Last year Gulf Youth Sport introduced you to a go-carting prodigy taking Dubai by storm.
And now eight-year-old Zak Stimpson has capped a successful first karting season by winning the IAME Bambino Cup series, coming out on top in all four of the time trial events on the final race day – and setting a new lap record in the process.
It comes just a week after he won the inaugural Dubai Bambino Cup, which is competed over a series of time trial events held throughout the season.
He cruised to victory with 190 championship points – 45 more than his nearest competitor – establishing himself as the UAE’s top driver in the aged 5-8 category.
Stimpson, who drives his lucky number 19 kart, has only been driving since April last year but has taken to the sport incredibly quickly.
In his first ever Bambino category race in September 2017, he topped the podium by winning all four of the time trials, earning the first of many trophies in the process.
By the time of Round 1 of the Dubai Bambino Cup on October 7th, he was already the driver to beat; he won all four of the time trial heats and set the fastest time of the day – 1:16.68 – which was a full five seconds quicker than second place.
Consistently fast times in the rest of the events – including second place in the Dubai ‘O’ Plate championship – meant that, by the last event on April 14th, he was in no danger of being overtaken in the championship standings.
Stimpson has been crazy about driving since he was given an electric Ferrari by his grandparents for his second birthday, and it’s a love that has stayed with him ever since.
When he was seven he began training at the Indoor Kartdrome in Dubai, where he learned everything that would prepare him for his debut year of competition.
And the icing on the cake? He got to go and see the pros first-hand when he was surprised with tickets to the F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last year.
Could we see Zac Stimpson in the starting grid a few years from now?