Rory the racer claims world honours in Bahrain final

Rory the racer claims world honours in Bahrain final

13 December 2023

A DOWNPATRICK schoolboy received a hero’s homecoming yesterday after he was crowned a karting world champion.

Twelve year-old Rory Armstrong, who was representing Team UK, overcame 71 other competitors from across the globe to win the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals on Saturday following a gruelling week of racing in Bahrain.

“It feels absolutely amazing,” said Rory.

“Everything went to plan, I paced myself, took my time and didn’t make any stupid moves.

“I was only worried about myself and now the hard work has paid off.”

Rory was pushed all the way throughout the weekend’s captivating conclusion in the Mini Max category, eventually winning by just 0.048 seconds ahead of Estonia’s Nikita Ljubimov and fellow Team UK member Jacob Ashcroft.

But, this drama-fuelled race was in keeping with the theme of Rory’s week after he was forced to overcome adversity during his earlier outings.

After initially placing second in his first heat, a brake issue meant that the youngster slipped from third position in his following race to 25th.

“There was a screw at the bottom of the brakes which was causing a bit of an issue, so it made it harder for me on the track,” recalled Rory.

Thankfully, Rory’s father, Andrew, who carries out all the mechanical work required for his son, was on hand to fix the issue in sharp fashion.

“It was a fairly standard issue that can happen with the brakes, so it was easy enough to correct,” explained Andrew.

“We were just worried that he had now fell too far down the grid to get a real crack at the final.

“The competition begins with 72 racers, but after three heats each that number gets whittled down to 36 so Rory knew he needed a few big performances to still be in with a chance.”

He added: “We were hoping he could establish a top ten slot for the final as anything beyond that seemed extremely unlikely for him to reach the podium.”

And that was exactly what the young superstar did as Rory fearlessly recorded results of sixth in his third heat and fifth in his pre-final.

This set him up as ninth on the final grid and as the race began Rory went for broke.

“We didn’t really have a pre-race plan,” said Rory. 

“When you’re out there you just have to be competitive the whole time and adapt to whatever comes your way.”

Rory cleverly manoeuvred through the pecking order before an action-packed final lap saw him shift back and forth across various positions, even sitting in seventh at one point.

However, there was no panicking this impressive young driver, who got himself into a winning position and finished on top of the world.

The celebrations continued for Rory, who has been racing since he was six, as he walked into St Patrick’s Grammar School in Downpatrick yesterday and was treated to a fantastic reception from fellow students and staff members.

“This morning, we celebrated not just a victory on the track, but the embodiment of dedication, perseverance, and unwavering commitment,” said St Patrick’s Grammar School vice principal Michelle Clancy.

“Rory’s outstanding triumph at the World Championships is a testament to his remarkable talent, but more importantly, it showcases the power of relentless passion and hard work. 

“We are so proud of Rory. He has taught all of us a valuable lesson; with determination and a drive to excel, any dream can become a reality.”