Young Louth Racer Triumphs in Global Karting Championship

While Lando Norris is hogging the limelight with his latest Formula 1 championship victory, 12-year-old Louth native, Tom Read, is subtly making waves of his own, having secured a win at the Mini Max Rotax Challenge Grand Finals in Bahrain. Aspiring to follow the footsteps of his inspiration, Norris, towards Formula 1 success, Tom, who has earned himself the nickname ‘The Farmer’, has been steadily advancing in karting ranks, accumulating an impressive 70 trophies since he began racing at the early age of eight.

Strawberry Racing team identified Tom’s racing potential when he was at the PF International Circuit near Grantham and brought him on board in 2023. With this recent achievement, Tom has joined the ranks of distinguished racers, including Benjy, brother of George Russell. James Read, Tom’s father, couldn’t contain his joy at his son’s incredible achievement. The family was equally elated when they learnt about Norris’ F1 victory upon their return to the UK, jubilant that both their son and his source of inspiration achieved remarkable success over the same weekend.

Tom’s passion for engines and speed is unmistakably evident, and his track record of noteworthy accomplishments at such a young age hints at a bright future ahead for this young lad from Lincolnshire.

This article has been adapted from original coverage by BBC.