Talented Tom’s in the fast lane

World champion Tom Read has taken delivery of a new super-fast kart – and showed his drive to succeed in front of classmates at Somercotes Academy.

The 12-year-old took his impressive machine for a spin round the island on the drive watched by Years 7 and 8.

He was crowned best in the world in Bahrain last year in the 10 to 13-year-old Rotax mini max category, beating 72 rivals. He is also reigning European champion.

For this next season, he has moved up to the 12 to 15-year-old junior max category.

The new kart is capable of 85 miles-per-hour.

Tom, introduced to karting aged eight, takes his success in his stride but enjoyed demonstrating his skills to fellow students.

“It felt quite cool to be able to show them what karting is about,” he said.

“It does feel really fast when you’re in the kart and is also quite physical.”

He expects to be racing his new kart for two or three seasons but has ambitions beyond that. His hero is Formula One’s British world champion Lando Norris.

“I want to get into cars and single seaters, if I can get the sponsorship and have the continued support of the academy.

“Everyone here has been so supportive and it’s been really nice to do this.”

Principal at Somercotes Academy Jake Bailey was thrilled to see Tom in action.

“We have a world champion at Somercotes, which is quite something at a small, community school,” he said.

“We are all so proud of Tom and his fantastic achievements. He’s a level-headed young man with a lovely family behind him.

“It’s clear from his titles that he has so much talent and we will do all we can to support his ambitions.”

Proud parents are Sally and James Read, sheep farmers from Legbourne near Louth.

She said: “The school has been amazing and we could not have wished for better. Mr Bailey has been so supportive.”

Sally admitted to being “anxious” when watching him race.

“He was doing speeds up to 80mph at the weekend. The roar of the engines as they come down the straight and into the first corner is quite something.

“They are jostling for positions and fighting to get up the grid. It settles down a little after that first lap.”

Tom’s first experience of karting was on a circuit at the former Lancaster bomber airfield at Woodthorpe.

James said: “I took him down and it was obvious from the start he had something.

“We then went to the Paul Fletcher International kart circuit at Grantham. In Tom’s first year competing in the British championships, he came 10th and, in the second year, 5th.

“He went into the worlds in Bahrain as one of five or six favourites. But I’m still pretty gobsmacked that he ended up world champion.

“It is terrifying to watch at times, but we are so proud of him and his achievements.

“This has been absolutely brilliant by the school and his classmates today.”

Tom’s friends watched him for the first time and were impressed.

Heath Youngdorey (11) said: “It was good. I have seen him in a video but not like this.”

Friend Warren Bayliss (11) described the kart as “very, very cool”.

“Tom has crazy skills and he’s clearly very good at it.”

Josh Hamley (12) said: “I thought it was amazing to get the opportunity to see something like this at school,” he said.

Charlie McKenna had driven a kart at club level and knew how good Tom was.

“I thought it was awesome. I have never seen someone drift like that on braking. It was really cool.”

Karting is an expensive sport and the family would welcome offers of sponsorship and other support. To repeat his European success, they will travel to places including Germany, Belgium and the Czech Republic over the coming months.

Sally said: “Everything helps. Woolliss butchers in Louth gave him a free steak ahead of his race at the weekend because they’d heard that’s what he enjoys beforehand. He came fourth in his new kart in the older age group so it served him well!

“Thank you also to Wolds Taxis for helping to support our travel.”

Anybody who can help with sponsorship is asked to contact James at JimReadFarmer@hotmail.co.uk or call him on 07768 928309.