Why do you love karting?
I love karting because it is when I feel most alive. When I enter the track, it feels like its myself and my kart against the world. The battle of racing is like no other, I feel so empowered in my kart driving fast at 70 mph while surrounded by competition. It is both my battlefield and my happy place. It is the only activity where I face no other distractions because nothing else feels as good as the present moment. Driving is my life so when I am not karting I am on my simulator, begging to park my parent’s car in the garage or sitting on a tractor mowing the lawn for pocket money. I watch Formula 1 with my dad and live in Nigel Mansell’s old house. It is in the history of my house, it is in the history of the Isle of Man, it is on the TV playing in the background as I write this, and it is the only direction I see my future going in.
Have you made any sacrifices?
My biggest sacrifices have become my hobbies and my social life. I enjoy sailing with my dad, as it became a hobby we shared together. I got pretty good at sailing too, representing the IOM in the dinghy Worlds Championships and winning top of my fleet. However, once I stepped into a kart my future in racing became clear. I was happy to sell my dinghy to pay for my kart because I knew that my priority was karting. However, I think the biggest sacrifice was actually made by my dad who also sold his dinghy to support my karting career. My dad has sacrificed a lot for my future, so I am thankful to him. Sure, I also miss a party or two, but I am driven to make something out of myself in the world of karting.
What are your best moments?
If I were to pick my top 3 best moments, the first would have to be when I collected my first kart in October 2020, which I am still using. The second is when I qualified 3rd at Glan-y-Gors JKC last year in junior rotax, in only my third competition away I was up there with the best of my group which made me believe that anything is possible. The third is of course when I became signed to Kartal Motorsports in the JKC, which is the best thing that has happened to me so far! In 2022 I will have the privilege to drive for Kartal Motorsports in the JKC, having privateered through 2021 I faced challenges that helped me grow as a driver both on and off track. I am very grateful to have the support of Alan Crankshaw and will be getting additional coaching from Thomas Ikin. Thank you Kartal Motorsports for making my dreams come true.
What are your worst moments?
The JKC final at Clay Pigeon was when I first properly faced adversity karting. I only completed half of qualifying, not making heat 1 or the final due to electrical problems, fuel issues and everything in between. I was so frustrated that nothing was going my way and embarrassed because my family gathered from all parts of England to watch me. It was after that experience I learned that not everything will always go my way no matter how hard I want it to and sometimes it really is ‘just one of those days’. What I know now that I didn’t know then is that these things happen all the time in the professional world of racing, and that my choice of reaction is what defines me as a racer. I find that even when I lose on paper I win as a racer because every adversity on the track gives me an opportunity to become a more skilled and proactive racer. I am constantly learning to not let my emotions get the better of me and to respond more rationally to challenges. My dad always repeats the Charlie Mike mantra “Continue Mission,” which is adapt, overcome, move on, which I live by.
Do you have an interesting backstory?
I came comparatively late to the karting scene starting at 14 years old in junior Rotax, so I had a lot to learn to catch up and I am still catching up. However, it is my achievement in sailing representing my country and winning first in my fleet in the world championships that is my biggest achievement to date, which gives me faith I can achieve similar, if not greater success in karting.
Do you have any hidden talents?
I think my hidden talents most applicable to karting were developed during my sailing career, my ability to adapt to changing circumstances with appropriate strategies and tactics in high-adrenaline situations. Otherwise, I am good at assembling information in a methodical manner, creating Lego is a relaxation of mine. I enjoy keeping fit by going to the gym and I am getting good at long-distance running. I am naturally hypermobile, which above all I enjoy freaking my sister out with.