Young Hady Mimassi is, according to his dad, “very driven”.

And that is highly appropriate when you consider that the 10-year-old is making a big impression in the world of karting.

This year he has really put his foot to the floor because he was crowned British Midlands champion – breaking the lap record along the way – Little Rissington Kart Club champion and runner-up at Shenington Kart Club in Banbury, when he was just pipped by someone who is two or three years older than him.

It’s all very impressive and it is set to get even better for the St Edward’s Prep School pupil next year because the plan is to compete at national level in the official British Karting Championship.

That will see him competing all over the country but he still plans to find time to race at Little Rissington and Shenington as well as elsewhere.

Born in Ottawa, Canada – his dad Jerry works for the High Commission of Canada and has been awarded an OBE for his services to British foreign policy – Hady moved to Cheltenham when he was two.

So how did he get into motorsport, and karting in particular?

“It was when we took him to a farm park when he was three years old” said his dad. “He wasn’t interested in the animals, all he was interested in were the pedal karts!”

And it snowballed from there.

“At the age of four Hady had his first taste of karting at JDR Karting in Gloucester,” continued Jerry, “and he has never looked back.”

He certainly hasn’t and his talent has been recognised by those people in the know because last year, when he was a novice in the IAME Cadets class, he was voted up and coming cadet driver of the year.

So what speed does Hady get up to?

“The karts can go up to 60mph and he’s done 58.7mph which is very quick for an eight, nine or 10-year-old,” said Jerry. “That’s quite a thrill for someone his age I’m sure.”

His lap record, which he set at Little Rissington, was 48.53 seconds , which was just a shade quicker than the previous best of 48.60.

All the top drivers from Formula 1 – Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso – started off in karting, of course, and their route to the top is one that Hady would love to follow.

“You’ve got to dream big,” said Jerry. “Ask Hady what he wants to do when he’s older and he’ll say be a racing driver and F1 is at the top of motorsport.

“He understands that it will be very, very hard. He knows he has to work hard and focus but he loves it.

“He’s willing to do anything he can to get there – that’s his focus, that’s his dream.”

What makes his passion for the sport all the more remarkable is that there is no real history of motorsport in the family.

His dad liked Formula 1 but had only been karting “a couple of times” before Hady got into the sport.

Now the whole family, who live in Cheltenham, are big fans, including mum Rana and little sister Karly.

Karly is only five – she also goes to St Edward’s – but after seeing Hady’s exploits behind a wheel she’s getting more and more interested.

“She’s said a couple of times, ‘Daddy, I want to have a go’,” laughed Jerry. “Maybe when she’s six in the new year!”

If anyone wishes to support Hady in his motorsport career, please ring Jerry on 07504 855556 or email hady.mimassi@protonmail.com