Louth karting boy Tom, 12, emulates Lando Norris by racing to world title
Newly-crowned Formula One champion Lando Norris is not the only British driver celebrating a world title. For a boy from the Louth area has mirrored his success – in the sport of karting.
Norris, now 26, learned his trade in karting, becoming a world champion at the age of 14. And he has emphasised that the sport was crucial in his development, providing the skills he now uses in F1.
So 12-year-old Tom Read has high hopes of following in his tyre-marks after glory, representing Team UK, in the mini max category at the grand finals of the Rotax Racing RMC World Challenge in Bahrain.
“Most of the Formula One grid started in karting and won world finals,” he said. “So I wanted to do the same!”
Tom lives on the family farm, with parents James and Sally, at North Reston. And he’s not averse to helping out by driving tractors around the place and looking after the sheep.
But karting is his passion, having started at the age of eight, and his triumph in Bahrain capped a career so far that has yielded more than 70 trophies, including a European winter title for his age group in Italy in March.
Tom, nicknamed The Farmer, had an agonising wait for his world title to be confirmed after two of his main rivals incurred time-penalties.
"It took half-an-hour for the results to come out, but then we found out he had won,” proud dad James told the BBC. “We were over the moon and absolutely gobsmacked.
"Most farmers are good drivers but Tom has taken it to the limit now. He’s such a cool dude that I don’t think it’s actually sunk in yet!
“He started karting at an old Lancaster Bomber airfield base near Woodthorpe and just rocketed from there. Every waking hour, he’s thinking about karting and racing.”
Tom’s big break came two years ago when he was signed by the Strawberry Racing team after being spotted at the PF International Circuit in Brandon, near Grantham. Since then, he has left most of his opponents in his tracks at events across the globe.
A spokesperson for Strawberry Racing said: “Tom was crowned champion in Bahrain after a consistent week of performances. It was a very deserving win after all his hard work and determination.”
Mum Sally has also played a crucial role in Tom’s success. She explained: “Before racing, he loves to have a plate of steak and chips and a pint of milk.
"We’re often asked if we have a cow tethered up outside, given the amount of milk he drinks!”