Age is no barrier to mini go-karter Rio Jones’s ambitions to chase down his hero Lewis Hamilton. The six-year-old from Hellesdon in Norfolk is already revving up to start a career in racing – the same age as the 2008 F1 World Champion when he started started kart racing.
Rio began go-karting in a small Bambino Honda kart that was specially restricted. His dad carpenter Jason Jones, 30, said: ‘Every week we gradually increased the power of the kart as Rio got faster.’ In only a few weeks, he reduced his lap time from one minute 53 seconds to just 38 seconds – only four seconds off the lap record for his local 500m-karting track in Cromer.
Rio has to wait until his seventh birthday before he can race competitively. He attends a racing cadet school at the Cromer track, where he is working towards achieving his racing licence, for which he has to be assessed on three different karting tracks by a qualified instructor.
Jason said: ‘Everyone down at the track has been saying how good he is and how with that sort of talent he could go very far. He loves it and watches all the Grand Prix races when they are on.’
One to watch for the future, Rio is currently looking for sponsors to help support his racing career as a season’s racing – even for a seven-year-old – can cost as much as £10k. But the family are determined not to let money come in the way of Rio’s obvious talent and ambition.
Anyone who is interested in sponsoring Rio, should email eljaycarpenters@aol.com.
And if you are interested in getting your racing career off the ground, click here.
He needs about 5 companies really to spread sponsorship, he’s definitly worth investing in! Well done Rio keep going mate one for the future !!!!
Come on, someone sponsor this lad give him the break! He’s going to be a big star and great for advertising your companies! Think about it, helping him make his dream and being the company to do that.
Well done Rio I’ve seen your clips on YouTube aswell you’re awsome mate!