12-YEAR-OLD Rory Armstrong says the sacrifices both he and his family have made over the course of this year have all been worthwhile after he was crowned world champion.
Armstrong delivered one of his single best on-track performances at the Rotax MAX Grand Final earlier this month in the heat and humidity of Bahrain to wrap up the 2023 Mini MAX drivers’ title.
A Team UK representative, Armstrong took the chequered flag at the invitation-only, week-long event by the smallest of margins in front of his dad Andrew and mum Orla to cue wild celebrations.
Although he crossed the finish line in second behind Denholm, the final result was never really in doubted as confirmed by a six-second penalty being awarded to the Scot for a track cutting offence.
The updated results showed that a blanket could have been thrown over Armstrong, Estonian hot shot Nikita Ljubimov and England’s Jacob Ashcroft as they were covered by a barely believable 58 thousandths of a second.
“When we started the season off this year, my number one goal was to win a ticket to the Rotax Grand Finals and race at a world level,” Armstrong told Irish News Sport.
“Just getting the ticket to represent Team UK felt like such a big achievement for me personally, but to get to experience my first ever Grand Finals in Bahrain is one that I will never, ever forget.
“I have worked really hard this season both on and off track to prepare for this, at the gym with my trainer, testing on track when I am not racing, and on the simulator in-between times, so it feels amazing to win the biggest race of the year.
“It makes the hard work and sacrifices worthwhile.
“To get to the Grand Finals you have to win a ticket which are awarded for Championship winners and runners-up,” he adds.
“Globally, there are only 72 tickets available for my category, so it is not an easy thing to qualify for as most Championships will have more than 30 competitors who all want to win a ticket and have the honour of representing their country.
“I raced in two European Championships this year and came home second in the BNL Championship which consists of races at two locations in Belgium and another race in France, with this securing me my ticket for 2023.”
The crazy manner in which the drivers’ title was decided was reflective of a meeting that had no shortage of ups and downs for 12-year-old Armstrong, who is a pupil at St Patrick’s Grammar School, Downpatrick and was introduced to the sport aged six and has gone on to win at a local, Irish and UK-wide level with father Andrew spannering most weekends.
Initially, the signs were promising at the Bahrain International Karting Circuit as he consistently featured as one of the five quickest people, carrying the momentum from winning the 2023 Irish GP Plate and ending up Vice Champion in the BNL Karting Series to the end-of-season showdown.
However, a brake problem in the third heat threatened to derail his hopes of a strong starting spot for the all-important, 14-lap Rotax MAX Grand Final, and left Armstrong feeling understandably deflated.
But with the issue successfully cured and fifth spot banked in the pre-final, it was good enough to hand him ninth-place start for the all-important decider.
“At that point I knew we still had a chance,” says Armstrong.
“The race itself was incredible, it was like a last lap battle every lap as we climbed to second place at one point before dropping back to seventh and then first.”
Cool heads were also called for track side, with Andrew, Orla and Rory’s brother Ryan all doing their bit to keep the mood in the camp high and not allow the expectation to become too much for the young driving talent.
“I didn’t want to add to any pressure at such a high-level event,” says Andrew.
“We took positives from each session as we improved the set-up of the kart to suit Rory’s driving style, and in nearly every session we topped the timing board at one point or another, so I knew our race pace was good.
“Our main focus was on trying to stay somewhere in the top 10 for the grid for the final as we could see in the heats and pre-finals that this is where we needed to be to be in with a realistic chance.
“I never doubted that he could win it at any point, but with so many high-level competitors from all around the world it was always going to be a battle to the end.
“When a brake pedal stuck on in heat two, we did worry that a top 10 for the final may be out of reach, but in the previous and subsequent heats Rory showed really great pace and managed to achieve a P9 intermediate classification despite being handicapped by the mechanical failure.”
This morning we welcomed home a World Champion - many, many congratulations Rory! 🏁🏎
Posted by St Patrick's Grammar Downpatrick on Tuesday, 12 December 2023
Armstrong’s success – which was celebrated with a rapturous homecoming reception by the staff and pupils at St Patrick’s Grammar School in Downpatrick – proved crucial in the Nations Cup of Champions, which Team UK triumphed convincingly from Canada, Belgium, France and Denmark.
The focus for Rory now turns to 2024 and using his achievements to draw in new sponsors as he steps up to the Junior category, which kicks-off in Spain in February.
After that, he plans to move to single seaters and cut his teeth in F4.
“I will be competing at European level again next year and I hope to win another ticket to next year’s World Finals to race for a junior title,” says Armstrong.
“I also have to say a special thanks to my school. St Patrick’s Grammar have been so supportive of me and my sport and help me to catch up on any work I have missed on my return from races.”
Rory Armstrong achievements
2023 Rotax Mini Max World Champion
2023 Irish GP Plate Winner
2023 BNL Vice Champion
2023 Team UK Driver Rotax World Finals – Bahrain
2022 Ranked P6 RMC Euro Trophy
2021 Ultimate Karting Champion Micromax
2021 Micromax UK Vice Champion
2020 DRS Daniel Ricciardo Series P12
2019 Bambino Ulster Champion
2019 Bambino Northern Ireland Champion
2019 Bambino NW Plate Winner
2019 Bambino TKC Vice Champion