One Race to Go for Da Silva in FIA Academy Trophy

For Canadian racer Leo Da Silva, the 2026 FIA Karting Academy Trophy has been about much more than results.

It has been an opportunity to learn, adapt and develop while representing Canada on one of karting’s biggest international stages. Now, with two rounds of experience behind him, Da Silva is preparing for one final challenge as the FIA Karting Academy Trophy heads to the Leopard Circuit in Viterbo, Italy.

“It feels pretty cool to even think I have been given this opportunity,” Da Silva told CKN ahead of the event. “Going into this last race feels great! It definitely comes with some nerves, but overall it’s the excitement and just wanting to have a good weekend for this last round.”

The Academy Trophy presents a unique challenge for its young competitors, placing drivers from around the world into equal equipment and putting an emphasis on adaptability, consistency and minimizing mistakes.

For Da Silva, it has also provided a crash course in European kart racing.

Photo by: KSP.fr

Looking back at the opening two rounds, his experience at Sarno stands out as one of the most important moments of the campaign.

“There are a lot of things that stand out after these races,” he explained. “I would have to say the Sarno race stands out to me the most. It was a very tough track to learn quickly. Once I got the consistency of the track down, I was able to push as hard as I could go and just drive.

“It was a track that challenged me, but most importantly it was a track that taught me how to adapt quickly.”

That ability to adapt has become one of the biggest lessons Da Silva will take away from his Academy Trophy experience.

Competing at unfamiliar circuits against an international field leaves little time to get comfortable. Drivers need to find speed almost immediately, while the physical demands of racing in Europe have also emphasized the importance of preparation away from the track.

“I have come a long way during this series,” said Da Silva. “I have learned a lot, like how fast you need to adapt to a track so you can be quick, and how you need to train ahead of time to build up the strength and endurance you need during these races.

“It has given me some really good lessons that I hope to bring with me for the rest of my career.”

For Viterbo, Da Silva will have Austin Bisschop as his mechanic and coach again. (Photo by: KSP.fr)

The Academy format has also given Da Silva a different perspective on competition compared to what he is accustomed to racing at home in Canada.

With identical equipment throughout the field, the margins are incredibly small.

“The Academy brings a professionalism and level playing field,” he said. “All of us drivers are racing with all the same equipment. We are racing based off of talent and who is making the least amount of mistakes that day.”

Da Silva pointed to the aggressive racing and high-grip European circuits as two of the biggest adjustments he has encountered.

“Canada has so many competitive drivers, but it’s a different level in Europe,” he explained. “As for the grip, that is one of the key differences of racing in Europe. I think any driver from Canada would agree.”

Perhaps most impressive to Da Silva has been just how deep the competition runs.

Every session matters, and with so many drivers capable of running near the front, consistency can be the difference between fighting for a podium and getting lost in the pack.

“What surprised me the most about this competition is every time you are there, everyone has a chance of battling for a podium finish,” he said. “What it really comes down to is who is more consistent.”

Da Silva believes an important breakthrough actually came before the Academy Trophy campaign got underway, during a race in Texas early in his season.

“It was my second race of the year. Everyone was close, but I found how to go deeper and it really clicked for me,” he recalled. “It showed me how to push myself out of my comfort zone.”

That mentality will be important once again in Viterbo.

The final Academy Trophy round will not only bring Da Silva’s campaign to a close, but it will also serve as another valuable European experience before he turns his attention to another major international assignment: the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals.

There, he plans to apply many of the lessons gathered through his Academy adventure.

“Something I am going to bring to the Grand Finals is every time there is a chance to go, take it!” said Da Silva. “Also, I will use what I have learned on how to adapt to tracks in Europe quickly.”

Before then, however, there is one more opportunity to represent Canada in the Academy Trophy.

With everything he has learned through the first two rounds, Da Silva heads to Viterbo focused on quickly getting up to speed, pushing himself and putting together his strongest performance of the campaign.

“This weekend I’m looking to adapt to the track quickly and push myself as much as I can,” he said. “If everything goes well, I would love to see a race full of great racing, fast pace and some great results.”

After a season spent learning how to adapt, finding new limits and experiencing the intensity of international karting, Viterbo represents one final opportunity for Da Silva to put those lessons into action.

And regardless of what the stopwatch says when the weekend is complete, the young Canadian will leave the FIA Karting Academy Trophy with considerably more international experience than when the journey began. Experience he hopes will continue paying dividends as he takes the next steps in his racing career.

Photo by: KSP.fr