championships are contended on separate dates at various kart circuits across Europe.

Marco Ardigò holds the record for most primary direct-drive European Championships, with four consecutive titles from 2005 to 2008 with Tony Kart.

Despite this, Sebastian Vettel remains the only junior European Champion to also win the Formula One World Drivers' Championship.

The KZ2-Masters class held its inaugural European Championship season in 2024, won by Italian driver Riccardo Nalon.