GETTING STARTED IN MOTORSPORT

Once the initial race is over, that is just the start of the learning process. Hugo and Eloise are both around six months into their journey, and while the sheer pace of outdoor karting has taken some getting used to, they are growing in confidence as they gain more seat time and starting to make inroads into the field.

“ My friends and family motivate me before every race, and that makes me confident,” says Hugo.“ I got onto the podium a few times but still felt that other people were faster than me, so when I got into the lead of one race, I was nervous. After I won, though, it gave me the hunger to win more, and it really helped me up my commitment on track.”

Hugo’ s dad Ian adds:“ The performance is all down to the engine and the education; understanding what makes you go fast. The first time he went to Shenington, he was a second off the pace but now he is much closer to the front. What you do not want to do is take the fun out of it and make it pressurised. As long as he has had fun, that is what matters.”

For Eloise, the male-dominated environment is very different to what she is used to, but she is taking it all in her stride.“ It was quite a big shift to go from being on a dance team made up of all girls to being on a racing team where it is all boys in my age division,” she smiles.“ But everyone has been so welcoming and that has made me feel more comfortable.

“ Having never being in a kart in my life, learning a junior kart has been a challenge but it has been really fun. A lot of people have been racing much longer than me and catching up with all the progress they have already made has been difficult, but I am getting up to their level and I cannot wait to keep getting better.”

After initially committing to Club sessions at Fulbeck, Eloise is now also racing at Wombwell, and has Shennington on her wish list. Her dad admits it has all spiralled very quickly, and they are now spending most weekends travelling around to karting tracks – but he would rather that than her be sitting around at home on a screen.

“ Motorsport gets kids outdoors,” he explains.“ It means she is not on her phone all the time on Saturdays and Sundays, which is great, and we are starting to try and get her involved a little bit more with the kart itself, away from the track. It is also good for building resilience because you must cope with things not always going right.

“ You could have a bad session or be driving well, and your kart has an issue, and you are disappointed … but you need to dust yourself off because there is another heat in an hour-and-ahalf. You must park that, put it behind you and focus on what is in front of you – and that is a great lesson to learn.”

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Four Steps to get your Licence

Order a Motorsport UK Starter Pack – for Kart, Race or Rally

Nominate your preferred school for your ARKS, ARDS or BARS test

Participate in at least one training session in your chosen discipline( Recommended)

Take the test, which covers three sections:

• A pre-assessment presentation covering all relevant theory topics( 1hr)

• A multiple-choice written exam( 20mins)

• An in-car driving assessment( Approx. 10 mins)

Revolution- July 2025

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