Watch Callum Ilott relive his karting days at Rye House

Callum Ilott at Rye House Kart Raceway

Formula 1 rising star Callum Ilott jumps into a far less powerful vehicle than he’s used to so he can take a trip down memory lane in a special film shot at his home karting track.

The Scuderia Ferrari test driver, backed by Adrian Flux, returns to Rye House Kart Raceway to look back at the early days of his career and complete some laps.

The 22-year-old discusses how the circuit – which also offered some of Lewis Hamilton’s first experiences of racing – kickstarted his love of motorsport and taught him his first lessons in racing.

From karting to F1, Callum Ilott on his motorsport journey

“This is where it started for me,” explains Ilott in the six-minute piece.

“It’s basically my home for karting. I used to come here when I first started after school and put a few laps in and get used to it. This is where I learned how to race and how to become the driver that I am today.”

The F1 talent, also a reserve for Alfa Romeo, analyses the track and discusses his karting days and hopes for the future before offering advice to the next generation in the video.

Test and reserve driver Callum Ilott eyes
Formula 1 seat

A second-placed finish in the 2020 Formula 2 season wasn’t enough to earn the Brit a coveted F1 drive for 2021.

But as a long-term Ferrari Academy Driver who is now gaining experience at the sport’s elite level, Ilott admits he’s hoping to do enough to land a seat for next year.

“I got a call from Red Bull to do Formula 3 in 2015, I think I was 16 years old,” the driver said in the video with one of his sponsors.

“I did three years of Formula 3, only one with Red Bull at the time, and then I spoke to Ferrari, joined the Ferrari Driver Academy, went into something called GP3, then two years at Formula 2 and now I’m in the position that I’m test driver for Scuderia Ferrari in Formula 1.

“I’m racing this year in Spa 24 Hours and GT World Challenge Europe, plus a couple of other races as well as actually getting some experience in the Formula 1 cars and doing some FP1s to hopefully put myself in a good position for next year to hopefully be in a seat for Formula 1.”

Track day insurance with Adrian Flux

Adrian Flux has a long-standing association with motorsport and currently sponsors a host of stellar names including Callum Ilott, Jason Plato and Alex Brundle.

If you get the chance to pretend to be any one of them at a circuit, we have track day cover to suit while you’re behind the wheel.

Related Articles

Adrian Flux are one of the chief partners for a brand new racing team, Brundle Motorsport, fronted by Alex Brundle.
Commentator and fellow racer Alex Brundle details how you can save money on your car insurance.
Asha Silva and Anji Silva Vadgama are two of Team BRIT’s newest drivers, but they’re already making big waves in the motorsport scene.
Commentator and fellow racer Alex Brundle looks back at another action-packed weekend at Spa, where Max Verstappen continued to make history.