Karting is one of the most popular forms of motorsport, and is the main avenue to Formula One for ambitious drivers, with all but two of the current grid having competed in karts.

The machines usually have 125cc two-stroke engines with or without gearboxes, mounted on super-light steel chassis with no suspension. The sticky tyres and high power-to-weight ratio complete the F1-in-miniature effect.

Rob’s kart consists of an Italian-made Maranello chassis fitted with a 100cc engine from IAME Parilla. The engine produces approximately 28hp and the whole thing, kart and driver, weighs 155kg.

See Motorsport Ireland or the MSA for more information