Racing Towards a Legacy
At just 18 years old, Karlai Warner is chasing more than chequered flags. A proud Kabi Kabi and Wakka Wakka woman based on the Gold Coast, Karlai is carving out her place in Australian motorsport with every lap. She’s not just competing for trophies — she’s racing for representation, legacy, and the generations that will follow.
Her story begins in 2020 at Norwell Motorplex, where she attended the first-ever open day hosted by Racing Together — Australia’s first Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander motorsport team. The moment she stepped into the driver’s seat, something shifted.
“I drove a car for the first time that day and was selected as the female driver for the team,” Karlai recalls. “From that weekend, I knew my life’s perspective would change.”
Launched by FIA officials Garry and Monique Connelly, Racing Together was designed to address the near-complete lack of Indigenous participation in motorsport. It offers young First Nations people a unique opportunity: not only to learn how to drive, but to become immersed in the full world of racing — from engineering and data to logistics, teamwork and leadership.
The team is more than a pit crew. They are storytellers, technicians, ambassadors. And Karlai, fresh-faced and determined, was about to become one of its brightest stars.
But entry into motorsport doesn’t come without its learning curves.
“Being new to motorsport was very challenging at first and always will be,” Karlai says. “Some days you’ll have great results; other days, not so much. You just have to keep showing up.”
What made Karlai show up again and again, even when it was hard, wasn’t just her love of the sport. It was also the people around her.
Mentorship played a crucial role in Karlai’s journey. And few figures loom larger than Supercars icon Paul Morris.
“Paul makes sure I’m always learning something,” she says. “He challenges me every single day — not just critiquing my driving, but even in the office, making sure I’m organised for each race meet.”
That discipline paid off. In 2024, Karlai experienced what she calls her best back-to-back weekends in three years of racing.
At the Supercars Indigenous Round in Darwin this year, she qualified P2 in the Combined Sedans and stepped onto the podium for the first time in her career. “Darwin was a great week — not just on the track, but off it too,” she smiles.
A week later, she hit Queensland Raceway for 2 Days of Thunder. Her qualifying session didn’t go to plan, but she clawed her way up the field over four races, pushing through the front pack and smashing her personal best by seven-tenths of a second.
Those moments, earned through grit and guidance, confirmed what many already suspected: Karlai Warner is a name to watch.
But while her results speak volumes, it’s her sense of purpose that defines her most.
“NAIDOC Week is very important to me,” she says. “It’s a week for everyone to share their story. For non-Indigenous people to learn more about our culture. For our mob to stand proud.”
Karlai understands the power of presence. That when young Indigenous girls see her in the paddock, in the driver’s seat, on the podium — they’re not just seeing a driver. They’re seeing what’s possible.
“I want the younger generation to believe there is hope in getting into this sport. It’s not easy and it’s a lot of work, but I’m here for every young girl who wants to start their journey.”
Her own journey is just heating up. With sights set on the Toyota 86 Scholarship Series next year, and long-term ambitions to compete in GT3 and GT4, Karlai is focused on developing her craft.
“I want to experience driving all different types of cars. They all handle differently, and I want to learn every bit of it.”
Off the track, her days are packed. Workshop time at Norwell Motorplex. Office duties. Simulator sessions. Race weekends. She approaches every piece of it with intent and humility. “Even the bad races are part of it,” she says. “That’s how you learn.”
What fuels her isn’t just speed — it’s connection. To her team. To her mentors. To her culture.
“My helmet has the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags to honour both sides of my mob,” she shares. “I always carry a piece of Country with me.”
It’s this blend of culture, conviction, and car control that makes Karlai’s story resonate far beyond the circuit. She is blazing a path not only for herself but for those still finding the courage to step up to the line.
As she looks ahead to a future full of corners, race calls, and open straights, Karlai Warner is keeping her foot in it — loud, proud, and ready.
Because in her words?
“There is hope. And we’re just getting started.”
Maddi Gurmesevic is an aspiring writer and journalist within the automotive and Motorsport world. She has a large passion for the sport itself, as well as sharing the incredible stories of people across different facets of the industry. Maddi is also a driver herself, competing in Karting since an early teen, along with volunteer work with Motorsport Australia.